What can you tell me about Hyatt Pier 66 hotel?

[llmoyer123]

I just won this on priceline for a so-so price, but on my date (6 january), priceline availability was not good).

do they have an airport shuttle?
do they have a pier shuttle?
is there a continental breakfast or someplace reasonably priced nearby for breakfast?
close to the water taxi and how does that work?
close to any liquor stores (within walking distance)?

any other information on how to get a nice room there or ones to avoid?

thanks,
linda

[torpeedo]

We love Hyatt Pier 66. We have stayed there many times and were just there Dec 3-5. There really are no bad rooms but we prefer the Marina view along the east side. It's quiet and you see some great boats there. There is a tower also which is nice. They have a great lounge at the top of the hotel and it rotates and gives a wonderful view of Ft. Lauderdale and the ocean. They serve cocktails and hors de ourves. Nice at sunset. You can also see the ships go out at 5pm.
No airport or pier shuttle but a cab is about $10.
They have a great buffet breakfast for $12.95 ( maybe $13.95, I can't remember exactly) There is a choice of continental also and a menu to order.
Water taxi is close by at the Pelican bar at the marina. The Consierge can help you with all you need. I think you can pay a certain amount and go all day.
A liquor store within walking distance. Ditto to a convenience store I think
The pool is wonderful.
Dinner at the Grill 66 is a bit pricey but there is also dinner available in their restaurant in the hotel much more reasonable. Also the Pelican bar serves dinner and is outdoor and real casual.:D
Can you tell me how much you got it for on Priceline and what area you bid for? We are booked there for Feb 10 and 11 and we have a senior rate of $185 per night. Would like to get it a bit better if possible;)

[sail7seas]

We have enjoyed literally dozens and dozens of Hyatt Pier 66 stays through the years and we love that hotel.


Our preference is for the Tower Rooms rather than the Lanai (Marina)Each has their own preference.

Breakfast is excellent at the lobby restaurant but not inexpensive. DH always pays the check but I think the price is around $12.95 pp plus tip. They offer a nice buffet as well as from the menu and have just about anything you would expect to be offered. If you want eggs cooked to order but got the buffet, the wait person will be happy to bring you whatever you wish.

The grounds are very beautiful and always well maintained. Beautiful pools and good poolside lunch IMO
No airport shuttle or transfers to the port. A taxi is about $7 to the ship and about $8 or so to the airport.

They have retained many of the same bell staff, front desk persons, waiters/waitresses/bartenders for 10+ years that we have stayed there. It must speak well for a place that holds onto their employees. They always remember us and welcome us back when we arrive.

The Pier Top Lounge is gorgeous views.....both day and night. In daylight, it is fun to view the ships at Port Everglades and watch them sail. At night, the city of Fort Lauderdale's twinkling lights make for beautiful viewing.

[Leslieswiger]

I would agree with S7S. We have also stayed at the Pier 66 dozens of times and enjoy each visit. They often will also remember your name, do anything for you. You cannot go wrong by staying at Pier 66. Happy Sailings...Leslie Swiger:)

[sail7seas]

Yes, indeed, Leslie. They most assuredly remember many of their 'regular' guests names and always have a big smile and warm welcome when we enter the lobby.


BTW.....are you aware the doormen are not Pier 66 employees? They are a concession that handles the parking of guests' cars, general valet service, getting taxis etc I never find them as friendly as everyone else who works there. They also have a huge turnover.

[torpeedo]

Just an FYI. When we made our last visit early Dec, on of the bell staff told us that the hotel has been sold to some Venture Capital type firm and they are going to do some major construction and basically change the entire facility and add more units to the areas that are basically tropical areas. Did not sound very good. That work is supposedly going to start in the spring. Seems that Hyatt still retains the name etc and don't know when the transfer is going to take place or if the new venture firm has a deal with Hyatt to maintain the Hyatt name. :mad:

[sail7seas]

Yes, that is so.


The pools are going to be completely rebuilt and will be unusable for some period of time while the old pools are torn out and new built....all the new landscaping.

Seems to me I heard they were building another tower as well.

[torpeedo]

Also on the priceline bid, did you have to bid more than once? Anyone else bid and receive the Hyatt in Feb? I believe they consider that hotel the beach area. :confused:

[llmoyer123]

i really recommend that you read and learn www.biddingfortravel.com

it's a little complicated but was a big help to me when i began pricelining. in answer to your question, i'd been bidding repeatedly for various zones and star levels since november and not hitting.

be sure you know what you are doing. if i remember correctly, the hyatt is NOT in the beach zone, but in the downtown zone.

good luck!

[Johanna7]

There is a Water Taxi stop at the Pier 66. It is $5 per day per person for all day with as many hop on, hop off stops as you wish. There are about 20 on each run and you can switch from one to the other on about 3 of the stops. There are many restaurants on the route where you can have a great meal.

The people on the water taxi have coupons for free desert for some of the restaurants and will give you the name of the Las Olas restaurant where you get 2 for 1 luncheons by mentioning the Water Taxi.

If the weather is nice, it is a fantastic trip and you will see so much of Fort Lauderdale and it is very relaxing.

There are brochures in the stand where you wait for the Water Taxi and they have the time, the routes, etc.

If you are staying 3 days, it is only $10 for 3 full days.

[llmoyer123]

.....we are only there overnight (arriving late at night and embarking on our cruise the following day), but i'd love to sample the water taxi. is there a place we can take it that we can shop just a little and have a good breakfast?

any breakfast suggestions?

[torpeedo]

That's probably cutting it short if you want to embark on the ship by noon. The hotel does offer a great breakfast though. Not sure what time the water taxi starts up in the AM..
PS can you tell us what the winning bid was for you???

[ekerr19]

[b]BTW.....are you aware the doormen are not Pier 66 employees? They are a concession that handles the parking of guests' cars, general valet service, getting taxis etc I never find them as friendly as everyone else who works there. They also have a huge turnover.

We wondered about this on our last stay - we were able to get a ride to the ship, and it was complimentary. My DH had just struck up a conversation with one of the doorman while I was getting something faxed and the gentleman offered to have someone to take us.. Low and behold I go outside and they had a nice black Ford Excursion waiting to take us to the pier!

I thought it was very nice of them and we tipped both the driver and the doorman. :)

It is a great place to stay, no doubt. I am looking forward to giving the Renaissance a try in March. I will let you know how it "measures up" ;)

[Gardendog]

See post above, website biddingfortravel.com. I read and learned and got the Pier 66 hotel room for $92. I used the information on that site. Hyatt Pier 66 is in the BEACH area, not downtown as stated in an earlier post in this thread. I used the following bidding sequence $85, $90, $92, and added AIRPORT and one other areas that I found on that site, bidding for travel (the name escapes me now). The rack rate on the internet is $255. I guess we won't get the presidential suite or anything, but a room nontheless.:)

Thank you for posting that website!!!
Greta

[janisutx]

I would not stay at this hotel again unless I could afford a Tower room. My family spent Dec. 17-19, 2004 in two moldy, musty smelling Lanai East rooms. If you go with Priceline like I did you will not be in the Tower. The location and staff were great. The furniture was nice but the smell was disgusting. See Trip Advisor for more opinions. Many HAL pre-cruise passengers were in the cheap rooms but paid twice what I paid.

[llmoyer123]

http://p070.ezboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddingfrm161.showMessage?topi cID=1590.topic

this shows you my bid and bidding history in searching for a FLL hotel. good luck!

i apologize. earlier i stated i thought this was downtown and the previous poster is correct. it's in the beach area. also, like the previous bidding history noted above, i used free rebids from FLL areas that did not have a 4*. you can learn to do that by reading biddingfortravel, but it's not particularly easy to learn.

again, good luck!

[ocngypz]

The prior owner, Boca Resorts, did sell the property this fall. And thank goodness, because they had let the property slide over the years. I would not pay Hyatt prices for the property. Priceline prices.. sure.

BTW.. the Tower rooms weren't much better. They smelled, too.

[sail7seas]

Guess we've had remarkable good luck as we have definitely stayed in the Tower a minimum of 30+ times and we have never had a smelly room. By now, we've sure stayed in loads of them so it's a fair sampling. I hope our good luck continues to hold as I hope we have many more stays there.

[jan7487]

Hi All--

Does anyone have an opinion how the Marriott Marina measures up to Pier 66? We like to be walking distance to a store --is that possible from the Hyatt?

Are the rooms on a par, do you think? Views?

Janet

[torpeedo]

We have not stayed at the Marriott but have seen it. We have stayed many times at the Hyatt. We have not experienced any problems with the rooms and we have stayed in the towers and in the Lanai. The Hyatt is a 4* and I think the Marriott is a 3*. You would probably enjoy either one but my preference is always the Hyatt. Love the rotating lounge at the top of the Hyatt tower that gives you a remarkable view of the entire city as well as the ocean.
I think you can walk to a store from the Hyatt. I have seen people doing that. The rooms at the Hyatt are very well appointed. The bath's are marble. The bedding is very plush. The Hyatt is an older hotel and very 60's in design. I like that aspect of the hotel. The Marriott is your typical taller Marriott. They are building a new Marriott right beside the old one that looks very upscale. Not sure when that will be completed but probably 6 months away.

[ekerr19]

We must be lucky. We have never had a stinky room. I love having the balcony and I love all the foliage on the grounds.

We are going to give the Renaissance a try, just for something different. If it doesn't measure up, it will be back to the Hyatt for us - permanently.

[CanadianMAG]

They are renovating? Think it will effect travel in May? I was going to book at their hotel. I am sure if I call they won't tell me the truth

[torpeedo]

I did call them as we are staying there in Feb. No renovations have started yet. They told me they are renovating one of the Lanai bldgs but no date has been set yet. I think if you called them closer to your date they will let you know. I will ask when we go in Feb and post any info I can learn on the site for those who have stays booked. We are booked at the Hyatt in July and also in Sept so I will be checking prior to my stay to see if there is a problem.