hotel in Ft Lauderdale post cruise

We are flying in morning of our cruise in September. I know several people recommend coming in the day before but we are due in at 10:20 am so we should be okay. After the cruise, we would like to stay at a hotel for 2 nights. We would like to get a hotel with transportation from the port to the hotel, then from the hotel to the airport. We would like to stay near the water & are planning to use the water taxi for 1 day.

Should we look for a hotel that includes transportation (& close to a water taxi stop) & walk to nearby attractions or just pay for transportation as needed?

Can you recommend a hotel that includes transportation?

I would not limit yourself to a hotel that provides transportation. You can get from many airport to many hotels with a relatively low taxi rate price and in the end you get the convenience of the taxi (you could even consider Uber) and in the end nothing is for free so if the hotel provides transport it has been figured into the room prices.

Keith

Below is an image of the popular hotel clusters. To be near water you should look at the 17th Street cluster, the Beach Cluster and the Riverside Hotel in Las Olas. Go here for a list of hotels.

I agree with the previous advice about hotel transfers.

At the end of the day, nothing is really FREE except FRUSTRATION!

The wait times for hotel shuttles from the ship back to the hotel at the end of the cruise can be frustratingly long! Many passengers simply hail taxis/Uber/Lyft. Keep this in mind before paying upfront for return hotel shuttles.

You have a few options when booking hotels and transfers:

•Book direct with the hotel.

•Book via an online hotel booking agency but these are best for room-only bookings. Trivago is an excellent source for price comparison. There are other favorites like ValueTrips and Priceline

•Book with specialist sites that offer packages to include breakfast, parking and shuttles or combinations thereof. Stay123, ParkSleepFly

Click here for a map showing the hotels and water transport/trolley routes and popular restaurants near the routes. Nowadays there are 3 water taxis/shuttles! From this map you can pick a hotel that meets your budget close to the route stops.

Great set of maps, SteerageJoe! Thanks for posting them!

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I'll pass this info on to my friend who is making the reservations. Hopefully, she'll finalize them soon. I'm a big planner & I'm getting a little antsy.

Lago Mar!!!! Beautiful and on the beach!!!

Lago Mar!!!! Beautiful and on the beach!!!

Agree with this. Gorgeous resort hotel on the beach.

My second choice would be the Sonesta or Gallery One Doubletree. The GOD is actually a water taxi stop and very close to Galleria Mall.

Courtyard Marriott FLL Beach is also an excellent choice.

I would not stay at a 17th Street or Dania Beach hotel for two nights.

Thanks, BlueHerons. I liked the looks of Gallery One but my friend wanted to be closer to the beach. How close is it to the beach?

Thanks, BlueHerons. I liked the looks of Gallery One but my friend wanted to be closer to the beach. How close is it to the beach?

I was just there two days ago. My GPS measured 0.5 miles from the lobby to the beach. Nice path over the bridge and sidewalk. Here is a pic from the bridge: