Holiday Inn Express - Fort Lauderdale Airport South?

This would be the one located at 205 N. Federal Highway in Dania. I know that it's not a tourist area like 17th Street or Las Olas, but I was just wondering if the area was at least safe enough to walk around during the day and also to and from somewhere for dinner in the early evening?

Also, is there a bus that goes up and down Federal Highway, and does it run on Sundays?

I found a great rate on LMT Club and was considering staying there for one night in February, so I thought I'd ask the opinions of both locals and anyone who might have stayed in the area.

To stay there and not barricade yourself in your room you need to be comfortable walking in tough urban neighborhoods. Like a yuppie from Evanston suddenly dropped into the South Side. Lots of street level entrepreneurs and no-name motels that rent by the hour. There's a Walgreen's and IHOP five blocks south with a few local eateries in between. As long as you are not alone you should be OK before dusk.

Broward County Transit Route 1 passes the hotel and runs every 20 minutes on Sunday. Will take you to Aventura Mall or to the edge of the SE 17 St tourist zone.

To stay there and not barricade yourself in your room you need to be comfortable walking in tough urban neighborhoods. Like a yuppie from Evanston suddenly dropped into the South Side. Lots of street level entrepreneurs and no-name motels that rent by the hour. There's a Walgreen's and IHOP five blocks south with a few local eateries in between. As long as you are not alone you should be OK before dusk.

 

Broward County Transit Route 1 passes the hotel and runs every 20 minutes on Sunday. Will take you to Aventura Mall or to the edge of the SE 17 St tourist zone.

Define "street level entrepreneurs" -- Is that a euphemism for drug dealers?

I'm more concerned for my personal safety than what others are doing. Bottom line -- Would I literally be risking my life if I walked to and from dinner after dark (since it will be February, "dark" will probably start at around 4:30 p.m. or so). I once stayed at the Hampton Inn on Stirling (which I guess would be Hollywood as opposed to Dania) and walked to the Moonlight Diner and back without incident. Is the area around the HIE much worse than that?

The problem with that hotel is the lack of anything around it. The hotel itself is very new and probably pretty nice, but I've never been impressed with the neighbourhood (this is always the route we drive from the airport to wherever we happen to be staying). If you get a pretty decent rate for the hotel, then you can take a cab to Oakwood plaza for food or shopping fairly inexpensively. I'm sure the hotel has some kind of breakfast, but if not, I have been to the IHOP mentioned above several times and wouldn't be as concerned walking there in the morning, compared to walking around after dark.

I wouldn't walk around there at night. You can take the bus to 17th St, but you won't find many tourists on that route. If you were just coming in late at night, it's probably a great hotel, but there's not much point in spending a day there.

I went ahead and made a reservation that can be cancelled up to three days prior with no penalty. The price was just too good to pass up. Hopefully I can maybe get a good rate on a 3-star Hotwire hotel in the Downtown/Las Olas area as the time draws closer, but if not, I can make do without doing anything touristy and I'll exercise caution when I go out. I live right in Chicago (as opposed to the suburbs), so it's not like I'm sheltered. The price difference was so immense that it didn't make sense not to do it.

That should work out fine. Like I said above, Oakwood isn't too far away (less than 2 miles), so a cab to the restaurants and stores there will be cheap. Heck, you might even be able to get the hotel shuttle to drop you off there and you get yourself back after. Assuming of course there are restaurants there you want to go to, maybe you have other ideas too.

If I am on track that is the one in Dania Beach. Stayed there in June and it was excellent. Short walk to Grandpa's Bakery for an excellent breakfast in the morning and a slightly longer walk to Jaxson's for some ice cream. If you enjoy ice cream Jaxson's is not to be missed. Had grandkids with us an never once felt unsafe walking to these places. Agree not a ton of restaurants. Service at the hotel was outstanding and we will be back there again in November. Enjoy.