La Quinta Airport and Cruise hotel

Anyone stayed here and have any feedback ? Are the Oakland shops / restaruants walkable? We currently have this booked for the night before our cruise next April, arriving around lunch hour.

This board covers all of FLA - from JAX to Tampa to Miami. What city? :confused:

I think that's the LQ south of the airport. The Oakland Shopping center is about 10 miles away. There is an Oakwood Plaza close by with a number of fast food places and a Dave N Busters, but it's not really walking distance.

This board covers all of FLA - from JAX to Tampa to Miami. What city? :confused:

Oh sorry. That would be Fort Lauderdale.

I would say most of Oakwood is a healthy walk from the LQ. At least most of the decent restaurants are at the south half of the plaza. If I had to hazard a guess, maybe 15 minutes to the Ale House or TGI Fridays area. Remember none of the roads in the plaza go in a straight line, so be careful of traffic if you decide to walk straight, cutting across parking lots. The Kmart and BJ's are further north.

As for the hotel, we stayed there one night in 2008, so I have nothing current to report on. Was a nice hotel with friendly staff back then, and I recall it was a nice view out on the pool deck across that lake right there

I would say most of Oakwood is a healthy walk from the LQ. At least most of the decent restaurants are at the south half of the plaza. If I had to hazard a guess, maybe 15 minutes to the Ale House or TGI Fridays area. Remember none of the roads in the plaza go in a straight line, so be careful of traffic if you decide to walk straight, cutting across parking lots. The Kmart and BJ's are further north.

 

As for the hotel, we stayed there one night in 2008, so I have nothing current to report on. Was a nice hotel with friendly staff back then, and I recall it was a nice view out on the pool deck across that lake right there

Hmmm....so is it ok to walk to? We won't have a car so was hoping to be able to walk to restaurants and maybe a bit of shopping beforehand. We are coming with kids if you think it is unsafe walk.

PS - I know a lot mention the Harbor Shops area, and Comfort Inn is the other option, but the shops there seem more boutique-like and doesn't interest us as much (would prefer practical stores)

I wouldn't feel unsafe walking there. I mean, if you get all the way up to near Stirling Rd at the top end of the plaza and have done some shopping, you can call a cab to take you back, it won't be much. In pacing it out on Google Earth, the Ale House restaurant is just under a half mile from the hotel by the time you walk south to get to Oakwood Blvd and then head north again. The Ale House is right beside the Home Depot and then Kmart and BJs are across the parking lot and a bit north from there. Not sure if you have looked up the google map for the area yet, here's a link. The Hotel is on N 26th Ave at the bottom middle of the map (the rusty colored roof). https://www.google.ca/maps/@26.0413528,-80.1620285,1574m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

I wouldn't feel unsafe walking there. I mean, if you get all the way up to near Stirling Rd at the top end of the plaza and have done some shopping, you can call a cab to take you back, it won't be much. In pacing it out on Google Earth, the Ale House restaurant is just under a half mile from the hotel by the time you walk south to get to Oakwood Blvd and then head north again. The Ale House is right beside the Home Depot and then Kmart and BJs are across the parking lot and a bit north from there. Not sure if you have looked up the google map for the area yet, here's a link. The Hotel is on N 26th Ave at the bottom middle of the map (the rusty colored roof). https://www.google.ca/maps/@26.0413528,-80.1620285,1574m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Thank you. I did look at maps, but it's often hard to tell exactly what walking is like (sidewalks, if direct, traffic, busy roads, etc). Actually the map you have is neat.

I see what you mean about KMart being across the street. Can you walk to that safely?

PS - Is miller's Ale House a good restaurant? We're not a huge fan of TJI Fridays.

We really enjoyed the Ale House and they are usually pretty highly recommended on here. They are a chain in the southeast part of the US.

We really enjoyed the Ale House and they are usually pretty highly recommended on here. They are a chain in the southeast part of the US.

Thanks. We're from Canada so never heard of it.

And thanks for the feedback about La Quinta

I would say most of Oakwood is a healthy walk from the LQ. At least most of the decent restaurants are at the south half of the plaza. If I had to hazard a guess, maybe 15 minutes to the Ale House or TGI Fridays area. Remember none of the roads in the plaza go in a straight line, so be careful of traffic if you decide to walk straight, cutting across parking lots. The Kmart and BJ's are further north.

 

As for the hotel, we stayed there one night in 2008, so I have nothing current to report on. Was a nice hotel with friendly staff back then, and I recall it was a nice view out on the pool deck across that lake right there

We stayed there in 2010 and was very happy with the hotel. We walked to TGIFridays with no problem but did not want to walk further.

Thanks. We're from Canada so never heard of it.

 

And thanks for the feedback about La Quinta

I'm from Canada as well. I would liken the Ale House to something along the lines of a Jack Astors or Crabby Joes up here, maybe a bit more "neighbourhood-ish" though. A couple guys playing pool, a few others look like they got off work locally and having a cold one. We also got a discount by showing our room key.

We stayed there in 2010 and was very happy with the hotel. We walked to TGIFridays with no problem but did not want to walk further.

Great to hear. Thank you.

DanJ, thankfor the comparison. Can picture what kind of a restaurant the Ale House is.