Hotel pre-cruise in Fort Lauderdale

Hi,

I will be going on my first cruise in December from Fort Lauderdale and in my planning schedule, I am now choosing an hotel for my pre-cruise night.

I wanted to have some insight from people that already went on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale.

I'm going solo so I don't need a suite or a really big room! The only things that the room should have is free WiFi!

I would like to have an hotel that is located close to the port and the aiport.

I would also like to be able to walk to a Walgreen or something like that, to get some toileteries and such... I wouldn't have to pack them that way.

Also, I will be coming in late at night (8PM) so I need an hotel that will accept a late sign in.

Could you recommend which hotel I should choose? I don't want to pay a crazy price, but I also don't want to have some bugs as roomates!

Thank you

Embassy suites is very nice close to drug store/resturants and wine store, free happy hour and free breakfast

http://embassysuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/embassy-suites-fort-lauderdale-17th-street-FLLSOES/index.html

very nice place

There is an area in Dania Beach just south of FLL which has numerous hotels. It is very near The Oakwood Shoping Plaza which is a huge mall with lots of restaurants and shops. We have stayed in the Comfort Inn and the Hilton Garden Inn. Both offer free shuttles from the airport and to the pier.Both have free internet access. I don't recall the names of the other hotels but there are many nearby.

~Doris~

Another vote for the Embassy Suites, with the Harbor Shoppes right behind it. Also, head over to the Florida Departures board for other ideas. There are lots of places to stay in Ft. Lauderdale. The aiport and cruise port are close to one another, relatively speaking.

Roz

Maybe we should let Embassy Suites know that we recommend them here - should be worth a small discount. :D Great place with an excellent free breakfast - including made to order omelets.

Maybe we should let Embassy Suites know that we recommend them here - should be worth a small discount. :D Great place with an excellent free breakfast - including made to order omelets.

LMAO....another vote for Embassy Suites on 17th St.

Smack in between the cruise port and the air port. :o

I also recommend Embassy Suites.

Location is relatively close to the Airport and the Port and there are places nearby.

I have stayed there before taking a cruise out of Port Everglades and highly recommend it.

Keith

We are staying at the 'Fairfield Inn & Suites' by Marriott. They pick you up at the Airport, no charge, then take you to the Ship the next morning, for $8 pp. If you have Marriott Rewards, this is a level 4 property.

Another vote for Embassy Suites! They have a managers cocktail hour with free drinks and a full cook to eat breakfast included in your room rate. You can walk to the ship if you don't have much luggage, but a cab is very cheap. There is a shuttle, but the line is long and a cab for two turns out to be less expensive and much faster.

Behind the hotel is a strip shopping center http://www.theharborshops.com/ with Total Wine: http://www.totalwine.com/eng/storeLocator/redirect.cfm?sectionID=b2c/storeLocator/storeDetails.cfm&storeid=1&locationId=17771 You can buy your wine/beer online and pick it up ($100/minimum order)

a Publix grocery store: http://store.publix.com/publix/cgi/selection?mapid=US&lang=en&design=default&region_name=&region=&place=17th+street%2C+fort+lauderdale&x=0&y=0&mapx=&mapy= where you can buy salty crunchy snacks (hard to find on ship) and mixers, limes, etc. It's a great store with a fair sized section of "beach goods" and plenty of sunscreen, etc. They also have wine, but a better selection and lower prices at total wine.

We walked down to the piers the afternoon before our Sunday sailing and watched Saturday's sailaways! It was fun, knowing that soon we'd be watching from atop the Ruby Princess! :D

By the way, all of this topic is extensively discussed on the Florida Departures board, here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495

Embassy suites is very nice close to drug store/resturants and wine store, free happy hour and free breakfast

 

http://embassysuites3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/embassy-suites-fort-lauderdale-17th-street-FLLSOES/index.html

 

very nice place

I agree....

With all the hype for the Embassy Suites and I have no issues with them, we stay at the Comfort Inn on Stirling.. Pick you up at the airport, have a free shuttle to the pier in FLL. Not a 5 star however very friendly staff, the rooms while a little worn are CLEAN. Pool with pool side bar and a cook out at night. Shops within walking distance, McDonalds and Taco Bell next door and a Chipolte across the street..

Prices not bad either... Just thought I would throw my 3.5 cents in..

We have also stayed at the Embassy Suites many rimes both pre and post cruise for over 20 years.

And yes -- you can book a room for a late evening arrival.

They have great free breakfasts. You can choose to either pay for a shuttle bus to get you to the ship or you can take a taxi.

The Harbor Shops are right behind the building. There is a Publix there where you can buy your toilitries. Walgreens is several blocks down the street.

We always stay at the Comfort Inn. Comfortable place. People have always been great. Continental breakfast is good enough to get us to the on board buffet. Free shuttle from airport and to ship the next day. Price is right too. Hotel doesn't mean much to us as long as it is clean, well maintained and comfortable. When the sun goes down and the lights go out, they all look the same. lol

Of all the reviews I have read the Embassy Suites near the cruise port the biggest complaint seems to be that the large atrium (which all rooms are exposed to) of the hotel gets very loud. Has this been an issue for those who are recommending it?

The Hyatt Regency also seems to get a lot of mixed reviews depending on whether you are staying in the tower or not.

The Hilton Marina near the 17th Street bridge seems to get some of the best reviews I have read especially if you stay in the part called The Tower.

Any additional comments on these three hotels would also be appreciated. :D

When the ES is full, like it usually is the night before a bunch of cruises leave Pt. Everglades, it can get very loud. This has been my personal experience the 2 times I've stayed there. Since our cruise leaves mid-week, this may be less of a problem since the busy times are Friday and Sat. for cruises leaving Sat. and Sunday.

When I stayed there last November, I went in 2 days early like I'm going to do this November, and the first night was relatively tame. When the groups starting arriving the day/night before the cruise, the frenzy began.

All that said, for me, the positives outweigh that one negative. I like not having to rent a car and being able to get around on foot and via Water Taxi and Sun Trolley.

Roz

The only noise we have experienced, once our door was closed, was a group of adolescent girls playing cards in the "open hallway"/landing outside our room. They weren't being bad, just having fun. Lots of squeals and giggling. No big deal. We certainly didn't hear anything from the main floor of the atrium when the door was closed. :)

That's interesting, because I thought the atrium of the ES sounded like an echo chamber.

Roz

I don't remember noticing any noise at the Embassy Suites. Although it probably depends on which floor you're on. Any noise would be more noticeable on lower floors. We were about in the middle, I think.

That's interesting, because I thought the atrium of the ES sounded like an echo chamber.

 

Roz

I've read those words used in more than one review.

We have stayed a number of time at the Renaissance on 17th Ave and have been very pleased with it. This January we are going to try the Hyatt Place 17th & Convention Center.