Where to eat by SpringHill Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port

The last time we stayed at this hotel, we had a rental car. So we have lots of flexibility for dinner.

For our next trip, we are flying in the day before and forgoing a car.

Any suggestions of where to eat? Any place walkable? (No, not the Burger King or the McDonald's across the street.) Will the shuttle take you to a nearby restaurant? Would prefer a local area restaurant-or a small local chain-we can eat at Olive Garden or Chili's at home.

Thanks!

Pat

My favorite restaurant in Oakwood Plaza is Hollywood Ale House, a FL chain of sports grills. They have a big menu and most of the food is good.

The last time we stayed at this hotel, we had a rental car. So we have lots of flexibility for dinner.

 

For our next trip, we are flying in the day before and forgoing a car.

 

Any suggestions of where to eat? Any place walkable? (No, not the Burger King or the McDonald's across the street.) Will the shuttle take you to a nearby restaurant? Would prefer a local area restaurant-or a small local chain-we can eat at Olive Garden or Chili's at home.

 

Thanks!

 

Pat

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Pat:

That hotel is off the beaten "cruise" path....There is a variety of restaurants and shops on 17th street causeway, which is the area

most most cruisers stay b/c of variety of restaurants and shopping.

In the shopping center where the Publix is there are a few "chili" type

restaurants. I would take a look a Google maps or trip advisor for

a better idea....

I second the suggestion for the Ale House. We ate there when we stayed at the La Quinta, just around the corner. Big portions, nice atmosphere, friendly staff. They seem to offer diso****s to hotel guests, so make sure you ask (present room key). They are probably a 10 minute walk down the plaza, tucked in behind Home Depot, and just across the little bridge.

Just across the parking lot from them is Dave and Busters and just down from D&B is TGI Fridays, Red Lobster, and Sal's Italian Restaurant. Another place in the plaza that gets good reviews is the Moonlite Diner. It's on the right hand side of the road as you walk south, and it's just past Kmart. I haven't been, but it looks like a 50's diner, and like I said, gets good mentions on here.

Personally, I wouldn't call this area "off the beaten path", cruise or otherwise. I would bet more cruisers spend a night at the 8 or 9 hotels around Oakwood than stay on 17th St, simply because 17th St is a lot more money usually, and most of these Oakwood-area hotels offer shuttles, where you either pay for a shuttle or have to take a cab, to many of the 17th St hotels.

Thanks for all the info--I guess when we were in the plaza we didn't make it any further than the K-Mart.

Looks like there are many more dining opportunities within walking distance of the hotel than I thought.

Thanks for all the info--I guess when we were in the plaza we didn't make it any further than the K-Mart.

 

Looks like there are many more dining opportunities within walking distance of the hotel than I thought.

The shopping center is huge and Kmart is only at the beginning. Ale House and many of the other restaurants are past Home Depot. Moonlite Diner and Chipotle Grill are closer to Stirling Rd if you don't feel like walking.

Thanks for all the info--I guess when we were in the plaza we didn't make it any further than the K-Mart.

 

Looks like there are many more dining opportunities within walking distance of the hotel than I thought.

Here's a map for the area. You can zoom and scroll, and most of the stores and restaurants should be labelled.

http://maps.google.ca/?ll=26.047915,-80.160069&spn=0.00534,0.009645&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6

I tried google maps, but didn't get this detail--apparently I didn't zoom in close enough.

We love Cuban food--anyone try Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine--across the 95 on Stirling?

I tried google maps, but didn't get this detail--apparently I didn't zoom in close enough.

 

We love Cuban food--anyone try Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine--across the 95 on Stirling?

I have been to 2 of their other locations and the food is good.

We have been thinking about this hotel for our pre-cruise one night stay.

All the reviews seem good, and it looks as though they offer Shuttle from airport and to the cruise terminal as well as breakfast? I'm I correct in my observation?

Thanks for all the help!

Steph

We stayed there October 2011 pre-cruise, but had a rental car.

But can confirm that it did have free shuttle from airport and port--this information is on its website.

I thought the bed was too soft--but other than that no problems.

Some fellow CC members had used PL a few days before and got the hotel for $70 or so--we had used AAA rate through Marriott.com and paid something like $149--but pushed us up to enough points that this stay will be free.

From our experience, its a place to sleep and not much else.

On our first cruise we stayed there and weren't terribly impressed. Of course, it wasn't the hotel's fault that our flight was delayed and we didn't land until after 11pm. The shuttle drive from the airport was hair raising to say the least. There were a few times where I thought we were going to end up in an accident and I was surprised that the trailer holding our luggage managed to stay on its wheels. By the time we made it to the hotel and check in, it was midnight. We weren't aware that everything closed at midnight, so DH had to walkthrough the McDonald's drive thru across the street to get us a snack. DH had no trouble sleeping, but I had the squeaky side of the bed, so I barely slept. Whoever had the room ahead of us had quite a party, judging by the obvious patch job done to the walls.

We did walk over to the K-mart plaza the next morning after a mediocre breakfast (typical hotel, serve yourself breakfast), I found it a rather long walk, but I'm sure its a shorter walk when you've had a decent nights sleep.

The shuttle to the port was good, they do several in the morning so you have some choices as to when to go, which is nice. The staff at the hotel was quite nice, so I wouldn't recommend against staying there, its just our experience wasn't spectacular.

Thank You for the information! We just were looking for a decent place to sleep with a few places around we can walk to grab a bite to eat when we get in. We are arriving in the afternoon the day before so there won't be much time to do much. This place sounds like it may be on our short list. Thanks again for the help! That's why I love this place! ;)

~Steph