Accessible Airport/Port Transportation in Port Lauderdale

I am looking for a hotel in Fort Lauderdale that provides accessible transportation to/from the FLL airport and Port Everglades and low cost parking for my sister's car.

When I contacted two of the hotels recommended on these boards (Hampton Inn and Springhill Suites), I was told that their transportation is not accessible, but that they would help me arrange accessible transportation at my own expense.

Does any one have any suggestions of alternative hotels?

Whoops, I meant Fort Lauderdale, not Port Lauderdale.

Call them back and tell them if they provide transportation free of charge then they MUST under the ADA provide you transportation free of charge too.

It's not an option it's the LAW!

Call them back and tell them if they provide transportation free of charge then they MUST under the ADA provide you transportation free of charge too.

 

It's not an option it's the LAW!

YES!!! I was going to say the same thing.

When DH & I stayed outside of Disney, the hotel we chose provided free transportation to all the theme parks in the area. Their shuttle could not accommodate a wheelchair.

So they contracted with a company to provide us with free transportation to and from the park of our choice each day.

Some hotels may be ignorant of this law ... but that is no excuse.

Yes, I was also going to say the same thing. Under the ADA, if a hotel provides free transportation/transfers, they also have to provide accessible transportation free of charge. Even if they have to contract out the service, they cannot legally charge you for it. Unfortunatley some front line personnel don't know this law, so you may have to go up the ladder and talk to a manager or an assistant manager until you find somebody that knows the law and will set the wheels in motion. If you still don't get any results, contact the corporate office.

Candy

Thank you all for yur replies.

After posting my message, I continued to contact other hotels in the area. Amerisuites, has offered to assist my husband into their van or, if that won't work for us, to pay for transportation both from the airport and to the pier.

As a result, I'd rather give them my business; however, I am tempted to push the point with Hampton Inn.

I cruised out of Fll and the people at La Quinta Airport were fantastic. They had me use Yellow Cab at the airport and request ADA transport. I did that and they picked up the cab fair.

I got the phone number of the driver and called him to pick us up and take us to the ship, they paid for that also.

I recomend La Quinta for anyone to use if your traveling with a ADA type of problem.

Tell them the Roadrunner sent you.

Dale I had a run in with Hampton Inn over room access. I made a reservation for two nights at a Hampton Inn when I talked to them on the phone they assured me that the room had a king bed and a sofa bed. When we arrived it was late and they had us in a regular smoking room (I had been confirmed for non-smoking). I was told that we could have the wheelchair room next door but it only had a king bed and no sofa bed and they didn't even have a rollaway. The night staff didn't have a clue about the ADA and since they could fill up didn't want to listen. It was to late to fight the issue so we just stayed in the other room. My 15 year old and 7 year old both have spina bifida and use wheelchairs because the bathroom was so small my 15 year old had to crawl into the bathroom. The next morning I told the manager that he needed to hold a meeting with the night staff and explain the ADA to them. He tried to tell me that they were grandfathered and didn't need to comply. I pointed out to him that you can't be granfathered for room access and that if his handicap rooms only had a king bed by law he had to give me the adjoining room for free. Well to make a long story short he said he was sorry and we got that night for free.

Marriott needs to spend more time training their employees about the ADA.

Sorry, that was suppose to say Hilton (Hampton Inn) and Marriott (Spring Hill Suites) need to spend more time having their employees learn the ADA laws.

I am using Radisson Resort out by the Port Caniveral and I to check on the free transportation to the ship. They told me to make sure I call one week before my stay and they would order a w/c van. I thought that was very good. Now for the bad side it will cost us $85 (2 People) to go from Orlando airport to the hotel. Everyone else is using a different service and it is only costing them $50 for 2 people. We can only find one service Arts Transportation who is w/c accessible. Mears would take us if we where going to the ship but not to the hotel. Go figure.........

We will be ariving in Ft. Lauderdale the day before our cruise and have reservations for the cruise package that includes shuttle service to the port at the Embassy Suite. I called this morning to see if shuttle service was available from the airport to the hotel ( it's not ) and to make sure the shuttle service is accessible. Was told they can transport the wheelchair but that the passenger will need to be able to step up into the van. Well, I can do that. It won't be pretty but I can do it. My concern is the chair. I will be taking both my electric and power chairs. The power chair is pretty heavy and I know that the hotel doesn't have a chair lift in their shuttle.

I'm trying to decide whether to try and find a hotel with a shuttle that has a lift or just make other transportation arrangements. Does anyone know of a hotel in the port area that has a lift equipped shuttle?

I have read that Yellow Cab has lift equipped vans. Would it be okay to call in advance to reserve one or should I wait until we get to the airport?

TIA and take care.

First off, yes I think you should find transportation that has a lift or ramped equipped van. Power cahirs are heavy and I've seen people really bang them around-- they dont' understand.

And yes, make arrangements for accessible transportation *in advance*. If you wait till you get there, you will be have a long wait and very possible nobody will be able to accommodate you becasue they are all booked.

Candy

I know that the FLL Wyndham airport hotel has a shuttle with a lift, but was unable to find a hotel in the Port Everglades area with one last April. We booked with Amerisuites who offered to pay for accessible transportation if we needed it. I did not think we would because my husband is tall and usually can get into the front seat of a van (and his power chair comes apart and folds up.) However, I was wrong.

Luckily it only took the taxi dispatcher about 10 minutes to get us a taxi with a lift, but I agree with Splinter that that reserving accessible transportation in advance is the best choice.

Thank you both for your quick replies. I really didn't want to have to cancel our hotel reservations because I was the one that recommended the Embassy Suites to the rest of our party of 10. Guess I'll know to get all the facts next time, huh? :o

If the hotel provides a shuttle service, it must be ADA accessible. They can either provide their own vehicle, pay a contract service, or reimburse you for transportation that you arrange (their choice) but it must be one of these. They cannot charge you more than they charge an AB guest for this...and if it is free for them, it must be free for you.

Call the manager back, and explain that this is MUCH cheaper than paying to defend an ADA DOT suit. You may even have to call the corporate headquarters to get satisfaction. Don't give up. Here is some supporting information:

http://www.adainformation.org/documents/transportation/Other-trans-systems.asp

Splinter:

Interestingly enough, when the Hampton Inn told me that they would not pay for accessible transportation, I emailed Hilton stating that they were in violation of the ADA. They did not even reply.

On the other hand, Amerisuites not only paid for our transportation, but they went out of their way be be helpful.

I though whimsey was trying to find transportation from the airport to the hotel as the package only included transportation from the hotel to the port. Maybe I misread it?

You can't force a hotel to provide free airport transfers but if they provide that service, they also have to provide accessible transfers at no charge.

And I'm with Del -- I go for the path of least resistance. I mean life is too short anyway -- if you find somebody offering the accessible service you need, why not give them your biz instead of trying to force another provider to comply with the law. But that's just me:)

Candy

I had a real disappointing stay at Embassy Suites regarding transportation. I made a reservation, called the hotel and told them we would need accessible transport from airport, to cruise port. They told me they didn't do that. I countered with all the ADA information, and the person on the phone pretty much told me "tough nougies"! I contacted Hilton, and probably as my husband is a diamond member of their travel program, they must have contacted the hotel, because I got a call from a manager at the hotel. No problem, they would have an accessible cab meet me at the airport. No one met us at the airport, I called the hotel, manager was off, front desk personnel said they don't do that!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Next day I did talk to that same manager, who did arrange accessible transport to the port, and paid for it. I was told at that time, November 2003, that they had an accessible van and the drivers were learning to use it, and it would be in service the very next month. That obviously never happened, and I did read on some message board that they stopped offering transport all together. It sounds as if they have again begun to have their shuttles, or maybe the poster was misinformed, but they are not accessible, and they have no thought of making them so.

I like Embassy Suites, and this one had a good breakfast, and nice rooms, but I'm afraid I would not stay there again,

Please file a DOT ADA complaint. Only if people do this, after receiving no satisfaction directly with the company, will compliance improve. This is not a new regulation...it went into effect in 1995, and there is no excuse for a large corporation to not have complied long before this.

Desrt Drmr: Is this for the Embassy on 17th st?? I called and got a reply that they do not pick up at the airport but do take us to the cruiseport for an extra fee.

Is this the same place?

Hi Serene,

Yes, it was the Embassy Suites on 17th Street, in Fort Lauderdale.