FLL Embassy Suites - Current Condition?

[KeepCalmBearOn]

March 2022 is a long ways away. I'd keep the ES reservation. As you pointed out, it is one night only.

[capriccio]

On 5/25/2021 at 9:53 AM, Suzanne123 said:

With all that said, I just priced a room for our cruise next February.  Embassy Suites is $379.  The much nicer Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach, where we last stayed, is $735. Ai yi yi 
 

Are you booking a hotel room during President's Day Week (Friday, February 19 to Saturday, February 26)?  That could account for the high prices since it is the busiest week in the winter season because many public schools in many northern states have winter break that week and families are vacationing (and cruising).  If that is the case, as is often recommended here, book a room that doesn't require a deposit or is fully refundable and keep looking. 

[Suzanne123]

We’re going down Feb 11th for one night.  Booking.com has the Marriott Courtyard for $469.  ES is $399. Even Hyatt Place is $349.  These prices are ridiculous when you can’t check in until 4:00 and you’re on your way to the ship by 11 in the morning, but they can only charge what people will pay, so there you are.
As it turns out, I had enough points to book the new Hilton Hotel Maren, but no way would I pay the $572 for it.  
I have a free night certificate from Marriott, so I booked the Renaissance on 17th for a November cruise, but that’s another hotel that has seen better days.  
As soon as I had my vaccinations done I stayed two weeks in a tower room at the Riverside on Las Olas in March, and I still like that hotel and the area around it.  That’s where I’ve stayed for the last few cruises out of Fort Lauderdale.

[Roz]

I went ahead and canceled the ES and booked Gallery One.  Both were expensive and had I not had HH points, I wouldn't have booked either one of them.   Gallery One was 50,000 points and ES was 60,000.

[Suzanne123]

I think you made a good choice.  It is very convenient to shopping, a bank, and restaurants.  The lobby is nice and big, they have those free chocolate chip cookies, and the water taxi stops right outside the back door by the pool if you have time for that.  If you get there too early for check in, you can have them store your bags and walk across the street to the Galleria mall to kill the time.  When I was last there, they arranged a shuttle to the pier for $9.  Bon Voyage!

[Roz]

@Suzanne123, thank you for the info.  I've already checked out what's available at the Galleria.

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, Roz said:

Both were expensive and had I not had HH points, I wouldn't have booked either one of them.   Gallery One was 50,000 points and ES was 60,000.

 

Interesting about the points required for the two hotels.  Don't have any Hilton points, but am a Marriott Rewards member and their classification of hotels (with the number of points required) make little sense to me at times.  

 

One example was a Courtyard in Columbus, Ohio that was a Category 3 while a brand new Sheraton Suites in the very same area was a Category 2.  

 

In your situation, I would consider the Doubletree to be in a higher category than Embassy Suites.  What is the criteria for deciding what brand is in what category?  

[bschoon60]

On 5/29/2021 at 11:55 AM, Roz said:

@bschoon60, thank you for posting about your experience.  You may or may not know the answer to this, but are the changes you observed permanent or temporary due to Covid?  I've stayed at a couple of Hilton properties in the last year and a lot of the service aspects such as breakfast and housekeeping were changed or non-existent.   

I'm not sure if the changes are temporary or due to COVID.  I would hope the lack of staff would improve as people are vaccinated.  A lot of hotels are experiencing a lack of people willing to work during COVID.  

[CruiserBruce]

On 5/29/2021 at 8:55 AM, Roz said:

@bschoon60, thank you for posting about your experience.  You may or may not know the answer to this, but are the changes you observed permanent or temporary due to Covid?  I've stayed at a couple of Hilton properties in the last year and a lot of the service aspects such as breakfast and housekeeping were changed or non-existent.   

Most hotels, absolutely not just Hiltons, dropped or limited certain services during Covid. Everyone hopes they will return after Covid, but nobody will know until after Covid.

[Roz]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Most hotels, absolutely not just Hiltons, dropped or limited certain services during Covid. Everyone hopes they will return after Covid, but nobody will know until after Covid.

 

I'm aware of that.  I mentioned Hilton properties because they're the only ones I've had direct experience with during Covid.

[STIguy]

Just spent 3 nights here.  The rooms are in desperate need of a refurbishment.  
Service was overall good.  The Auburn fan concierge was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.  
The price is ridiculous. We didn’t take advantage of the breakfast or Happy Hour.  Way too many schnorrers.  Clientele left a lot to be desired 

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, STIguy said:

 Way too many schnorrers. 

Well that comment sent me to the dictionary!  According to Merriam-Webster:  Schnorrer definition is - beggar; especially : one who wheedles others into supplying his or her wants.

 

I gather from your next sentence that you are calling the other guests beggars.  Why?

[Roz]

I was wondering the same thing.  Please explain.

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

Well that comment sent me to the dictionary!  According to Merriam-Webster:  Schnorrer definition is - beggar; especially : one who wheedles others into supplying his or her wants.

 

I gather from your next sentence that you are calling the other guests beggars.  Why?

But earlier the poster says the rates are "ridiculous". So wealthy beggars?

[iancal]

What surprises us is that Hilton has not either taken away the franchise name or not insisted on a complete renovation. 

 

 IMHO, this property is a stain on the Hilton and on the ES brands.  Reminds one of what happened to the Holiday Inn properties years ago.

Edited June 11, 2021 by iancal

[franktown]

4 hours ago, iancal said:

What surprises us is that Hilton has not either taken away the franchise name or not insisted on a complete renovation. 

 

 IMHO, this property is a stain on the Hilton and on the ES brands.  Reminds one of what happened to the Holiday Inn properties years ago.

Most hotels that become rundown usually began to lose bookings or have to lower rates.  We visited friends that were staying there for 3 days prior to their cruise in February 2020.  We were staying at a different but close by hotel.  The Embassy Suites was completely sold out for all 3 days and the rate that they payed was almost 25% more than we payed for what I thought was a much nicer hotel.  It's hard for a corporation that looks at the stats to argue with their success.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

1 hour ago, franktown said:

It's hard for a corporation that looks at the stats to argue with their success.

 

The corporation, in this case Hilton, cares as much about the brand as they do bookings. They send out inspectors to see that franchises and lessees are adhering to brand standards. They will yank the name, and more importantly, the reservation system, if they have to.

[rkacruiser]

14 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

The corporation, in this case Hilton, cares as much about the brand as they do bookings. They send out inspectors to see that franchises and lessees are adhering to brand standards. They will yank the name, and more importantly, the reservation system, if they have to.

 

That has been my understanding of what all hotel corporations do.  Given the number of disappointing comments about the ES in Fort Lauderdale, they make me wonder what the "brand standards" must be.  

[doone]

On 5/30/2021 at 8:35 AM, Roz said:

So, yesterday morning I booked the ES for my March 2022 cruise.  Then I came here and read all the recent comments.  I'm thinking of canceling and booking the Doubletree (Gallery One).  I've never stayed there.  Any thoughts one way or the other?  It's only for one night.

Hi Roz, I was looking at that hotel for my next cruise as well……I will be interested in folk’s opinions…..and yours when you stay there👍

Edited December 31, 2021 by doone

[SUESEABE]

Recent post on HAL board on CDC urges everyone - including vaccinated - to avoid cruise travel:  

3 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Two weeks ago we stayed at the Embassy Suites (never again) in Fort Lauderdale prior to our cruise.  We were shocked at the lack of caution on display everywhere.  The unmasked were crowding into elevators and standing shoulder to shoulder at the morning breakfast.  (I go elsewhere.)  For dinner we walked across the street to a pub and no one, including the staff, were wearing masks.  If anyone was going to get covid they were going to get it in Florida; not on the ship.

[iancal]

What amazed us about the ES is that some customers seem to be enthralled by the so called free hot breakfast and afternoon happy hour.  Neither are hardly worth writing home about.

 

Really...standing in line for a hot breakfast or being offered some popcorn or some taco chips washed down by either very wattery beer or the cheapest plonk imaginable is not our idea of a benefit.

 

And those benefits definitely do not, IOHO, make up for their tired, dark rooms or the incredibly slow elevators.  It has been five years since our last stay.  Those rooms can only get more shabby as time moves forward. 

 

Cannot imagine that anything has changed...other than their excessive room rates.

 

For our travel dollar, ES in FLL offers very poor value all things considered.  Even if Total Wine is around the corner.

Edited January 1, 2022 by iancal

[nhraformula00]

The breakfast was not very good there 1 month ago. 

[iancal]

We skipped the 'free' hot breakfast last time we were there.  No desire to stand in line or  hunt for a table while our eggs got cold. 

 

 Went over to a shopping plaza and had a great sit down breakfast. 

 

 Also skipped the popcorn and tacos in the afternoon the second day in favor of the pub across the street.  

 

Fortunately we were only there on a low bid Priceline or Hotwire win.

 

No such thing as a free lunch....or breakfast.

Edited January 16, 2022 by iancal

[George C]

Had terrible service will not return, had always liked this in the past.

[sunsetme]

try the hotels near Dania Pointe, they have airport transportation but no Total Wine, lots of places to eat however.