Best Western Oceanside Inn

[sandancer]

We are spending 5 nights pre cruise in Fort Lauderdale and booked the Embassy Suites but after reading several negative reviews we are having second thoughts. We are now looking at the Oceanside Inn as we would like to be next to the beach. Checked TripAdvisor and reviews are roughly 30/70 bad and good. Any advice?

[phabric]

I have stayed at Best Western Oceanside 6x (one time for 5 nights) before Covid when we stay more than 1 day in FLL.  
 

We take a taxi about $30 (cheaper on Uber) to the hotel and a taxi (under $15) or can sign up for a $ shuttle to Port Everglades.

 

The beach is a short distance (they say 100 yards),  go out front door, walk pass one hotel at beach, or go pass the rooms by the pool, go through door around the corner of the elevator,  down the driveway, turn left to the corner, turn left, you will see small entrance to the beach.  There were picnic tables in the area.

 

Pre Covid they had a great hot breakfast, each day a different type of meat (sausage or ham or hash, bacon), scramble eggs, cereal, yogurt, cheese, make your own waffles, bagels, bread, fruit, juice, coffee/tea.  Bar that also sold good food.

 

I would call to inquire if still offering the buffet and bar food.

 

They have washer and dryer for $ in the garage. Can borrow low beach chairs.

 

Staff are friendly and helpful with directions/restaurants.  Rooms are clean with small refrigerator and microwave, coffee machine, ice machine on each floor, elevator at each end of floor - one near lobby/breakfast area/bar and other near pool that you need to walk outside to get to lobby.

 

Regular bus #40 goes along beach front and 17th Street ($1 for seniors and children).  There use to be the Sun Trolley, FLL has now changed it. Both only steps outside the hotel door.  Water taxi stop within walking distance. We would take the bus to go to different restaurants.

 

It is nice to have bar that sells food that if you don’t want to go out to eat or it is raining.
 

Check out - www.fortlauderdale.gov

🇨🇦

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by phabric

[At Sea At Peace]

Your best bet, by far, in that beach area that is 1.25 miles to the port, is the Harbor Beach Marriott.  Huge (thousands of fee) oceanfront beach, jet skis and banana tube, fantastic tiered seating at great pool with background water fall, good outdoor bar and dining and indoor dining and pub.

 

The BW is 'sort of' in the middle of the "B Ocean Resort."  That's a 4 building hotel that all funnels everyone into a really small beach area (couple of hundred feet or so).  The issue is not the beach, as there are miles of public beach to the north, it is the beach and pool staff (or contactor) that blasts concert resembling pool music mounted even on the buildings (wicked bass) all day and into the night.  It projects all the way down to the beach.  That's all you hear.  A rock concert.

 

Really terrible management and business plan as otherwise there doesn't appear to be any issues.

 

So, if you want to be able to experience the ocean and hear the waves......

[sandancer]

Thank you for your very helpful information. However the Marriott is near enough $4500 for the 5 nights we want to stay. Not in our budget. 

[phabric]

2 hours ago, At Sea At Peace said:

Your best bet, by far, in that beach area that is 1.25 miles to the port, is the Harbor Beach Marriott.  Huge (thousands of fee) oceanfront beach, jet skis and banana tube, fantastic tiered seating at great pool with background water fall, good outdoor bar and dining and indoor dining and pub.

 

The BW is 'sort of' in the middle of the "B Ocean Resort."  That's a 4 building hotel that all funnels everyone into a really small beach area (couple of hundred feet or so).  The issue is not the beach, as there are miles of public beach to the north, it is the beach and pool staff (or contactor) that blasts concert resembling pool music mounted even on the buildings (wicked bass) all day and into the night.  It projects all the way down to the beach.  That's all you hear.  A rock concert.

 

Really terrible management and business plan as otherwise there doesn't appear to be any issues.

 

So, if you want to be able to experience the ocean and hear the waves......

I have stayed at Best Western Oceanside, many many times in Feb/March/Dec and have not heard any loud music near the hotel.  One time we were there the B Ocean had signs up for some type of concert that was coming up in the future.   One time,  I was at Best Western Oceanside, during a spring break, the main beach area near all the hotels/bars/restaurants were wall to wall young people with loud music, drinking and police patrolling the area and beach.  I said we were glad we were staying at the Best Western Oceanside as we did not have all the noise.

[At Sea At Peace]

12 minutes ago, phabric said:

I have stayed at Best Western Oceanside, many many times in Feb/March/Dec and have not heard any loud music near the hotel.  One time we were there the B Ocean had signs up for some type of concert that was coming up in the future.   One time,  I was at Best Western Oceanside, during a spring break, the main beach area near all the hotels/bars/restaurants were wall to wall young people with loud music, drinking and police patrolling the area and beach.  I said we were glad we were staying at the Best Western Oceanside as we did not have all the noise.

 

Well, your experience was better in that regard than those reviewing the B Ocean on a major travel website with member reviews ~

 

1

Music too loud. Ocean view blocked by trees.

Hotel was very nice and looks like it has been renovated recently. Lobby was very nice and location was great. The music was too loud by the pool. 

2

 

Disappointing

What to say?

Our front door was outside, above one of the pools. There was a party going on down there and man it was loud! Fortunately they wrapped it up around 10:30. I get it- you’re on vacation! I am too... just don’t want to hear other people scream and loud music deep into the night

 

3

The music at the beach pool was oppressively loud; if you want a quieter pool experience, go to the Clipper pool. No view but much less crowded.
 

4

Nice and modern hotel 5 min. walk from beach road. Got udgraded to a junior suite with ocean view. Staff are good. The music at the pool is very loud, so relaxing is not that easy but then you can go to the beach.

 

 

 

[phabric]

You are posting about a different hotel than  Best Western Oceanside.  I have not heard loud music at Best Western Oceanside. It has 1 pool, with a few lounge chairs, a few patio tables with chairs and umbrellas and a small waterfall.
 

The B Ocean hotel has 3 buildings , one building across the street with a bridge to the main building and a building on the beach.  The B Ocean (used to be named Clipper then ? Sheraton) is beside the Best Western Oceanside.

 

The B Ocean has chairs/umbrellas at ocean edge for their guests near their hotel.

 

The beach is open to everyone is a big area, closer to the street there are picnic tables, a kids metal climbers and volleyball nets. This beach area is much quieter with less people than the main beach area with all the bars/restaurants.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by phabric

[At Sea At Peace]

2 hours ago, At Sea At Peace said:

 

The BW is 'sort of' in the middle of the "B Ocean Resort."  That's a 4 building hotel that all funnels everyone into a really small beach area (couple of hundred feet or so).  The issue is not the beach, as there are miles of public beach to the north, it is the beach and pool staff (or contactor) that blasts concert resembling pool music mounted even on the buildings (wicked bass) all day and into the night.  It projects all the way down to the beach.  That's all you hear.  A rock concert.

 

So, if you want to be able to experience the ocean and hear the waves......

 

11 minutes ago, phabric said:

You are posting about a different hotel than  Best Western Oceanside.  I have not heard loud music at Best Western Oceanside. It has 1 pool, with a few lounge chairs, a few patio tables with chairs and umbrellas and a small waterfall.

 

I know it is a different hotel.  My 'quote' was that the Best Western (BW) 'is sort of in the middle of the "B Ocean Resort."  The comments were about that resorts pool (below the last building on the beach) loud music.

 

11 minutes ago, phabric said:

 

The B Ocean hotel has 3 buildings , one building across the street with a bridge to the main building and a building on the beach.  The B Ocean (used to be named Clipper then ? Sheraton) is beside the Best Western Oceanside.

 

The B Ocean has 4 buildings (one across the street next to the parking garage and connected by overhead footbridge) with 481 rooms in total.

 

The Best Western, again, 'is sort of in the middle of the "B Ocean Resort." 

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by At Sea At Peace

[BlueHerons]

I love the BW Oceanside!  My niece actually stayed here during Tortuga and it wasn't overly noisy nor does the B Ocean Hotel infringe on the property.

 

They redid the hotel several years ago and it is a really cool little place.  Love the pool area!

[sandancer]

That is so reassuring. I have followed your posts Blue Herons for some time now and always felt you gave good, sensible advice. If you recommend this hotel, it’s good enough for me. 

[BlueHerons]

33 minutes ago, sandancer said:

That is so reassuring. I have followed your posts Blue Herons for some time now and always felt you gave good, sensible advice. If you recommend this hotel, it’s good enough for me. 

Aww, thanks!  I hope you have a wonderful time!  Make sure you hit Bo's Beach for a burger!  Gorgeous place for lunch!

[At Sea At Peace]

15 hours ago, BlueHerons said:

I love the BW Oceanside!  My niece actually stayed here during Tortuga and it wasn't overly noisy nor does the B Ocean Hotel infringe on the property.

 

They redid the hotel several years ago and it is a really cool little place.  Love the pool area!

 

Well, if you believe that, during TORTUGA (a massive country music week long concert with the main stage 100 yards from the BW) wasn't 'overly noisy' then good for you.  It doesn't appear to make any sense at all to a reasonably prudent person for any hotel anywhere in that area at such a time.

 

Regarding the notion that the B Ocean doesn't infringe on the property (the BW); I guess it should be noted that there is "no property" at the BW (also, the B "engulfs it" at the traffic intersection wedge).  The entrance is a small residence size humped valet.  It is all building, no land at all, at an intersection of massive entrance traffic (4 lanes also at an intersection) to the southern beginning of the beach.  The pool, although cute, sits behind buildings and overhangs the sidewalk of Holiday Drive (where all of the traffic for the Harbor Beach Marriott (massive) resort and a huge condo tower across the street (a sunblock for hours).

 

Sorry to the OP (which had an original concern of some bad reviews for Embassy Suites) for the realism.  It is what it is and it is priced based on what it is.  If that's all you want, no problem and you'll enjoy it.  I did not know the price parameters when I originally responded in comparing the BW hotel to the HBM resort.  Again, they aren't comparably priced because they aren't comparable.

 

OP.  Enjoy regardless of where you stay.

Edited January 19, 2022 by At Sea At Peace