Embassy Suite or Marriott Renaissance

[Dreamcruiser185]

We have narrowed down our selection for the pre cruise hotel.  Both have good and not so good reviews. Looking for someone that has stayed in both, and can give a honest review.  The hotels are the Embassy Suites or Marriott Renaissance in Fort Lauderdale. Thanks…

[nhraformula00]

Don't stay at E.S. It is really dated inside the rooms. It is very busy, elevators are really slow, crowded.  We have been to almost every hotel on 17th street and would rate E.S. dead last. Our choice is Hyatt Place on S.E. 10th. street 1 block behind E.S. Much newer, cleaner, been there well over 8 times. Never been to Renaissance.

[Dreamcruiser185]

1 hour ago, nhraformula00 said:

Don't stay at E.S. It is really dated inside the rooms. It is very busy, elevators are really slow, crowded.  We have been to almost every hotel on 17th street and would rate E.S. dead last. Our choice is Hyatt Place on S.E. 10th. street 1 block behind E.S. Much newer, cleaner, been there well over 8 times. Never been to Renaissance.

Thanks!

[bajathree]

Lived in FLL for several years. I would get off 17th street if possible....it's really not the best location in FLL...seedy touristy area....there are much nicer locations in FLL.

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, bajathree said:

Lived in FLL for several years. I would get off 17th street if possible....it's really not the best location in FLL...seedy touristy area....there are much nicer locations in FLL.

Seedy?  I haven't stayed on 17th street because I live just north of Fort Lauderdale but I've sailed out of Port Everglades twice in the last year, have eaten at some of the local restaurants, and have driven the port section of 17th Street many times and never thought to myself that the area was seedy. 

 

I do think that, if you are staying for more than one night, the beach or Las Olas are more interesting
(and more expensive) areas. But for a one night stay, the area is fine and offers a large number of hotels and restaurants.  If trying to save on transportation costs, the 17th Street area hotels are much closer to the port and the airport and are more likely to have shuttles.

[lx200gps]

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

Seedy?  I haven't stayed on 17th street because I live just north of Fort Lauderdale but I've sailed out of Port Everglades twice in the last year, have eaten at some of the local restaurants, and have driven the port section of 17th Street many times and never thought to myself that the area was seedy. 

 

I do think that, if you are staying for more than one night, the beach or Las Olas are more interesting
(and more expensive) areas. But for a one night stay, the area is fine and offers a large number of hotels and restaurants.  If trying to save on transportation costs, the 17th Street area hotels are much closer to the port and the airport and are more likely to have shuttles.

We've stayed on 17th St pre-cruise at least a dozen times in the last few years (as well as in Dania Beach and Plantation). While we wouldn't stay there if we had a few days to kill pre- or post-cruise, there's no beating it for convenient access to PE for a short pre-cruise hotel stay. Nothing "seedy" about the area  though it's hardly a touristy, "vacation" area.

 

As to the OP's question about the ES or the Renaissance, we've stayed at the Renaissance a number of times, most recently last November, and have two more bookings for next month and May. Excellent, large, full service hotel so close to PE we can literally walk to Terminal 2. If you can get a high room, depending on the side of the hotel you are on, you can have a beautiful view of PE and all the big ships at their piers. We have also stayed at the very popular Hyatt Place, and it's a good little hotel,  but we find it far too small and cramped, particularly on cruise departure mornings when the lobby is SRO. We have never stayed at the ES, and many folks love it, but there are far too many dodgy reviews here on CC about its current state and condition for us to consider it.  Another good hotel choice would be the Hilton Marina, not far from the Renaissance, also with tremendous views of PE.

[George C]

I also would recommend anyplace but Embassy suite , our stay last year was terrible, service was really bad . I used to love this hotel. 

[bajathree]

4 hours ago, lx200gps said:

We've stayed on 17th St pre-cruise at least a dozen times in the last few years (as well as in Dania Beach and Plantation). While we wouldn't stay there if we had a few days to kill pre- or post-cruise, there's no beating it for convenient access to PE for a short pre-cruise hotel stay. Nothing "seedy" about the area  though it's hardly a touristy, "vacation" area.

 

 

These are the crime statistics of 17th street area which is in the Harbordale/Poincina Park area of Fort Lauderdale

https://www.areavibes.com/fort+lauderdale-fl/harbordale/crime/

https://www.areavibes.com/fort+lauderdale-fl/poinciana+park/crime/

Edited January 25, 2023 by bajathree

[Mcgeneseo]

I used to live in FLL and spent lots of time on 17th St. I have noticed a significant increase in homeless people hanging out at the intersection of Cordova and 17th - right across from ES and near the Publix plaza. We always walk to dinner when we're in town for a cruise and my DH is 6'4" and retired cop. Neither of us feel comfortable doing that anymore. I think"seedy" isn't too far off from what it is after dark.

[bajathree]

4 hours ago, Mcgeneseo said:

I used to live in FLL and spent lots of time on 17th St. I have noticed a significant increase in homeless people hanging out at the intersection of Cordova and 17th - right across from ES and near the Publix plaza. We always walk to dinner when we're in town for a cruise and my DH is 6'4" and retired cop. Neither of us feel comfortable doing that anymore. I think"seedy" isn't too far off from what it is after dark.

Just last month we came into FLL for an Odyssey sailing...I was just behind the Embassy Suites/Publix plaza on Miami Rd. A tow truck cut us off as we were driving down Miami Rd...he then backs up to block us ...got out of his truck screaming at us for no reason ...cursing and threatening us....I had to drive over the sidewalk and grass to get around him. This happened in the middle of the afternoon around 2PM. I wouldn't want to walk around the 17th area in the evening for sure....and similar to your husband I am 6'2" and a big guy...that is a sketchy area of FLL.

[sdnich]

I am  following this thread also . We were originally booked 2 nights at the Embassy suites at the beginning of our cruise and at the Renaissance for one day after the cruise. after reading many bad reviews about the Embassy suites we move to the Hilton Fort Lauderdale for pre-cruise and so far are still at the Renaissance after the cruise. But was just looking today and there were some negative reviews also . 
 

.Ix200gps did say they stayed there lately so I’m hoping we made a good choice .

 

And the comments about it being a seedy area unfortunately most large cities have been seeing a huge influx of homeless and crime .I can’t see why Fort Lauderdale would be any different ! Just watch your surroundings

[wwcruisers]

On 1/25/2023 at 9:39 AM, George C said:

I also would recommend anyplace but Embassy suite , our stay last year was terrible, service was really bad . I used to love this hotel. 

Sadly George, we recently had a similar experience, on our Blue Note at Sea (Celebrity Millennium) cruise. We were initially thrilled to see that the Jazz Cruises folks had lined the 17th St. Embassy Suites up, as the official pre-cruise hotel. For many years (until Covid hit) that ES had been our pre-cruise hotel of choice in the Port Everglades area. Although we had not been there in 4 years, we were shocked at the condition of the hotel! We didn't get in from the airport until 7pm, and the first room they put us in had badly stained bedding. When we asked to have the bed re-made, the night manager took us to another room. The bedding in that room was clean, but absolutely raggedy -- holes and frayed areas on both the duvet cover and the sheets. My husband popped-open the little Neutrogena shampoo, and the cap had something resembling black mold in it -- YUCK!

We had another night booked there, for after the cruise -- as we've learned that you need a good night's sleep, before flying x-country from a jazz cruise. But, we immediately canceled it and booked the airport Hampton Inn, instead. Note: the E.S. manager told us that the hotel is scheduled for a major remodel, this spring. Might give them another try after that -- but I'd want to see some really good reviews, first!