FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Marriott Harbor Beach Resort - Fort Lauderdale, FL [Master Thread]
Old May 18, 2000, 4:04 pm
  #3  
BeantownFlyer
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: BOS
Posts: 2,309
A few comments. First, a warning - according to the web site, http://marriotthotels.com/FLLSB/ , the hotel will be entering the second phase of a major renovation from July through November. When I tried to book a room for the fall earlier today, I found deeply discounted "renovation" rates, with the warning of "major construction". It seems room renovations were completed last year, and now they are renovating the common facilities, which may mean noise and limited services - but who knows (they say to call for more details). As for the hotel generally, I've always found the location spectacular, right on the beach, with a large pool and nice poolside bar, along with beachfront cabanas that you can rent, but the room quality and level of service to be below what I would expect for the rates they charge. So I stay there, enjoy the beach, enjoy the Marriott points, but am disappointed in the total experience - which they could improve with training of staff (and a room renovation that perhaps has perhaps addressed room quality since my last stay). I have also stayed at the Vacation Club location jamflyer mentions, and it's worth a look. It's a Marriott timeshare, but you can book rooms/suites just like a hotel, by the night. I stayed in a one bedroom suite, which included a full kitchen, large bathroom, living room and bedroom. It's located on top of a two story outdoor mall, with a host of hot shops and popular restaurants (if you stay there avoid the ocean view rooms - they face the bars/restaurants and the noise goes on late into the night - take the quieter Intracoastal view). It is across the street from the beach, so it means using the public beach (you can rent chairs) as opposed to the more private beach at the Harbor Beach end - and you can't really get room service and the maid service is a more limited "tidy" than the full cleaning you'd get at a full service hotel. But if you're travelling with a family it's a great set up, and you get Marriott points. See http://www.vacationclub.com/rentals/resorts/bp.asp for a description; click the banner at the top of the page for reservations/rates. As for the Hyatt - its not on the beach at all, so if you're looking for beach activity you'll need to drive down to the public beach, or pull into the Harbor Beach Marriott's garage (located on the side of the building) and sneak onto their beach (not that I would every do such a thing).
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