I'm not sure there are any upscale hotels near the Fort Lauderdale airport. The nicer hotels are located on or near the beach.

You may want to consider bidding on a hotel through Priceline.com. I've had TONS of success in numerous cities bidding on 4 star hotels through Priceline.com and Expedia's similar Hotel Price Matcher. Many times I've saved over $100/night when the lowest published rate was $250+.

I just checked Priceline.com's website and they offer 4 star hotels in the Fort Lauderdale Beach zone (only 1 and 2 star levels in the airport zone).

If it's worth considering to you, feel free to ask any questions about bidding at the Yahoo Club I set up for that purpose. <http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/pricelinedeals>

You may want to check various hotel websites to see what the lowest available rate is for your travel dates and then post that information (dates and rates) at the Yahoo Club and I'll be happy to suggest a bid amount.