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Hotwire Hotel: Help with Ft. Lauderdale Beach


meecal
By meecal,
in

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Guys and Girls,

I'm looking at a vacation in Fort Lauderdale at the beginning of September (September 2nd - 6th) of this year. I have a Fairfield Resorts Get Up And Go certificate that I will probably use for the first two nights of the vacation as check-in for that certificate must occur Monday-Thursday. With that certificate it sounds like I may end up in the Sheraton Yankee Clipper (I'll have to pay $30/night) on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, or in the Holiday Inn Fort Lauderdale by the Sea (would be free with the certificate). However, I believe that hotel is north of the main night scene.

Questions: :)

1. For those of you familiar with the area, what are your feelings on the Holiday Inn Fort Lauderdale by the Sea, specifically in regards to location. My girlfriend and I plan on going out at night to nightclubs/bars and don't want to be too far from the action. Is it an easy walk to the main scene in Fort Lauderdale from this hotel?

2. Has anyone used a Fairfield Resorts Get Up And Go certificate?

3. Is it worth paying $30 extra per night to stay in the Yankee Clipper over the Holiday Inn Fort Lauderdale by the Sea?

4. Right now Hotwire is not returning the Yankee Clipper as an option. What are the odds, historically speaking, of it showing up on Hotwire in the near future?

5. If I try to book a hotel through Priceline for the Fort Lauderdale beach area, is there any way to ensure that I get either the Yankee Clipper or the Holiday Inn (in Fort Lauderdale)? I don't want to get one of the hotels that is not on the beach.

6. Last question, I swear! Is it worth the hassle to check out of a hotel and move stuff to another one for two days for the level of savings I may see?

Sorry for the length of the post and the number of questions!

Thanks a million in advance!

Meecal

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Welcome to BetterBidding!

I have no experiece with questions 1 and 2 so i'll leave them for somebody else to answer.

3) You can use these reviews to help decide if it's worth the extra $30/nite. However, see my * below for my own thoughts.

YANKEE CLIPPER REVIEWS

Holiday Inn Review

4) Since there is so much time between now and your stay i would say that there is a chance that the Yankee Clipper will appear between now and then, but how soon that occurs or for how long it is available nobody can say. You'd either want to see the Holiday Inn (currently shown at the 3* level) to pull/sell their inventory or raise their price... information none of us are privy to.

5) No. Based upon your criteria, i wouldn't use Priceline in this instance (and realize that there is still a slight risk with Hotwire as the property is not 100% known until after purchase).

6) Some people would move every nite in order to save $5, others would never change hotels once they've checked in. It's an individual decision that should take into consideration how light/heavy you pack, if you live out of a suitcase or unpack at every hotel, how much savings, etc.

* If you're a member of AAA you can use the Travelocity link to book the Yankee Clipper hotel for $79/nite. If you plan on doing any other traveling before your certifcate expires i'd almost save my free nites for another time rather than use it at the Yankee Clipper. Since you'd be paying $30/nite with the certificate and you can book on your own for $79, the certificate is worth $49/nite. I don't know too many places you can get a hotel room for $49/nite (assuming you wouldn't have to pay a 'surcharge' at another property... i'm not familiar with this voucher so i don't know the Terms and Conditions).

To add to your decision making process, if you decide that: a) the Holiday Inn is fine and in a good enough location, or b) you don't want to change hotels then, what i believe is the Holiday Inn is currently being shown for your dates on Hotwire. Perhpas everything being 'easy' (and cheaper) will weigh in your decision.

Let us know how it goes or if you have additional questions.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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I guess the only question I can help with is #1...

First off... you've got two Sheratons on the beach in FLL... The Yankee Clipper is south of Las Olas Blvd, and the Yankee Trader is north of Las Olas. And then there is, of course, the Holiday Inn, which is a little bit futher up the beach from the Yankee Trader...

If by "the nightlife" you mean the bars and clubs on A1A (the strip along the beach), then you will be happy with either hotel... They are both about a 20 minute walk away. If, on the other hand you are talking about the restaurants and shops on Las Olas Blvd, then neither of the hotels are within walking distance. To get there you'd have to take a cab. (Maybe 10 minute ride, if even that...)

I have staid at both the Holiday Inn and the Yankee Trader, and I would say they are both about the same... 3* hotels. To be honest, the Sheraton Yankee Trader is a little bit run down, but then again the Holiday Inn is no resort either. For my money, I'd save the extra $30 and spend it on dinner... or drinks.

If, on the other hand, you have access to the Sheraton Yankee Trader... You"ll save about 10 minutes of walking to get to the "beach action". If the other two hotels are 3*, then I'd give this one 3.75*. A little nicer, but probably a bit pricier as well...

As far as checkin-in and -out of a hotel so save a few bucks... Not worth the hassle. Figure in having to take a cab, packing and unpacking, arriving too early for check-in... I wouldn't do it. But that's just an old bag talking... Either way - have a great time and enjoy the beautiful beaches!!!

DeltaPurser

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We just returned from Fort Lauderdale 5 days ago (Mar 2/04), and stayed at the Sheraton Yankee Clipper for 2 nights. It is a beautiful hotel. We paid $70 through Hotwire, and were upgraded to the beachfront building. The rooms were very spacious and the beds were very comfortable. I would definitely stay there again.

It is about a 10 minute walk to the start of the "action" on the beach, and then you just keep walking!

Didn't see the Holiday Inn or the Yankee Trader, so I can't comment. Whatever you choose to do, if you select Yankee Clipper, you won't be disappointed.

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Thanks guys and girls for all the responses!

DeltaPurser, could you name a street that's in the middle of the nightlife (yes, bars and clubs) so I can see where it's at on a map?

Thereuare, thanks for the tip about using Travelocity. That does seem like a good deal!

Right now the Yankee Clipper isn't showing up on Hotwire, just the Holiday Inn. If the Yankee Clipper is going to cost over $70/night on Hotwire, perhaps it would be better to book it on Travelocity and get the SPG points as well as a possible upgrade....

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You want to look for the intersection of A1A and Las Olas Blvd. That's where it starts, and then it goes up the beach for a few blocks... Beach Place is an outdoor mall with places like Hooters, Cafe Iguana, Sloppy Joe's, etc.

Check out www.sunny.org for some tips, maps and stuff... it's the official page of the convention & visitors burear. even has a live webcam of the beach that i like to look at sometimes when i'm stuck in some god-forsaken cold town...

be good!

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hmm...checking on Hotwire for the Fort Lauderdale beach area for Sept. 4th-6th, 2004 I get a 3* hotel returned with the following amenities: beach access, restaurant, pool, fitness center. No business center.

That doesn't match up with any of the hotels listed.

Meecal

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  • 2 months later...

Ladies and gentlemen,

I posted about a future stay a while back and I'm finally ready to book it for real. It looks like I will need to book a hotel in Fort Lauderdale (on the beach, close to the nightlife - bars, clubs, etc.) for the night(s) of September 18th and (maybe) the 17th. Has anyone recently verified that the 3* hotel in the beach zone on Hotwire is the Holiday Inn? The amenities listed are as follows: Beach Access, Restaurant(s), Pool(s), Fitness Center, Business Center. I can get this on Hotwire for $61 a night before fees/taxes. Is that a decent deal or one I should pass up on?

Thanks!

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