If you’re searching for a cruise hotel and traveling with a family, you’re probably looking for a suite. An all-suite hotel like the Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale is probably your best bet right? Not so fast. Many hotels in this area have fold out couches and can easily accommodate a family. Can the Homewood stand out among the competition? Let’s take a look.
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I booked this hotel as part of a longer stay in South Florida. My nights here were Sunday and Monday, June 15 & 16.
My 1-King stuidio suite, which is the basic room here, had a nightly rate of $119.17 after taxes. Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale has an Expedia rating of 7.8. Check the Expedia rates for your dates.
I chose this hotel because I’m building nights for Hilton status next year. I also thought the lower than usual rates were a good chance to come in and check out a new area hotel.
Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale Location
This location is… not good. The main thing I like about Lauderdale cruise hotels is that they integrate with the city and don’t feel like you’re stranded in exurban airport-land. But that is the feeling you have here.
The hotel is too close to the airport. It’s in a sort of no-man’s-land between where the airport ends and Dania Beach really begins. There’s a Tri-Rail train station on the other side of Griffin Road and a number of other hotels in the immediate vicinity. There’s also a Bass Pro Shop that eats up a lot of acreage near the hotel. All there is really nearby is a Wendy’s, a Dunkin’, and a local bakery/deli for breakfast/lunch.
Griffin Road is a large highway and an unpleasant place to walk. The only way someone would really like this location is if they were planning to take the Tri-Rail or if they’re an aviation enthusiast, as you can sit by the pool and see planes landing extremely close by.
Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale Property
This is one of several area Hiltons that recently started charging for parking. It comes off as nickel and diming because this is not a premium location. They have plenty of space, they just know how bad the location is and that they can get into your pocket this way. The snacks for sale in the lobby are a similar situation. $35 For a six pack of beer. Thirty five dollars! The airport shuttle is free but the cruise shuttle is overpriced as well.
Overall the Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale gives the impression of a hotel that was once very nice, but is rapidly sliding downhill due to poor management. Check in was not smooth. I observed other guests being told their rooms weren’t ready after 3 pm. I had to wait for breakfast because they removed the pan of eggs before bringing out the next pan, then did the same thing with the potatoes. At one point I had to argue with a staffer because he was trying to clean the furniture I was relaxing on by the pool. I don’t blame the staff. All this points to poor management.
Wear and Tear Throughout Hotel
There’s a lot more wear and tear in the Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale than at most Hilton properties. This place isn’t even recognizable compared to the Homewood I visited recently in Austin, which was much nicer with a newer, more luxurious feel.
The photos above are just a few examples of a pattern. The hallway carpets are dingy and the toilet ran constantly. The sofa was so bad you wouldn’t take it off Facebook for your basement if someone offered you $100 to haul it.
The hotel isn’t bad overall but this pattern definitely suggests it’s getting worse. If management can’t see or can’t fix these problems the online reviews and ratings are going to sink a lot lower than 7.8, which is already below many competing hotels.
Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale Guest Rooms
I didn’t particularly like the room here either. There were several design choices that made it less livable than a suite should be. The chairs aren’t the right heights to match the table or desk. The TV sits on a weird piece of furniture that is sort of like a dresser but not. The closet only opens a foot wide, making it difficult to access.
The kitchen area stinks. The dishes are too small to serve proper portions on. Only the barest minimum is provided. Not even a dishrag. This kitchen is suitable only for reheating restaurant leftovers or maybe making the kids some sandwiches. Even the most basic meal prep here is a struggle.
Air quality is a little dank inside the room. Together with the wear and tear it’s very unimpressive. I’d much rather have a smaller room with better design. It’s also hard to get upgraded in a hotel like this, even as a diamond member on a short stay, because families and groups buy up all the larger suites.
About Dania Beach
I’ve been familiar with Dania Beach for several years because it’s home to the AMO Union headquarters and the STAR Center. The city’s position along with neighboring Hollywood in the South Florida conurbation is very convenient. You can reach anywhere from Pompano to Coral Gables easily by car. It’s also a bit overlooked, being overshadowed by the three largest cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches.
Check the Competition: See All South Florida Hotel Reviews
Dania is very much old-school Florida. There’s a casino with a jai-alai fronton and an OTB. There’s a Publix and another Publix. A beach and fishing pier and a smattering of old school motels you won’t find in online searches. Once you get away from either the beach or Route 1 it’s pure suburbia, with chains and shopping centers and a million houses that look like the one from the Golden Girls.
I like it here so much that it’s become my base of operations. My storage space is here, along with my car storage, mailbox and package delivery, pharmacy, etc. Having three airports nearby and scores of hotels that cater to cruise passengers makes this area extremely convenient as a base for a nomadic lifestyle.
Bottom Line
I wouldn’t be excited about staying here again. I’d sooner drive to Boca or Miami if my favorite Lauderdale hotels weren’t available.
The Homewood Suites Ft Lauderdale is probably fine for a one night stay but honestly you’re better off in a Hampton Inn. Keep searching online for something a little more suitable.
