Friday, May 17, 2013

Sheraton Ft. Lauderdale Beach Resort

Revisiting the property as my last visit was in 2010, shortly after the renovation.  I enjoyed the property on that stay.  The hotel was formerly known as the Sheraton Yankee Clipper hotel. The hotel was renovated in 2010, but it feels very  superficial as the physical plant still feels old.

The property is similar to a campus, that consists of a main building, that looks similar to a ship that is connected to a tower; a building across the street that can be accessed via skywalk; and a beach tower connected by a long walk.  The property is located at the South end of Fort Lauderdale beach.  Unlike the properties North of it, it has direct beach access and rooms have views North and of the Ocean.

You enter the property from Seabreeze Blvd. and there is a very small valet area, which is often congested and due to traffic, it’s can take some time to enter and exit the property.

Once you leave your vehicle you enter a very small lobby, the registration desk is directly in front of you as well as corridors to the other buildings.
Check in was smooth.  There is a dedicated Gold & Platinum line.  I was welcome back to the property and SPG platinum status was recognized.  They apologized for not being able to upgrade me to a suite,  as in the past and assigned a room in the beach tower.  I knew that meant a long walk.  Oh, well.  You win some you lose some. 

In order to get to the Beach Tower, you have to walk a long corridor of the mail building, a walkway outside, then wait for an elevator to get onto the guest floors.  The hallway is sort of dark, and this is when I thought, “ this is an old property that had a renovation three years ago, and that is now starting to wear.”


Entering my room, my first impression is, “ehh”!  The room has those painted 70 popcorn walls.  At this point is the smallest room I’ve ever been assigned.  However, I love the view out to the beach.  The decor is supposedly beach inspired, but sparse.  The furniture reminds me of something you would find at IKEA.  In addition, dinks and chips are starting to show. The bed and bedding are average, nothing special, however, at a Sheraton brand you shouldn’t expect more.  There is a long but slim double closet that would accommodate a single or a couple for at least a week.  The best attribute of the room is the great view and the amazing sunlight the room receives.



The is a 30 inch flat panel TV and TV service is full HD.  There isn’t a branded clock radio/mp3 player as you would find in some hotels.  

The workspace is barebone, but has wired connections and plenty of electrical outlets.  The charge for wifi is $10 and was strong.  No connection issues.

The bathroom is average, one sink but ample counter space, enough for two people.  The property included a complete set of branded toiletries.  The shower/tub felt smaller than a normal residential tub.
Although a US Sheraton, the property does not have a Club Lounge or level.

The fitness center is small but well equipped.

This property has two pools, one in the main building and the other in front of the Beach Tower.  The main pool seems old, run down and dirty.  The front pool, appears to be much more appealing than the pool in the main building, is on the beach but has a small footprint and the are fills up quickly.  There is also a pool deck bar and cafe.


Parking/Valet was not an issue as there are many attendants around and with such a long walk from my room to the valet, the car was always there.

Dos Caminos is the on site restaurant.  I’m not a Dos Caminos fan, so I’ve only eaten breakfast and it was nothing special.

FINAL IMPRESSION
Overall hotel cleanliness:
Run of the mill Sheraton.  Convenient and cheap because it’s not located closer to Las Olas.

Staff attitude, conduct & support:
I didn’t have much interaction with the staff, but those who I did interact with were just fine.

Location:
Good location for beach access but, you will need to walk, drive or take a cab to get to the hub of restaurants or Las Olas.

Would I return?
Yes. Based on price and time of year.

Would I recommend this as family friendly?
Yes.

Good for business travelers?
No, since it’s away from the CBD.

Good for a romantic getaway?
I wouldn’t stay here on a romantic getaway as there are more upscale, sexier and adult oriented properties along the beach or in Miami.

Would I recommend for someone looking for Dining/Nightlife?
Based on requestor as the hub of nightlife/dining is north of the property.

Would I recommend restaurant?
No

Value for price paid?
Good

Overall property rating on a scale from 1 to 10 = 6.5



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