lalalaboom

I just booked a long weekend trip to Fort Lauderdale in JAnuary. I'm looking for a decent, CLEAN hotel or B&B to stay for 3 nights. I'd love to be near the water, but as long as we're within a few miles, we'll be fine. I entered a bid on priceline ($125 for 3 stars) but did not get anything. Any suggestions?? Thank you very much!!

Andrew

Go to BiddingForTravel.com to get more info about bidding in Fort Lauderdale. Did you bid for multiple zones or just donwtown?

Sometimes hotels don't offer rooms in Priceline until closer to your arrival date. The best strategy, when using Priceline, is to book something else on your own that you can cancel later if you succeed with Priceline, so at least you have something.

I would try Hotwire.com also to see what they have. Usually, you can get a better price with Priceline, however.

Andrew

Stephanie

I'd check into Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL accommodations. Many motels who are just right across El Mar Drive (very easy to cross) from the ocean are under $150. Even on A1A the motels (within extremely easy walk of the ocean) would be cheaper than Ft. Lauderdale and the city of Ft L is just over a drawbridge from Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the beachtown is on a peninsula with a neat atmosphere. You will also feel closer to the ocean even if you get an across the ocean accommodation because all buildings are 3 levels or lower.

lalalaboom

Thank you for your ideas. I will look into both options...Is there any particular place that you would recommend in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea? Thanks again.

Stephanie

lala:

you could go to the: lbts.com website and click on hotel option. I stayed at the Coral Key Inn twice. I'd suggest a 1 BD suite w/walk in closet, although room 3 has a murphy's bed efficiency. All have full kitchens. You cross El Mar Drive (very non-busy - palm tree lined two way drive) and there is direct ocean access (15-30 second walk) from above motel. Another that I asked to see one of their rooms is Blue Seas Courtyard (about 2-3 blocks from Coral Key). The bigger room is like an apartment. no kidding. you could easy have 5 people in the place and not even feel crowded. The interior and exterior design is beautiful. It is smaller than the Coral Key. I think they only have 8 or 10 rooms with a small pool in the front. You have to walk down El Mar Drive like 2 blocks to get down to ocean access. Within walking distance on A1A is a big Publix grocery store and then a small mall that has an Eckerd drug. There is also a really neat souvenir place on A1A called Macs Grove. very nice place. It is a small town that is very walkable with some really nice restaurants. I got lucky and found out about it and went with my eyes closed in 2000 for 1st time and was pleasantly surprised.

Neopolitan

Clever, wyatt. You got raked over the coals for advertising your website in its own post, so now you just list it in individual threads.

I thought your whole point was that it's too time consuming for people to search. If you had a suggestion, why not just list the hotel instead of asking the poster to do a search?

Stephanie

Neo:

i hope my suggestions don't get erased. Fodors is so reluctant to keep on suggestions of specific motels/hotels if they aren't major chains.

Neopolitan

Stephanie, what in the world did that mean? I've never believed for a second that Fodors would get rid of recommendations because they are small or independant rather than chains. What makes you say that?