Has anyone stayed at Banyan Marina Resort or Tropi Rock Resort? Both look good but websites are sometimes deceptive. Any comments welcome.

We toured the Tropi Rock on our last stay in FLL to see if it would be a good place for a future stay. Personally, I would rate it about **. It is located only 1 block from the beach, but not in a particularly good area. The rooms and furnishings are very dated. Fairly nice pool area. Over-all I would not personally stay there.

The web site looks a lot better than the hotel(for the tropirock.) There are much nicer hotels around. I have not seen the Banyan.

look into tripadvisor.com i remember reading bad reviews on Tropi Rock Resort

Claire - Actually the vast mjority of the reviews on Trip Advisor are positive. In fact so much so that it makes me wonder just who wrote them. Not even the upscale resorts in FLL are so heavily positive in the comments. It's ratings come in #1 ahead of Marriott Harbor Beach, The Pillars and Lago Mar. There is absolutle NO WAY it beats those places.After actually seeing the hotel I know that I wouldn't stay there for free.
I also am unfamiliar with the Banyon Marina Resort. Will have to check it out on our next trip to FLL.

JD - After looking at some of your postings it seems like you are in our scetion of the country. We are in coastal CT. near New Haven. What places have your stayed at personaly in FLL, as we are always looking for new places to try. We usually stay at Lago Mar, but have tried a few others there as well. Checked out the Pillars on our last trip and might try it in the future.

HarryR-Yes, we are south of Boston. We have been going to Ft.L. yearly since my father moved there 25 yrs. ago. Sometimes we stay with him, but his place is small, so we have often stayed at hotels when we have our 3 kids along. It seems we have basicly stayed at the same places as you. Lago Mar is our favorite,but since the kids have gotten older they like marriott Harbor Beach.I don't like the smaller rooms here, but I do like the hotel. We have also stayed at the Clipper(didn't like), The Holiday Inn Galleria on the corner of sunrise(just okay), The Doubletree suites next to the Galleria-It was really nice here.The suites are large with 2 bathrooms.Rooms nice overlooking the intercoastal. For us, my Dad lives a 1 minute walk away,but I still would rather be directly on ocean.We also tried Embassy suites Deerfield beach which was nice,but not close enough to good restaurants-the restaurant at the hotel was horrible.I would like to check out the Marriott Beach Place towers sometime-I'm wondering if they have a nice pool area. Have you been there? Next time we go, I think I will bid on priceline for Marriott Harbor Beach. It is the only resort listed,so there would be no risk in getting another hotel.People are getting it for $80-$100/nt. We have never been to the pillars-where is it, and what is it like? Its funny, the TropiRock looked so good on the internet that I sent my Dad over to check the place out a couple of years ago-he reported back that the place was horrible.

jd, I have looked at priceline but like you I have three kids and it seemed like there was no guarantee that they could fit the whole family in, there was no place to specify that you had more than four in the room. Is that right or have I misread something?

jd : Funny how our likes seem to match. We also have tried the Embassy Suites in Deerfield and found ourselves usually driving back to FLL to dine, too much hassle. Hated the Clipper and weren't too impressed with the Hyatt Pier 66 either. The Pillars is actually pretty close to the Tropi Rock but located right on the intracoastal. It is a smaller more intimate type of place that wouldn't appeal to everyone. Very nice rooms and a pool area overlooking the intracoastal waterway. The Water taxi will make a stop there as well.Other than the pool there are really not many other services provided there, except a wine tasting in the piano area at certain times. We have also stayed at the Amerisuites just off of 17th ST. when nothing else was available for a decent price. It was OK at best. Always wondered just what the Double Tree Suites were like. Since we usually end up at the pool over the beach the location wouldn't bother us very much. So far I haven't found a place that offers the room size and ammenities of the Lago Mar that wasn't priced twice as much if available at all. I also love the area where it is located. It is so relaxed compared to the busy 17th ST./A1A area. We are thinking of going there again next May.
Just up in your area, but stayed in Peabody. Next trip I think we go back to staying in Braintree as it is so much more convenient to the T into Boston.

jd-I stayed at Marriott Harbor during Father's Day weekend...it was wonderful to say the least. The pool area is great. The families were there. Since we were right on the beach we stayed at the beach most of the time. It's really a nice setup. I missed getting the priceline deal which i regretted. The concierge at the hotel was so wonderful anytime you want something they were on it. Anytime you needed a suggestion to do something they had maps, made reservations....truly wonderful! I wouldn't stay anywhere else in Ft. Lauderdale. Have fun!

HarryR-I wouldn't choose the doubletree suites over Lago Mar or Harbor Beach.Even though the rooms are great, the pool area is not nice, and you have to walk to the beach. I would like to check out the Diplomat Resort on Hollywood Beach though. Looks good on the internet-I may have to send my father over for a look! I notice you have been to new Orleans-can you recommend a nice hotel in or near the French quarter -one with a nice pool area ?Thanks.

jd - We stayed at the Monteleone on Rue Royal. It is one block over from Bourbon which isolates you from some of the craziness. It had a nice rooftop pool and glassed in gym area. It has been a few years since we stayed there. The rooms were no big deal as I remember. Our last stop in N.O. was a day trip over from Biloxi where we stayed at Beau Rivage which was great. Wanted to have a place with a nice casino so chose to stay there instead of N.O.
I've also noticed the Diplomat, but haven't seen it as yet. It did look pretty nice. Thanks for the feedback concerning the Doubletree.

Thanks everyone for your advice. I asked about Banyan Marina because Fodors highly recommend it and it seemed perfect for us as it is smaller and more intimate than the large hotels on the beach. However the Marriot sounds good although I have never used Priceline. How far in advance do you need to start bidding?

trish-you're right, priceline will only guarentee 1 bed in a room,but after you make your reservation with them you can call the hotel directly and request 2 beds-I think in large hotel like this one you would most likely get it-but to have absolute peace of mind, you would have to book 2 rooms.
Roadbabe:You can start bidding months in advance, or the very same day depending on what time of year you are traveling. Check out the details on biddingfortravel.com before you bid. I have used priceline once, and got Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert for $60.Their own websites cheapest room for that day was $250,so it was quite a savings.
HarryR-thanks for the advice on New Orleans.Maybe will check it out this Fall.

Roadbabe:

I'd highly suggest staying at Blue Seas Courtyard in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL (5 miles north). It has a huge 1 BD type apartment that could easy fit 4-5 people (its like a small apt.) You might not get the resort perks but at least you'll have plenty of room.

Of the places previous mentioned, I looked at the locations on mapquest. Tropi Rock appears to be in an iffy area of Ft. Laud. Beach (but within walking distance to the beach.)
Banyan Marina is on an isle off Las Olas Blvd. This is a very beautiful, but older area and you can walk to the shops/restaurants along Las Olas Blvd, but I'd suggest taking a car to get there (the heat is terrible for walking) and the real shops start around 8th Ave and head east to the New River Tunnel at about the 300 block. Further west you'll find Riverwalk where there is a beautiful walk along the river and shops/movie theater/restaurants & bars, etc. Banyan Marina is NOT within walking distance to the beach, but it is just a couple minutes by car and you'll have to pay to park at the beach.
Blue Seas Courtyard looks interesting and should be located directly on the beach or just across the street (ask if it has DIRECT ocean access.) You shouldn't have to pay to park at any of these three places.

I live in Ft Lauderdale and just wanted to give you some practical info about the places you are looking into.