wow

Does anyone have any info on the Lighthouse Cove Resort in Pompano Beach, Florida? The condos (timeshares) look very dated on their web site but the beach looks great! Any comments? Is this a "good area" (1406 North Ocean Blvd)? Shopping nearby? Any recs for waterfront restaurants or good seafood restaurants nearby? Golf?

jd

We stayed there last Nov. and overall I think it is a good value.It is located on a really nice stretch of beach that is kept very clean. There are chair and umbrella rentals for a reasonable rate, and you can also rent jet skis or parasail. The pool and hot tub are nice(It looks exactly like the photos on the website show). The Tiki bar offers reasonable priced drinks and happy hour specials. There is music every night until 11. The restaurant was closed when we were there,and was for sale,so I don't know if that is open or not. Breakfast was served at the Tiki bar starting at 9 am,and they also served lunch. Food was not good and service was so slow. You will need a car as there is nothing within walking distance, but restaurants are just a short drive. It is a safe area.
The units themselves are dated but clean. We had a 2 bedroom unit with 2 baths and 2 balconies.Our balcony doors were so hard to open,and 1 negative is there is no privacy between balconies.There is also not much sound proofing,and the tiki bar was very noisy.A lot of locals hang out there.
There was a new mall going up where the old one once was on Rte.1 in Pompano-I'm not sure if it is open yet, but there is plenty of shopping in Ft.Lauderdale. Nearby,the Sea Watch is a good oceanfront restaurant.Also, there is Arubas right on the beach with good,not great,food.A good restaurant on Rte.1 in Pompano is the Fifth Ave. Grill.
My husband played golf at the Municipal Golf Course which is about a mile away.He thought the rates were cheap,and the course was good.

wow

Thanks jd, for your comments. Where was your 2BR located? Did it face the ocean(East) or did it look into other units (North or South)? When you look @ their web site there seem to be 3 buildings: 2 small ones directly on the beach & a larger "U" shaped one farther back which appears to look over the pool area.
I am not crazy about not being able to open the balcony doors! The great thing about being in a condo on the ocean is being able to enjoy the balcony in the morning & late @ night. And, that music will probably make me crazy...is it constant & right next to the pool area???

Is there any other place in the area that you cld recommend?

wow

jd: On what floor was your unit? High, middle, low floor? Wld higher be less noisy?

Eva

ttt

jd

The 2 beach front units actually connect to the rest,making it 1 big U shape around the pool and tiki bar. The oceanfront units should be fine as far as noise goes,and I would chose 1 of these if available. They are the only units that don't face the pool area. We had a 2 br that was an up and downstairs on the 2nd and 3rd floor facing south.Inside,they were connected by a spiral staircase. We directly faced the pool,and could see the beach to the left.There are only a few units set up this way-most of the 2 br's are on the same floor.I think the 1 br's would be set up with the living room facing the tiki bar and pool, and the bedroom in the back,which probably helps with the noise. With ours being up and down,we had a livingroom on 2nd floor facing the pool, and 1 br on the 3rd floor facing the pool(ours) and another facing the back.Each floor had a full bath. The music is constant-it starts around 4 pm and goes until 11, and the people can get quite loud.To me it was annoying. Hopefully,the other balcony doors are not as hard to open as ours were.
It really is a decent place to stay for the price,especially if you need more space than just 1 hotel room.The beach is great.
We usually stay at the Lago Mar,which also has 1 and 2 br suites, or the Marriott Harbor Beach in Ft. Lauderdale.I highly recommend both of these. In a few weeks we are going to try the new Pelican Beach Resort (pelicanbeach.com) in Ft.Lauderdale.I've heard good things about it.

wow

Thanks, jd! They told me that there were no 2BR direct oceanfront units in the buildings closest to the beach. So, we would be on the 8th floor(top floor)in what looks like the centre of the "U". I hope the balcony doors open! That noise will drive me crazy too...I'll bring ear plugs! And, lots of Chardonnay...LOL!

We, too, usually stay @ Lago Mar!!! Love it! We always get the 2BR Oceanfront Deluxe on the far right if you are looking up @ the Hotel from the beach. But, this upcoming trip is very last minute (booked 2 days ago!!....lots of trouble getting flights but we did manage to get something!). Lighthouse Cove is the only 2BR beachfront that I can find.

I have been hearing good things about Pelican Beach. I wonder if you wld post a "trip report" upon your return? Have a great trip! When are you going?End of March?
Thanks again for your comments, jd!

jd

I think you will be fine up on the 8th floor. Everytime we opened our balcony doors,they made such a loud noise that everyone at the tiki bar would turn and look up to see what the noise was-so much for privacy! Another thing I want to mention is that you need to request and pay a little extra if you want housekeeping to come. We didn't bother for the 3 nts we were there.Its funny,they plop this huge bag of extra towels,linens,beach towels,toilet paper,ect.outside your door after you check in.Don't trip over it on your way out! You'll love the beach here-it is nice and wide,and I think just as nice as the beach in front of lago. My kids really enjoyed being able to rent the jet skis too.
We are going March 25 for 4 nts. When are you going? The Pelican Beach is now all sold out and we didn't get the oceanfront suite we wanted but I'm hoping someone will cancel.We might have to make do in our city view. I will post a review when I get back.
Just wanted to mention that we also stayed at the Seminole Hard Rock hotel and loved it-not as nice as staying on the beach,but it was fun for a couple of days.

wow

Hi, jd! That's funny about the "plopped bag" outside your door! I will try to remember not to trip over it when I stumble out on Saturday morning! We arrive Friday, March 11 for 7 nights. Knowing about those jet skis just made some people here very happy! How old do you have to be to rent them?

I checked out Pelican Beach (I keep thinking Pelican Brief!! ) from the web site that you gave me. It looks wonderful! I am almost tempted to forfeit what I have paid for Lighthouse (it is very, very inexpensive for the week) & go to Pelican if they have a 2BR!! I will check back here after Easter for your "trip report"!

And, thx for the tip about Seminole...where is that?

Have a great trip! Thanks for all your help!

Trav

Lighthouse Cove? My goodness. I forgot about that place. I was a waitress there about 35 years ago! Sorry but my information about the place is a bit outdated!!!

jd

You have to be 18 to rent the jet skis. My 17 yr. old just rode on the back of it with his older brother.

If you did happen to switch to the Pelican, make sure you are in the new building. They still have their older building, called the Sun Tower,that you do not want to be in. I don't think they have 2 bedrooms though.

The Hard Rock is in Hollywood very close to the FLL airport. You can check it out at seminolehardrock.com. Just click on the Hollywood site(there is also 1 in Tampa.) If you have older kids they would love it there. Their pool area is awesome. We ended our FLL beach trip with a couple of days here and they loved it.

To get to the Lighthouse,just exit the airport onto route 1 north (also called Federal Hwy.) Turn right onto 17th st. causeway.(I think there is a comfort suites at the corner). This brings you all the way to the beach,and you have to turn left onto A1A. Just follow to Pompano.When you see 14th st. on the left, Lighthouse cove is right there on the right.
To go route 1, just follow into pompano and take a right onto 14th st. Go all the way to the end and it will be right in front of you.

Have a great trip!

wow

Ok! From the FLL airport it's US1 North to 17th St. Causeway( East/Right) to A1A(North/Left) to 14 St. in Pompano. About 30 minutes. Got it! Thanks!

carven

We stayed there a couple of years ago and found it fine for our needs. I agree with the 'a bit dated' comment but for us, hard to complain when you are coming from a snowbelt and wake up to a pool AND beach right at your door! Beach was great! Tiki Bar was fine for quick bite if you did not feel like going 'out' or cooking in your accomodations. Entertainment in evening was definitely 'entertaining' and could be quite the show if you let yourself go and enjoy it!! Really, a lot of it is what you make it!
We did not have a car while there and found local transportation cheap and convenient,,,went to Ft Lauderdale a few times, grabbed a cab to get back from groceries etc. Found a few good restos and beach shops on (same road as the hotel) the bus route between Pompano and Ft Lauderdale that were great!
Overall, a pretty good value,,,,
out of curiousity WoW!, where did u find a 'cheap, cheap' rate?

Ziana

Guys, please, help me with this headache of mine.
I am going to be at Pompano in 2 weeks.
Patrick keeps bugging me that only idiots go to Pompano and July says it is great. Now I see you guys are very happy with Pompano also. What gives, why is Patrick so bitter with place?
Is there truth in anything he is saying?

jd

Ziana-Patrick is telling you the truth about the location of the condo you are going to, not Pompano itself. Lighthouse Cove is in Pompano and is on the ocean, whereas Palm-aire,while still being in Pompano, is well inland.
There is a big difference.To get to the beach area you will need to drive,and you should rent a car if staying there.

Ziana

Palm Aire has shuttles to the beach (does it help)? and how large is Pompano so it is such a bug deal?
I am puzzled. Thanks jd

jd

I didn't realize they had a shuttle to the beach,so in that case you may be okay without a car.I think it may take about 30 min. to get to the beach as you will be west of I-95. Once you are at the beach, there is really good bus transportation between Pompano and Ft. Lauderdale.

Ziana

O thank you, thanks you
After Patric's comments about a year ago I was calling Palm Aire and bugged them with this question. They told me that shuttle is available on hourly basis.
Then now I am coming back with a question to find out may be more and I am bumping into this kind of so-called advise again. I was very upset and called Resort again and they told me it is fine getting to the beach. I felt like an idiot, if they just knew I was arlredy bugging them before LOL

And I promise to come back and write Report on Pompano.

Thanks jd for support and everyone else.

GoTravel

Ziana, Patrick isn't bitter, he was telling you the truth.

The resort you are staying at is at least 30-45 minutes to the ocean. That is the reason the shuttles only run on the hour because it takes so long to get there and back.

The second thing is that the resort is well inland. It will be hot. Very hot. South Florida is hot, humid, and sticky (miserable) that time of year.

Don't plan on any outdoor activities other than the beach between 10AM and 4PM including the pool. Way to hot to sit beside a pool.

We were trying to give you advice that you don't seem to want to hear.

Ziana

Why is it over $200 per night then?
Allright as I said I will write my OWN Report.