South Beach - Loews vs Ritz
 

Hi all,
My husband and I plan to spend 2 nights in South Beach following a wedding in Fort Lauderdale in late April. I've read such mixed reviews of the trendy hotels that I was really leaning towards the Ritz, until someone recommended Loews. Below are the details of the rooms in our price range:

Loews - $559 - luxury ocean front room with king bed, private balcony, 364 sf

Ritz - $615 - deluxe room, king bed, no view, 375 sf

Is the Ritz so great that a view-less room there would be preferable to an oceanfront balcony? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!

Had the same dilemma myself and opted for the Loews and we'll be staying there next week because the price was so much better than the Ritz and we received an ocean view room cheaper than a Ritz standard.

You can get consolidated rates for the Loews through aavacations.com and quikbook.com. Loews gets extremely busy with conventions, just so you are aware. We've stayed at the Loews once before and while we liked it very much, the beach is the most redeeming quality about the hotel. We found the public areas too busy. But again that may depend on what conventions are there when you stay.

Perhaps someone else can assist with Ritz info.

Thanks - that is very good to know about the conventions! Does anyone else have opinions on this?

They are right next door to each other.

I'd go with the Ritz-Carlton out of the two but in that price range have you looked at The Hotel Victor, The Shore Club, or The Delano?

I have looked at the Delano and Shore Club, but at those places we can only get the very smallest rooms without views in our range. That is what was making the Loews attractive, as we like to have drinks on the patio and enjoy the view. Maybe we'll just stay at the Ritz and have drinks on the beach. :)

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it. My husband thinks I worry about this stuff too much but this website makes me feel normal.

Definitely go to The Delano pool bar one afternoon for mojitos. It is a South Beach must.

Check out the jellyfish tank at The Hotel Victor. It will blow your mind. Just plexiglass and jellyfish. No rocks, fish, anything and it is massive.

Go to The Sky Bar at The Shore Club around 9PM for drinks.

Have dinner at Tantra. Possibly the sexiest restaurant in the US. They play soft core porn on the big screen TVs. Order the Love Apple.

Is that Loews room on the Club level? I hope so at those prices -- way up in the last two years. We got upgraded to the Club level a couple years ago and it was soooo nice, particularly to go get coffee and breakfast in the morning.
But YES, I'd go for the oceanfront with balcony over a no view room at the Ritz!

my husband and I stayed at Loews and loved it... we stayed on the 15th floor - oceanfront. Fabulous.

GoTravel - I love the all the ideas, thank you!

NeoPatrick - I do not believe it is club level, just the normal price quoted on their website. Maybe there is a big convention that weekend?

Thanks all! :)