What Florida Resort for an 3 night getaway?
 

We will be dropping our kids off in Orlando and having 3 nights to ourselves in mid July. Thought about resorts in Destin, Ft. Lauderdale, South Beach, Bonita Springs, well basically any place we can get a reasonable deal through Priceline -- and where the selection is good based on observations on "Bidding For Travel". Do any Florida Fodorites have suggestions? We are not club people, 25 years of marriage and a heel spur has drained the speed from me.... !

We would like a beautiful setting with possibly a romantic place to either dine or watch the sunset and have a quiet drink on a balcony and/or sit on the beach and warm my big fat ***!

Some of the resorts that could be possible, where I believe I could get the best rooms through Priceline are:

Ft. Lauderdale -- Marriott Harbor Beach Resort
Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty Six
Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa
South Beach -- Loews or National
Bonita Springs -- Hyatt Regency Coconut Point
Destin -- Hilton Sandestin Resort

The Hyatt Pier 66 isn't on the beach if my memory serves me correctly.

The Westin Diplomat is incredible. You can tell they spent $200 million dollars on renovations. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat. Just make sure you bid on resort and not 4 star because the Diplomat Country Club is 4 star and several miles from the Westin Diplomat.

The Loews in South Beach is also great as is the National. I love that section of South Beach. Gorgeous short walking distance to everything. Fair warning, they price gauge you on parking and resort fees.

I live in Boca Raton Florida which is near Fort Lauderdale. In the Fort Lauderdale area the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and the Diplomat Resort and Spa are first class. The Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty Six is far less desirable and not on the ocean.

Check out the Registry in Naples. we have stayed there and the Ritz Carlton in Naples and we prefer the Registry.

Nonw of your choices are cheap and none of them may be available on Priceline, which does not give you a choice of hotel and only plugs you into a price range. be careful with Priceline, you may get stuck in a high-priced dump

Reasonable and romantic don't seem to go together. But maybe in mid July in FL you will find something.

Strongly recommend the Don Cesar on St. Pete Beach. Or the Tween Waters Inn on Captiva. I doubt either will be available through priceline. The Clearwater Beach Hotel in Clearwater might be though.

Mid July-- A DEFINITE vote goes to Naples Fla and to the Ritz Carlton on Vanderbilt Beach in Naples..

We have stayed there in JULY, and VIsa and Amex have special promos with the hotel...Call now--
Rates are around $119 pn plus tx and you get a room with a balcony and a view of the gulf...I know for a fact that this is possible as I have done it 3 times....in July...

In addition, the Registry in Naples also offers summer rates...but the hotel is not directly on the beach, like the Ritz is, and you have to take a tram to the beach thru a nature preserve...Still ,it is a nice alternative...

Hyatt Pier 66 is ON the INTRACOASTAL..and you need to request a room in the towers to have a view of the Ocean....from afar...

I prefer the WEST coast to the EAST as it is more quiet and restrained...and Naples is a great little town to walk around in..tons of neat shops and good restaurants...

It does not get more romantic than the Ritz in Naples...Beach and Pool are GREAT!~

If you want low-key, laid-back, with the Gulf beach out the door and good restaurants nearby, plus great shopping, you should stay at one of the resorts on Anna Maria Island, just west of Sarasota. For a bonus, you get Sarasota, with some culture, the Ringling Museum of Art (biggest Rubens collection), and the charming area around St. Armand's Circle. Good luck.

Andy:
When in July did you go to Ritz Carlton Naples and get summer rate 119$?
I just tried reservation online at their site and it stated $249 (weekend July 10 - 13) Should I call instead?
This would be a great getaway from my
by-day

Thanks

salsadiva--

CALL the Ritz 800 direct-
Ask for any VISA or AMEX summer specials...Sometimes they are not loaded til March..But , trust me, I have done it 3 times..and the first time I did it, the price was $99, then $109 and the last time $119...ALL in the summer..BUT NOT ONLINE and NOT direct at the hotel....

Andy's right. Lots of hometown specials for Florida's great hotels run in the local papers during the summer when Florida vacations at home. Good deals for Florida residents.

But don't move here. We want them all for ourselves.

Tandoori girl-YOU are too much!!lol

and to Salsdiva-I am NOT a fulltime FLA resident..These specials from AX and VISA are nationwide...

I have a heel spur and plantar fasciitis, so I know what you mean about not wanting a place where you have to WALK alot. If you make it down to Ft. Lauderdale, you can get a room at the Marina Marriott, which is on the intracoastal and across the waterway from Pier 66. Both the Marina Marriott and Pier 66 are on the Water Bus route, and that's a fantastic way to see and get around Ft Laud without driving/parking ($$)or walking (always free...LOL) For $5 a day pp, you can see the best Lauderdale has to offer! Shopping on Las Olas Blvd, restaurants/bars along the intracoastal, access to the beach, only a short walk away, etc.

If you only have two nights, check out the VISA card site, Radisson has a buy one night, get the next night free special and you can usually get the Radisson Bahia Mar at a great rate for the two days. This would alleviate having to use Priceline or Hotwire to get a good room. I stayed there once for a weekend getaway without leaving the area where I live (I live in Ft. Lauderdale.) The balconies are extremely small, but in the summer you won't want to spend too much time out there, anyway...LOL!

I prefer the beaches of SE Florida to the ones farther north or on the west coast, the sand and surf are much nicer, however, the shelling isn't as good.

If I can be of any help, just leave a post and I'll check back every couple days.

HAPPY PLANNING!!

I think the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort in Ft Lauderdale is a great place to stay! The pool,beach,food,service,and rooms are fabulous and you can get a great price on Priceline.com too!! Good Luck and have a great time no matter where you choose to stay!

We got a Priceline rate last year and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Coconut Point Hyatt. Eat at Roy's! It's not directly on the beach either, but they have a mangrove studded boardwalk which leads out to a small ferry crossing (free for guests), to a beautiful beach, with facilities. We walked, but there's a golf cart which can bring you to the ferry spot if you can't or don't feel like the 10 minute walk.

And TGirl, it was both romantic AND reasonable!!!

Hey Joan...I didn't know you went! It <i>is</i> romantic, isn't it? My favorite Hyatt in all the state. Did you get a balcony room facing Estero Bay I hope?

I was going to comment on the mangrove thing. I don't think 4khansen was looking for the Ritz, but they have mangroves between that hotel and the beach as well (as the Registry) Andy. The Registry's are thicker, but it's not a bad walk (we walked, didn't ride), even so. It's been fact ever since whatever law it was went into effect, following the state's realization that the mangroves were critical, both for habitat and storm protection. They can't be cut down, so any hotel built since that date will be behind the mangrove line. They can't even be trimmed more than x feet at a time and believe me, they do enforce it! The voice of experience.

I would eliminate Pier 66--have stayed there and enjoyed our stay, but it's too far from the beach when the Marriott is also available. Eliminate Sandestin too...just too hard a drive from Orlando. The Loews is beautiful...but looking back in BFT, it's come up only once in a year. T'were my decision, I'd head for the Naples area...Ritz or Registry if you can find a rate, (neither will come up on PCLN), or Hyatt Coconut Point. The ONLY drawback for me with that hotel is the 40 minute drive into Naples and I can't get that close to Naples without the lure of those shops drawing me in. Otherwise, it's a <i>terrific</i> place for a romantic getaway.

the marriott Harbor is an excellent choice for what you are looking for. My hubby and i loved sitting outside on the beach watching the planes come in and go back out and watching the cruise ships do the same...it is wonderful. I also recommend &quot;Shooters&quot; on the Intracoastal Waterway watching the yachts and the food was our best meal...we tried several different places. You'll have a great experience!