The Westin Fort Lauderdale is a hidden gem in the area. I completely overlooked it for a long time. I work a lot in the area, and we have an office in Pompano Beach. I used to stay at the Residence Inn Pompano Beach, which was just down the street from the office. For an upcoming stay, the Residence Inn was too expensive, and I looked for nearby alternatives and found the Westin Fort Lauderdale. The drive to the office is just a little bit longer but it is a way better property.
Location
The Westin Fort Lauderdale is located off I-95. The hotel is located just north of Fort Lauderdale. It’s a 15-minute drive from Fort Lauderdale International Airport and a bit over 30-minutes from Miami International Airport to get to the hotel. There are a few restaurants and bars nearby, located at Cypress Creek Station, which is just on the other side of the freeway. With its proximity to the Interstate, it is easy to get wherever you need to go in the area, but you don’t need to worry about road noise.
Parking
There is a large parking lot at the hotel. The big plus of this hotel is that parking is free of charge for everyone. I wasn’t expecting that for a hotel like the Westin as there are other hotels in the area that charge parking, especially if it’s a Marriott hotel.
Check-In
After arriving at the hotel in my rental car, I parked right away in the parking lot and grabbed my bags to get checked in. The check-in counter is easy to find as you walk into the building.
After a quick verification of my documents, the agent handed me my room keys as well as an envelope with some nice extras for being a loyal Marriott Bonvoy member. I received breakfast coupons for every day of my stay, as well as a coupon for one free appetizer during my stay and a nice welcome message. This definitely gave the whole stay an individualized touch.
2 Queen Bed Room (Room 1218)
This guestroom is a very simple guest room. The bathroom is on the right as you enter the room. Inside is a vanity with a single sink and a large wall-mounted mirror with edge lighting. Opposite the vanity is the shower with its glass sliding door. The shower comes with a rain shower head and a shower wand. Inside the shower are wall-mounted dispensers for shampoo. The bathroom is spacious enough to get in and out easily. As you walk out of the bathroom you have a dressing mirror mounted on the wall adjacent to the bathroom.
The short entryway opens up into the bedroom. To the right are 2 Queen Beds. Each of the beds had a reading light mounted to the headboard on the outside corner of the bed. Both beds also share a central nightstand.
Opposite the beds is a closet with an attached work desk. On top of the closet sits also the flatscreen TV as well as the in-room coffee maker, in-room phone, and a lamp. Besides some drawers to store your stuff, the closet also houses a small refrigerator, which is hidden behind the large door. The desk part comes with a comfortable chair. Power outlets are available at the left front corner of the table, facing towards you.
The space between the beds and desk is big enough to get by easily if nobody is sitting at the desk. Against the outside wall is a sofa chair with an ottoman and a small table. The air conditioning unit is situated in the right outside corner of the room. The controls are mounted directly on the wall of the A/C units housing.
From the windows, I had a view of the parking lot below as well as of the surrounding areas as this is one of the tallest buildings in the area. You can even see downtown Fort Lauderdale from here.
The hotel also offers Deluxe Guestrooms either with two Queen beds or one King Bed. They are very similar to this one but offer a little bit more space and are located on higher floors. The high floor rooms are really nice, as they offer the best views of the surrounding areas.
Studio Suite (Room 423)
I used my suite upgrade certificates to get this suite. I was surprised that they actually cleared. It’s tough to apply these suite upgrade certificates and you must do it at least two days before your stay. That’s just another reason I love Hyatt. Simple and easy! But back to the hotel. I had a follow-up stay and decided to stay at the same hotel again. I arrived late at night at the hotel and check-in worked just as easily as always. I was the only guest even in the lobby at the time of check-in.
This suite is at the very end of the hallway on your left side. The hotel calls this a suite, but for me, it is just a bigger guest room. Either way, it is more comfortable than their regular rooms.
As you walk in you have the bathroom on your left side. Inside is a single sink vanity with a wall-mounted mirror above it. The other half of the room is occupied by the walk-in shower. It comes with a rain shower head and a shower wand which is more common in Europe than here in the U.S. Inside the shower are three wall-mounted shampoo dispensers and a glass sliding door keeps the rest of the bathroom dry.
Outside, next to the bathroom door, is another door that hides the wall closet. Inside you have space to store your stuff as well as the in-room safe, iron and ironing board as well as a suitcase stand.
In front of the closet is a large open space which is why this is called a “suite”. It comes with a large sofa bed as well as some light stands. This corner area has windows on two sides and gives you a view of the parking lot of the building next door. Depending on your floor, you can see a little bit more of Fort Lauderdale but not an impressive view at all. The inside wall of this part of the room also holds a wall-mounted dressing mirror.
From here you get to the bedroom area. A king-sized bed sits against the wall and has a nightstand on either side. On top of it is a lamp on either side and the nightstands also hold an alarm clock and in-room phone. On one of the nightstands was a sticky residue that came from a glass sitting on the nightstand. Too bad that housekeeping is not very thorough. It was easy to notice. There is a reading light mounted to the headboard on either side of the bed.
Opposite the bed is a long closet which has a working desk integrated into it. The desk comes with an office chair and has enough surface area to set up your laptop and other electronics. On top of the closet is a coffee maker as well as a large flatscreen TV. Unfortunately, the TV is not wall-mounted, which would give you extra surface area on top of the closet. Besides multiple drawers, the closet also houses a small refrigerator which is hidden behind a wooden door.
In the corner, next to the bed is a sofa chair with an ottoman as well as a laptop stand if you want to work from the sofa chair. This wall also has windows, and they face toward the pool area and I-95.
There are two climate controls that can be set at individual temperatures. Doesn’t make any sense but that’s just how it is. One control panel is mounted to the wall near the sofa chair next to the bed and the other panel is wall mounted as well but in the opposite corner of the room, to the left of the dressing mirror. If you sit at the desk and want to work, the A/C will keep blowing straight into your neck. It’s a bit of an unfortunate setup here.
I had a terrible experience while I was staying in this suite. After staying in the room for two nights, the next afternoon I had somebody knock on my door. However, I was on the phone and rebooking my upcoming flight. I assumed it was just housekeeping but wondered why they would know, as I have the Do Not Disturb sign hanging on my door. About twenty minutes later, I was sitting in the bed and still on the phone with the airline, but the room door opened as someone unlocked it. Two people entered my room and interrupted my conversation with the airline. One looked like a maintenance guy, he probably had the universal key, and the second one looked like a person working at the front desk.
They asked me, in a not-so-nice tone, what I was doing in this room. I told them this is my room. They came back to me that this room is supposed to be empty and asked me what I am doing in the room. I told them again that I am staying here, and that I am a hotel guest and asked them to give me time to finish my conversation with the airline. I was on hold waiting for the agent to get back to me. At some point, the guys from the hotel lost their patience and told me that I had to go with them to the front desk. I got upset as I really needed to get my flight changed and I was already on hold for almost two hours to do so. I showed them my I.D. and my room key with the room number on it and they radioed the front desk with this information. In the end, the girl who checked me in messed up, and in their system, I was occupying a room one floor lower. I don’t know how it is even possible as she made the keys to this room. Either way, they were now happy and left me alone but there was nothing coming from them for treating me like this. They could at least have taken one of the vouchers elite members get for a free drink or appetizer and give it to me. But nothing. This was the first time ever that something like this happened to me. I have been living full-time in hotels for over a decade now and have never had an experience like this before.
The rest of my stay was still positive, but this was a shocking experience. It’s also another lesson because you always should use the deadbolt or whatever other safety mechanism, they have at your hotel room door.
Public Areas & Amenities
Lobby
The lobby is nothing special. There are a few seating options near the main entrance. The rest of the lobby just connects the different amenities like the restaurant or the lobby bar, as well as giving you access to the elevators. Recently they also installed a CVS vending machine near the stairs leading up to meeting rooms on the second floor.
Business Center
Since I had multiple stays here at this property, things changed a bit. The business center used to be in the lobby. It was just a desk close to the main entrance and featured two workstations and a printer. However, this desk has been removed and you now have a business center in the meeting space section of the hotel. You will find the new business center just past Starbucks when you walk toward the meeting rooms. You will see a door on the right with a glass window. Inside are two workstations and a printer. This also gives you a bit more privacy than standing in the middle of the lobby next to a desk.
Pool Area
One of the highlights of this hotel is the pool area. It comes with a large resort-style pool. To get to the pool, you leave the lobby out back and take the boardwalk to the pool area. You need your room key to enter the pool area. There are plenty of chaise loungers all the way around the pool. On one side of the pool, you even have a small waterfall running into the pool. The pool area is open from dawn to dusk every day. Pool towels are located outside the fitness center.
A gazebo is located at the far end of the pool area and gives you some shade to hang out and hide from the sun. From here you get a view of the nearby pond and the water fountain in it.
To the left of the gazebo is a whirlpool. This one is small compared to the large pool at the hotel.
Fitness Center
The fitness center is located next to the pool area. It is in the adjoining building to the pool. Inside there is a wide selection of workout equipment. I was surprised when I saw this huge fitness center and all the equipment inside. Everything you can imagine or wish for, to have a good workout, you can find there. Inside this building, there are also a set of restrooms for guests of the fitness center or pool area. The fitness center is open 24h.
Jogging Trail
Once you exit the hotel at the back and walk towards the pool, you see signs for a jogging trail. This is the only indicator and it’s not easy to find the actual trail. To get on the trail you must exit through a gate in the fence next to the entrance to the fitness center. Right outside you get on the trail which is horribly maintained. There is even a sign letting you know that you will use it at your own risk. The trail goes all the way around the lake and brings you back to the parking lot.
Dining
Agave Blue Restaurant
Breakfast
The breakfast at the Westin Fort Lauderdale is phenomenal. Thanks to my top-tier status with Marriott, I received vouchers for breakfast. Breakfast is served at Agave Blue. The restaurant is located opposite the bar. It’s a large room with plenty of seating even during rush breakfast times. I was always able to get a table without the need to wait, no matter when I showed up.
The food choice is amazing. A chef prepares breakfast every morning and you can taste it is freshly made. I really like how they present the buffet and the choices in general. It’s rare that a hotel gives you such a broad selection. There is even an omelet station, which is located in an adjoining room. The omelet station is not always open, or at least doesn’t open at the same time as the restaurant for breakfast. Sometimes, it seems, it’s completely closed. It looks a bit random to me. However, if you are lucky enough to be able to order a freshly prepared omelet, you will enjoy it. The omelet station is included in the price for the breakfast buffet.
Service was excellent from the moment I entered the breakfast area, all the way to the end. The waiter let me know how I have to fill out my check with the included voucher and that the breakfast is complimentary for me. Furthermore, the waiter always came by regularly to check on me if I needed more coffee or juice and even offered to-go bags.
Besides the dine-in breakfast, you can have a to-go option, which is a bit cheaper. You get a to-go plate and can fill up one plate with whatever you want and take it to your room. This is a nice touch for people who want to save a few bucks or are not yet comfortable again dining with other people in one room.
Breakfast is every day from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. If you don’t have a voucher, the buffet will set you back $21.
There was only one downside for me—the breakfast hours during the week. I start work early. At the same time, breakfast opens and therefore I can’t have breakfast. During the week, I pick up my coffee and a snack at the in-house Starbucks.
Lunch
The Agave Blue restaurant also serves lunch every day from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. During that time, I was usually always out either working or exploring.
Westin Café – Starbucks
It’s not a full-fletched Starbucks. It offers the basics and some local additions but at least I can get my caffeine every morning. The Starbucks is located near the main entrance of the hotel. You can’t miss it.
Hours
Monday-Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 7 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Lobby Lounge Bar
The lobby houses the hotel’s onsite restaurant and bar. You can’t miss it as it is next to the elevators. It’s a good place to hang out in the evenings and have dinner. I love that there is an on-site restaurant. It makes it easy to get some food after a long day of work. The menu is a bit limited, but the food is good. You can find the normal things you would expect there like salads, enchiladas and more. You also have good entry options like sandwiches, burgers, salmon, steak, and more. It can get a little bit busy during the evening hours. There are only a few tables in the lobby to sit down but you can order everything to go and take it up to your room.
The Lobby Lounge Bar is open daily from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m.
Pool Side
The Westin also offers limited poolside service from Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Market
There is no on-site market to buy drinks or snacks. There are beverage vending machines throughout the hotel. They are in the lobby as well as on the different floors of the hotel. There is also a CVS vending machine in the lobby next to the stairs by Starbucks. It offers over-the-counter medication and hygiene products. You can even buy Covid home tests from the vending machine as well as memory cards and charging cables for your phone.
Conclusion
I really enjoy this property. It’s an exceptional hotel and very tranquil. The location is perfect for me and the proximity to the freeway makes it easy for me to get wherever I need to go. My favorite highlights here are the pool area and the amazing breakfast. Even though I can enjoy breakfast only on weekends to its fullest due to my work schedule. It’s still amazing. It’s also great to have an on-site restaurant and bar. Perfect after a long workday. There are also cons. I have stayed here now multiple times and there is never the paper slip for dry-cleaning in the room and I always have to pick it up from the front desk. One time, I was also missing the “Do Not Disturb” sign in my room and had to pick up one as well from the front desk. It was also the first hotel where I had issues with the management “breaching” into my room. Even though it worked out well, it could have been handled better.
Another amazing feature is the open-air stairwell on either side of the hotel. This allowed me to capture some amazing photos of lightning in the area. I love it when hotels have such open-air stairwells or at least the connecting area to the stairwell.
Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.
