The 8 best hotels in Fort Lauderdale whether you seek rooftop pools and casinos or a relaxing beachfront retreat

Plunge Beach Hotel

Book Plunge Beach Hotel

This modern twist on an old, vintage Florida beach hotel offers a quiet, casual beach weekend at an unbeatable price. As you're driving down El Mar Drive, you can't miss it — it's a five-story, all-white building with an all-white pool deck and 163 rooms. The rooms are standard, but very clean, spacious, and (most importantly) just steps from the area's powder-white sand beaches.

Plunge Beach Hotel has a mix of standard guest rooms and one- or two-bedroom suites. We recommend opting for accommodations with a partial- or full-ocean views to really feel like you're on the water. 

The most interesting thing about this hotel is its amazing location. Plunge Beach Hotel is in a charming part of the city called Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, a Stars Hollow-esque village that looks plucked from 1960s New England, filled with mom-and-pop restaurants, old-school ice cream shops, old Florida vibes, pedestrian-friendly streets, and buildings no higher than five stories.

You can find COVID-19 policies here. 

The Dalmar, Fort Lauderdale, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Book The Dalmar

Staying at The Dalmar is a fun, sophisticated retreat done up in a mix of mid-century modern design infused with plenty of tropical accents. Palm Beach-chic bright magenta and greens, palm frond prints, and neon wall messages all brighten the well-designed common areas. Likewise, rooms are large and comfortable with a mix of both city and, in the distance, Atlantic Ocean views. 

The contemporary and glamorous Terrace Grill is a great restaurant, and there's also a rooftop infinity pool with butler service that guests can request simply by pushing a button on their pool chair.

The lobby area doubles as a trendy lounge, with a communal working table, plush cream couches with palm-printed throw pillows, a glowing marble bar with bronze accents, and a candy-pink Moet champagne vending machine. Head to the top floor and check out the Gatsby-style rooftop lounge, Sparrow, which is the highest rooftop bar in Fort Lauderdale.

You can find COVID-19 policies here. 

The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

Book The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort

Staying at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort feels like retreating to an effortless and well-appointed beach getaway. Two towering buildings in matching baby blue and white hues are perched right on the sand, with rooms that exude beachy elegance with light woods, wicker furniture, plush all-white beds, and throw pillows covered in bright green palm fronds. Rooms are spacious, with ocean, pool, or Intracoastal views, including the lowest room category, which is a Traditional Guest Room, 1 King. 

If the weather is nice, grab a first-come, first-served pool chair on the oceanfront pool deck. The pool is small, and there aren't that many chairs, so get there early to make sure you snag one. The hotel also has a fitness room, the Heavenly Spa by Westin™, and one of the best Mexican restaurants in town, Lona Cocina Tequileria. When you eat at Lona, start with the blue crab tostadas, end with the churros and housemade chocolate-dipping sauce, and thank us later.

You can find COVID-19 policies here.  

Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa

Book the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa

The Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa is like entering a pristine compound with so much do, it's easy to stay on-site for the entirety of your stay. The resort sits on 16 acres of beachfront property with a 22,000 square-foot spa, a tropical lagoon pool, and seven restaurants and bars. 

The rooms are spacious, with even the lowest room category — Interior Room, Guest room, 1 King — measuring a generous 338 square feet. Standard hotel rooms all come with handcrafted wooden headboards, sheer white curtains, abstract art, plush sofa chairs, pillow-top mattresses, and glass showers.

Because of its massive size, great room prices, and long list of amenities, this hotel attracts a mix of guests, from families and friends to business travelers, couples, bachelor and bachelorette parties, spring breakers, and more.

You can find COVID-19 policies here. 

Pelican Grand Beach Resort

Book the Pelican Grand Beach Resort

Drive down North Ocean Boulevard, and despite its Easter egg-yellow color and 10+ story building, you might miss the Pelican Grand Beach Resort, which is set off to the side. Thanks to a $7 million guest room renovation in 2019, rooms now have a refreshing mix of whimsical Florida soul coupled with boho-chic design. The hotel is as close to the water as you can get, and rooms are pretty large and come with a private balcony or terrace that includes at least partial ocean views. 

This hotel also has a delicious restaurant, OCEAN2000, a sprawling pool with a lazy river, and a rooftop spa with floor-to-ceiling glass windows that make it appear as if you're hovering over the sparkling blue Atlantic Ocean. No matter how you spend your time here, post-dinner s'mores by a firepit in the sand are a must.

You can find COVID-19 policies here. 

W Fort Lauderdale

Book the W Fort Lauderdale

If you were priced out of Miami, know that W Fort Lauderdale is a lot like staying on South Beach. The lobby bar, Living Room, is a hot spot for both hotel guests and locals, and there's an all-glass rooftop WET pool that's a whole party in itself.

The hotel has a lot of vibrant energy, from its electric pink, blue, orange and green decor to its large Wonderful, Spectacular, Fabulous, Cool, Marvelous, Wow or even Extreme Wow rooms and suites (those are the actual room categories). Wake up and walk straight to the beach or take advantage of the AWAY spa. Whether you get steak at Steak 954, Mexican food at El Vez, or cocktails at Living Room, you'll enjoy panoramic, floor-to-ceiling views of the ocean just steps away. 

As mentioned, the pool is the main social event here with 360-degree views of Fort Lauderdale and Fort Lauderdale Beach, and covered in daybeds available by reservation only. They fill up quickly, so make a reservation early to make sure you don't miss out.  

Because of its party vibe, this hotel attracts a lot of groups of young friends, bachelorette or bachelor parties, young couples, and solo travelers. It's a fun, stylish, trendy hotel but it's not a place for a quiet beach retreat or serene, romantic getaway. 

You can find COVID-19 policies here. 

The Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Hotel & Casino

Book The Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Hotel & Casino

After undergoing a much-anticipated $1.5 billion renovation and expansion, The Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Hotel & Casino finally opened in fall 2019. The all-glass hotel has 638 oversized rooms and is designed to look like two back-to-back guitars, with six illuminated guitar strings on each side. 

The lowest room category, Deluxe King, offers a super spacious 520 square feet, huge marble bathrooms, convertible vanity areas, and direct views of the Bora Bora pool area, which was designed to look like Bora Bora itself. 

The amenities aren't lacking, and guests can take advantage of 19 restaurants, 20 bars, a luxury co-ed spa with music-inspired treatments, a full-scale fitness center, the Hard Rock Live concert venue, a comedy club, nightly light and music shows, the DAER nightclub and day club complex, an indoor shopping mall, and of course, a casino.

You can find COVID-19 policies here. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale

Book The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale

This beachfront hotel offers a pampering, luxury escape, and at certain times of the year, it's actually pretty affordable, which is a steal for a top-tier brand such as the Ritz-Carlton.

Even the lowest-category rooms — Intracoastal View, Guest room, 1 King, Balcony — come with a lot of space, large marble bathrooms, leather furniture, and a private balcony and view of either the ocean or Intracoastal Waterway. 

There is a $45 daily resort fee but it offers tremendous value, including beach chairs, daily beach umbrellas, Ritz-Carlton water, two signature resort cocktails every day, daily one-hour fitness classes, high-speed internet, two four-hour bike rentals, and a daily water taxi pass.

Spend your days at the beach or by the hotel's private, heated infinity pool, or book a spa treatment in the 8,500 square-foot spa. If working out is a part of your travel ritual, you'll love the Ritz's fitness center with glass windows overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.

You can find COVID-19 policies here. 

Our methodology for choosing hotels

In addition to the criteria previously listed above, we considered these additional factors:

Price: We looked for typical starting room rates under $400 per night.

Reviews: In addition to our own first-hand stays, we thoroughly researched reviews and ratings on trusted traveler sites such as Trip Advisor, Hotels.com, and Booking.com, and took into account the experience and reviews of other recent guests.

Guests: We chose the best hotels in Fort Lauderdale for a wide audience, including families, couples, groups of friends, solo travelers, and more.

Amenities: We looked for beach hotels with standout decor, excellent locations, beach access, pool facilities, delicious restaurants and bars, and other guest perks from golf courses to beachside spa services.

COVID-19 safety: In light of the pandemic, we selected hotels that prioritize the health and safety of guests with strict new cleaning policies.

FAQs

Is it safe to stay in a hotel?

According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people can now safely travel domestically.

Most hotels have implemented strict new cleaning procedures to ensure guest safety. Though you're more likely to encounter other people in hotel common spaces such as lobbies, restaurants, and pools, experts say that with added precaution, hotels are safe. 

We also recommend following CDC guidelines and wearing a mask in public, washing hands frequently, and following social distancing.

Where should I stay in Fort Lauderdale?

That depends on what you want to do and, perhaps most importantly, how close you want to be to the beach. You'll find chic properties, and excellent shopping and restaurants near Las Olas Boulevard, the city's main drag that runs from the beach to Downtown Fort Lauderdale. 

You'll want to stick to the coasts if your main objective is hitting the beach or boating. Fort Lauderdale Beach is always a popular choice, though for quieter beaches and hotels with Old Florida charm, consider Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.

What is there to do in Fort Lauderdale?

Shop or stroll into a cafe on La Ola Boulevard or bike along the riverwalk. Of course, hitting the beach is a prime activity here. Fort Lauderdale Beach Park and Las Olas Beach are two attractive options for getting your toes in the sand.

Boating and sailing are also especially popular here. If you don't have your own boat, consider booking a day cruise, sunset sail, or even an airboat tour to the nearby Everglades.

What is the best time to visit Fort Lauderdale?

Though a great year-round destination, the best time to visit Fort Lauderdale is October to May, since you'll avoid the humid, rainy summer season, as well as hurricane season which runs from June to November.

Fort Lauderdale is also often very crowded during peak times like spring break, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July. Keep this in mind and expect to pay more if you plan to visit during the most crowded times.

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