Jun 23

Jun 23 W Hotel Fort Lauderdale

We booked a "Fabulous Room" at the W Hotel Fort Lauderdale for a one-night post-cruise stay after disembarking Carnival Breeze in Miami.[end] We arrived at the hotel around 10:30am and, of course, our room was not ready for occupancy. We left our luggage with the Bellman and used the time to explore the property. The hotel "lobby", or what W refers to as "The Living Room"[end], is actually located on the 4th floor of the property. To the left of the Reception desk, there is a large bar/lounge area with comfortable seating and a very long and well-equipped bar, all wrapped in walls of glass looking out over the Atlantic Ocean.

The Living Room gave me the opportunity to take advantage of W Hotel's complimentary Wi-Fi in the lobby (there is a charge for Wi-Fi in guestrooms). The connection and speed was quite good. While I was catching up on blogging duties and checking email, Rickee was exploring the outer deck area of The Living Room. Being four stories above the street allows for a great view of the activity along the beach, which is just across the street from the W. There are several padded seating areas where guests can relax, enjoy a drink, or just soak up some sun.

At around 12:30, I received a call from the front desk telling me that our room was ready. We picked up our keys at the desk and made our way to the 16th floor. When we entered our "Fabulous Room" (1632) we were impressed with the overall size of the space (452-496 sq. ft.). A long desk along one wall holds a flat-screen HD television, a mini-fridge stocked with loads of expensive drinks and some equally expensive snacks to go along with them on top of the desk. The desk made for a good workspace for my laptop and the hotel's guestroom Wi-Fi was fast enough to get the job done.

Across from the desk were two queen-sized beds, each with four very soft down pillows. The mattresses were a little soft for my liking and mine had a noticeable dip in it. It was probably due for replacement. The linens were high quality and comfortable.

The bathroom area is open to the entryway and consists of a small vanity/sink with a large walk-in shower on one side and a "potty room" on the other. A nice selection of BLISS bath amenities is provided for guest use. The frosted glass used on the wall and door of the "necessary room" was a bit too revealing for our tastes. The shower, on the other hand, is one of the nicest you will find. The shower is huge, more than large enough for two people. There is a wooden foot stool/seat and great water pressure from the rain-shower head. Shutters cover the wall of the shower that overlooks the sleeping area. If you open the shutters, you can have a view of the ocean from the shower!

*Frosted glass separates the toilet room from the rest of the bathroom*

The entire back wall of the room is a sliding glass door/wall that opens to the ocean and the large balcony. The balcony has two chairs, but surprisingly, no table. That's a shame because this would be the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast or an evening drink overlooking the ocean. Being on the east coast, this is the best spot to enjoy an amazing sunrise with a cup of coffee in the morning.

*A view of the beach and the Atlantic Ocean from our balcony*

Looking directly down from our balcony is a bird's eye view of WET®, W Hotel's pool area. The pool and adjacent pool bar are one of the best features of the W and give the hotel it's "hip" cred. The best way to enter WET is from The Living Room (4th Floor) by walking up stairs that actually pierce through the swimming pool. I have never seen this done before, and it is very cool!

*The view of WET® pool area from our balcony*

We were at W on a Sunday and WET was really rocking on our visit. A DJ was playing music poolside while attractive young waitresses in bikinis or tight shorts delivered drinks to thirsty guests. The WET pool is the place to be in Fort Lauderdale if you are in the sub-30 crowd. While Rickee soaked up the sun on one of the loungers, I sat at the pool bar and watched the Miami Dolphins defeat the New England Patriots on one of the TVs at the bar. One of WET's attractive bar waitresses, Renee, took my order for a cheeseburger ($16) and a Corona beer ($7). All of the waitresses were pleasant and provided good service from what I could observe.

WET really does reveal W Hotel's target demographic. The hotel has a youthful, hip vibe that really hits home with the 20- to 40-year-olds. Although we did not have the opportunity to dine there, the hotel's Steak 954 restaurant gets rave reviews from critics. If we were staying here again, that would be on our list of places to dine.

*The W is one of the largest hotels on the beach*

Another great feature of W Fort Lauderdale is its location right across from the beach. Within minutes, you can walk from your room, cross Ft. Lauderdale Beach Blvd and pick out your spot on the sandy beach. It could not be more conveniently located.

*W Hotel is located right across from the beach*

In summary, the W Hotel Fort Lauderdale is a huge property with an appeal to younger guests. But, anyone young at heart will enjoy the vibe here. Notwithstanding the lumpy bed, the room was comfortable and quiet and had one of the best showers we have ever experienced. And, you won't find a better pool area in Fort Lauderdale if that's your thing. The W Hotel is a great option to consider if you are planning a pre-/post-cruise stay. For more information, check out the hotel's website at www.wfortlauderdalehotel.com.

Originally posted on: 9/11/2014