OverviewLocated about a 6-minute drive from the beach along Highway 1, the Best Western Plus Oakland Park Inn is geared towards travellers who prefer a hotel with a free breakfast, an outdoor pool and easy highway access close to the beach.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms comes with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge, a microwave, an in-room safe, a desk, an iPod docking station, a hair dryer or an iron and ironing board. Rooms with a living area and a sofabed are also available, as are wheelchair-accessible rooms.
Hotel amenities include an outdoor pool, a tiki bar, fitness facilities, guest laundry, a business centre, vending machines, free parking and a free breakfast. A free shuttle to Fort Lauderdale and Holy Cross Hospital is also offered, while an airport shuttle (from 5 am to 11 pm) and shuttle to Port Everglades is available for a nominal fee (please contact the hotel for details). Pets are not permitted.
Coral Ridge Mall is roughly a 6-minute walk from the hotel, while Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center is about a 14-minute drive away. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is 8 minutes away by car and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is a 16-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets not permitted, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: September 17, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's staff, location and rooms.
The hotel's staff were the source of numerous compliments by reviewers, who characterized them as friendly, professional and helpful. Guests said that staff provided a quick check-in service. One patron remarked, "The staff go way beyond the call of duty to provide you with anything you need. To give you a example of this, I asked for a mat for the tub as I am always concerned about slipping when I shower. The room maid said they didn't have any. She went to the front desk and they sent her out to a store to buy one and it was in my tub before I finished dinner, now that's service".
Many lodgers were pleased with the hotel's location. They found it close to restaurants, shopping, Target, the beach, a grocery store and Port Everglades. A few patrons did find the hotel to be a little far from the airport, however .
Several guests enjoyed their accommodations at the hotel. They described their rooms as clean, modern, quiet and well equipped, with comfortable beds. A few reviewers did have complaints about their lodgings, however (see below).
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about the hotel's airport shuttle and rooms.
Some lodgers had complaints about the hotel's airport shuttle service. They reported there being only one shuttle car for the hotel, as well as long waits at the airport. These guests also felt the shuttle hours ended too soon (11 pm).
Although several reviewers were pleased with their clean and comfortable rooms, a few patrons were disappointed with aspects of their lodgings. They reported dated decor, inefficient and loud air conditioning, musty smells and weak Wi-Fi signals.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 7.5 out of 10 from 350 reviews
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 3.8 out of 5 with an 83% recommendation rate from 282 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #71 of 133 Fort Lauderdale hotels with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 236 reviews.
The author called the hotel on September 17, 2013 to verify some information.