Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport at Dania Pointe is an Ideal Hotel Located Near Port Everglades for Cruises

During the pandemic, domestic travel became popular but the hospitality industry has been slow to get back in gear in terms of service.  As the CDC has lifted their Conditional Sailing Order, cruising has been slowly returning to pre pandemic levels. How many of you have cruised out of Port Everglades prior to 2020? Most people have their ideas of what they are looking for in a pre-cruise hotel. We'll go over what some of the most common requirements are and debunk any myths that you may believe when you cruise out of Port Everglades.  We stayed at the brand new Marriott hotel located at Dana Pointe in Dania Beach Florida, which opened in October 2021. We were so pleased with this hotel that we felt it was important to give you a review for your future cruising out of Port Everglades. If so, you probably realized that Fort Lauderdale International Airport is uber close to the Port. Also, many hotels have airport shuttles.  Even less have cruise port shuttles, and if they do, the charge is $15 per person or more. We prefer to stay at a hotel near the airport or beach before our Port Everglades cruises. If a complimentary shuttle is available, wonderful, but otherwise we use Uber which doesn't cost much for such close proximity.  Plus, we love a newer hotel with shopping and restaurants within walking distance. 

We've stayed at many cruise port hotels over the years, some of which have bore witness to absolutely amazing events, like Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, a Curio Collection by Hilton, opened in 2018 and is situated in the oldest part of Reykjavík at the junction of Icelandic history and style. In Fort Lauderdale, we love convenience to the airport and port, but with quality and new amenities.  The Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport Dania Pointe exceeded our expectations!

Check reviews and make a reservation for the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport Dania Pointe by clicking here!

1. Location

The Marriott Fort Lauderdale airport at Dania Pointe is an ideal hotel and is perfectly situated for those cruising out of port Everglades. The hotel itself has a complementary airport shuttle and make sure that when you get your luggage at the airport you call them immediately to come pick you up. It is a shared shuttle with the Marriott AC Hotel which is connected to the Marriott. The hotels location in Dania Pointe is perfect for staying one night before your cruise. Once you land and unpack it's easy to walk to shopping, restaurants and bars which are delightful once you arrive in the breezy south Florida weather.  Its location is ideal for getting to Port Everglades either via the cruise port shuttle or using Uber. Please note that the cruise port shuttle is not complementary at the Marriott or the Marriott AC. The charge for the cruise port shuttle was $30 per person. In our opinion Uber which is less than $20 is a better option. For that matter using Uber at any location on the beach, or near the cruise port is generally more cost-effective. There are very few hotels that offer a free airport shuttle AND a free cruise port shuttle these days. 

2. Check-in

We were greeted promptly and checked in without difficulty from very accommodating employees wearing masks appropriately. The front desk was compliant with COVID-19 policies, unlike other hotels we have stayed at since the pandemic started. We were recognized as Convoy elite members immediately.  The staff member instructed us about the amenities and upgrades we received and answered all of our questions about the immediate area for site seeing and dining.  

The freshness and newness of this Marriott is evident immediately upon arrival!

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3. Hotel Decor 

The Marriott Fort Lauderdale airport at Dania Pointe has a fresh open feel to it. There are large windows that overlook the Fort Lauderdale skyline with the Hard Rock Hotel evident on the horizon. You can't miss it! It looks like a large guitar with various colors of lighting. The main views at the hotel or west so make sure that you check out the sunset after you arrive. 

Off of the lobby is the Lobby Bar with indoor and outdoor seating including outdoor fireplaces and many telvisions, which were used by many of the guests.  It appears a professional soccer tournament was underway and we had Club de Foot Montréal, or simply CF Montréal, sharing the hotel with us.  The M Club for elite members is located off the lobby too. 

Off of the lobby is the Hotel restaurant, Radiant 166, open daily.

In the lobby is the bar where every evening there is a social hour from 6-7 with complimentary wine and beer and bar bites. This was well attended by all guests! 

Other travelers we’ve spoken to have said they plan to laminate their vaccination cards to prevent damage — and Staples will even do it for free.  We’re not fans of laminating our cards because you may need to add information about a booster to it later.  Of course you can use a sandwich bag to protect it, but we prefer a sleeve where the card can be removed and updated if booster shots become recommended in the future. Click the photo below to find these on Amazon:

4. Rooms

The rooms pay homage to the history of Fort Lauderdale and Dania Beach and the proximity to the airport. A large metal sculpture above the bed is reminiscent of a paper airplane. We expect that this location will be used extensively by Spirit Airlines because they are placing their headquarters immediately next-door. You could see signs on their construction site.  

Windows overlooked the Marriott AC hotel, the common pool for both hotels, and the Dania Beach coastline.

The bed was very comfortable and luxury touches such as reading lights and multiple device outlets. Air conditioning was perfect with great temperature regulation, a must for us! Noise levels in the rooms were quiet and you couldn't hear surrounding noise, which was worrisome with I-95 being in relatively close proximity. 

Click below to check out these combined vaccine card and passport covers at Amazon! You can use them to organize all the documents needed to travel internationally these days! 

Floors are made of wood, if you prefer this in your hotel rooms for allergies.  Robes and slippers are not provided, so bring a pair of socks or slippers if you need something on your feet. Bedside rugs are among the decor which we love when getting into bed!

The televisions were exactly what we expect in the 21st century! Streaming or casting services are provided at most luxury establishments now where you can cast your own programs from personal subscriptions like YouTube TV or Netflix, or watch many subscription channels, like HBO or Showtime, on demand from the TV. 

In room coffee makers were provided in all rooms and are the typical Marriott single serving appliance. A large in-room safe is available. A small refrigerator is in the room if you bring back leftovers from your dinner or buy wine (see dining recommendations below).

5. Bathrooms

The bathrooms are one of the positives of the room. Toiletries are by the stylish thisworks collection, that uses clean, targeted sleep, skincare and wellness solutions that work in harmony with your body clock, 24hrs a day.  Regardless, the scent of these products is wonderful in our opinion. As you may know, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that bans hotels from supplying such bottles in an effort to reduce the number of plastic containers being thrown away by hotels and guests. The bill, set to take effect in 2023, and for environmental reasons, we like seeing large bottles of toiletries in the shower like at the Southern Hotel and Kimpton hotels.

As you know, we HATE shower curtains, and the Marriott did not disappoint! The vanity was well-lit and had more than enough counter space for our short stay. 

6. Fitness

The hotel has a large modern gym available 24 hours per day with key fob access. You will not be disappointed with your workout here! The gym is near the outdoor deck pool that has an incredible sunset view.  We used it and opted for endurance indoors and body weight exercises outdoors in the cooler weather.  Complimentary water, headphones and cool towels are available inside. 

Certainly the area surrounding the hotel is safe for walking or jogging. If you need distance we suggest running from hotel down Stirling road to Dania Beach which is about 3.5 miles away. 

Other Healthy Activities Nearby:

• Swimming  The hotel pool is great to get some laps, but if you're a hard-core open water swimmer, head to Dania or Fort Lauderdale beach.  Each of them is a $15-$20 Uber. 
• Fishing at Dania Beach Pier is iconic. 
• Everglades Airboat Tours are super fun and a unique experience in this national park.   
• Golfing at Emerald Hills is nearby and this course was rated #1 in South Florida by USGA

7. Dining

Radiant 166 is the hotel restaurant and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Other restaurants that we recommend nearby:

• Cooper's hawk Winery  This is our choice of restaurants located in Dania Pointe. It is within walking distance and the added bonus is you can pick up some wine to carry on your cruise (check your cruise contract to see if this is allowed)! Check out the wine list and prices below!
• Tommy Bahama Dania Beach Marlin Bar  Usually this location has live music and out door seating.  Look for drink specials to have alone or with your meal!
• Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor is the iconic Dania Beach casual place to eat and is located one mile from the hotel!  This memoriablia stashed location has been around for nearly 60 years! 

• Bottom line:

Check reviews and make a reservation for the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport Dania Pointe by clicking here!

The Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport at Dania Pointe is a perfect hotel for your pre-cruise stay or if you just want to explore Fort Lauderdale.  There is a complimentary airport shuttle and a short Uber to Port Everglades, which is what we recommend over a cruise port shuttle. There are many shops and restaurants within walking distance and plenty to do if you stay more than one night. The hotel is new, clean and has all the amenities we require for a short stay! Plus make sure you check out Cooper's Hawk winery to pick up some wine for your voyage! 

 

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