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Anyone stay at Marriott BeachPlace lately?

S

suesam

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I just got one of those awesome getaways on Interval and will be staying at MBP in November. It will be a girls vacation and I am really excited!
Have the units been renovated yet? I read the reviews and it looks like it was in desperate need for some renovations.
Also....any recommendations for two 40ish year old tired moms regarding entertainment, relaxation, etc??

Thanks!
Sue
 
BeachPlace has several food/club chains in their mall. But as 40'ish moms you might enjoy the Los Olas Blvd & Riverwalk area a little more.

Look up Bonnet House, for a native plants and artists' home. Has a large orchid collection, garden, tour. Just take your own bottle water (2-3 bottles per person). Can walk to it you want. Has wild monkees, swans, too. Even my 13 yo nephew liked it.

Key West Tour (Blue Mantee Tours is the one I took) ... day trip to Key West in a nice motor coach. Skip the KW Couch train (and its clone) and look for the old bank building for the Mel Fishers museum with the sunken gold.

Galleria Mall - okay, shopping is cool. But the Blue Martini bar and live music is nicer. Mall also has PF Chaings, Capital Grill, and a killer food court for lunches and early dinners (even my 18 yo too cool niece from CA, requested a repeat visit). While you can walk, the Rt 40 bus goes there ... get the bus on the beach side of A1A ($3.00 all day ticket).

Another place is Franco & Vinnies Itilian food - on Sunrise, just before the intercoast bridge to the Galleria Mall - 4 to 11PM. Locals spot with great food.

Snorkeling is another 1/2 day adventure - just look at the surf in front of BP before thinking about going. Lighthouse Point has a tour and so does Bahia Mia.

Water Taxis used to run a 8:15 AM trip to South Beach for $20-25 - just understand it is a decent size boat running down/back the intercoastal. Only the lower deck is inside and it is too long to be outside for the several hour run.

Have fun.
 
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Hop in a cab & head on over to Charlie's Crab for a great dinner on their outdoor patio overlooking the intracoastal. It is still one of our favorite places for dinner & we have been going there for 20 years!:cool:

Smooth Air:cool:
 
I agree Charlie's Crab is good, upscale place (would go back). It is next door to Shooter's, which is more of a bar/hamburger joint (would only go back with cheapskates). Aruba's is better than Shooter's and is on the beach.

SeaWatch (yes, seafood) on A1A just north of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is oceanfront. I like the lunch/afternoon view as you can see the ocean better - as you walk in, there is a set of steps. If open upstairs, you will have a choice of views over the dune to the ocean and either indoor dining or outdoor. Same food as downstairs and it seems quieter up there.

Closer to MBP, at the light before Sunrise Blvd is a little section of undeveloped old Ft Lauderdale. (Light just past Bonnet House beach from MBP). There is the Blue Fish (Key West style), the Parrot (Philly Sports Bar and cheesesteaks, good hamburgers) and Thai on the Beach (corner-2nd floor). Ignore the 3 tattoo pallors. Looks a little like a ratty area, but it is a neighborhood VS being a tourist trap. There is limited metered parking - taxis cruise the area all the time. The Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort (T/S) is the 18 story building at the end of the street about 50 yards from the beach, so there are a lot of those guests visible there. Plus, the Primitara Bros 24-hour pizza (under the Thai on the Beach) is a magnet for hungary cops & others needing a munchie fix- I personally am not a fan of their pizza. There is also a Kava Bar, some tacky beach shops, a cigar store, a laundry mat, 2 corner stores selling beer, etc.

Don't know you enegry level & budget, but the above neighborhood will be the cheapest of the eating and drinking locales without going over the intercoastal waterway and/or inland. Just an FYI ...

My avartar was taken from a dining table at the Blue Fish at dusk looking into the street which has neon lights. The Parrot Bar is in a building down/across the street.
 
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It kinda depends on what entertainment you want. :) It's all there. The BeachPlace complex has several loud bars, 3 drinks for the price of 1, Hooters, and more. There's live entertainment in the BP courtyard where you can sit and lick a Haegan Daz (or drink) and watch the shows. Can be noisy in the ocean front suites at BP if you're a light sleeper and if so, intracoastal view might be better -- I like the action side and with the doors closed it shuts out most of the boom boom. A boat tour of the Intracoastal is fun ... so is the Water Taxi just behind BP. Go to the 9 am Monday Morning meeting on the 19th floor for good info (they'll try to get you to take in a sales meeting so just enjoy the Krispy Kreme and coffee and get the ideas about sites).

Las Olas is great ... fun antique and clothing shops, upscale bars and restaurants, people watching - a must for one night.
http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/locations.htm

If you haven't been to FtLaud before go see Mai Kai dinner and show...easy cab ride...for a fun night.
http://info.priceline.com/Extras/dining/trip_extras_MaiKai_Dinner_Show_1_SIC.3700MAIKAI.htm

On the beach strip there are some great restaurants to -- like the two in the Ritz Carlton next door and Trina's up the street at the Atlantic hotel - expensive and classy. http://www.trinarestaurant.com/

If you like Italian, a 15 min cab ride will take you to Primavera. Excellent.
http://www.10best.com/Fort_Lauderdale,FL/Restaurants/Italian/7515/Primavera_Fort_Lauderdale_FL/

While it was certainly neglected by the HOA, I'm pleased to say BP is currently being redecorated floor by floor and you might get to live the result -- if so take pics and tell us all about it. Ask for an updated room.

About the closest grocery store is on North Federal, about 10 min drive from BP - go once, load up, and enjoy. This is an urban beachfront part of a big city with million dollar views or one of the best FL beaches you'll find. You'll love it. Here's a view:

http://www.sunny.org/webcam/camapp.cfm

A cab to BP from the airport is maybe $20 or less...15 minutes. There's parking in the building if you have a car - $17 a night - but everything is so close or an inexpensive cab ride away you'll do fine without one. Fun.

Brian

suesam said:
...any recommendations for two 40ish year old tired moms regarding entertainment, relaxation, etc??

Thanks!
Sue
Click to expand...
 
Cab for 2 from airport just past MBP in June 08 was $22 and less than 15 minutes. Seriously, having a car is not necessary ... my 13 yo nephew calculated $37 for the 2 of us to get around for a week in Ft Lauderdale, including the $22 taxi ride from the airport.

That was $15 for 3 days of a bus pass ($3 adult, $2 child) and we did an all day Everglades tour ($140 pp adult), snorkeling ($45 pp adult), Bonnet House tour ($20 pp), Jungle Queen (??), went to the grocery store, Subway, Taco Bell, Los Olas Blvd, Historical Ft Lauderdale, ate dinner out every night and finally, transportation back to airport. We were there for a full week.

Okay, that is truly low. But parking is free at my resort (vs $17 per night at MBP) and many, many places charge for parking in Ft Lauderdale - taking a cab is popular and easy - and door to door, too.
 
Thank you all so much!
We are both pretty energetic and walking around will be great! I really want to do the Everglades Tour, something I have always been interested in.
The restaurant suggestions will help a lot and it is great to know we do not have to get a car. That will make things much easier.
I am so looking forward to this trip. I think the only reason I talked her into it was because she was home really sick with a cold yesterday and was feeling exhausted and tired, and in desperate need of a break. Otherwise the guilt factor plays in too much! Luckily we both have great husbands who said "go for it".


Sue
 
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Renovation Complete

Suesam-

The renovations at BeachPlace are complete. All the villas at the resort have been upgraded. The garage has also been resurfaced and repairs made as necessary. Suggest you request the inter-coastal view if you do not like a lot of noise from the mall bars and the street.

The owners' and Board meeting will take place on November 11, 2008. This would be a great opportunity for owners to visit BeachPlace and meet with Board members and Marriott management. For those owners not able to attend the Board meeting, please indicate any questions or matters (from owners only please) that you would like me to take to the Board.


Eric Minotti
 
minoter said:
Suesam-

The renovations at BeachPlace are complete. All the villas at the resort have been upgraded. The garage has also been resurfaced and repairs made as necessary. Suggest you request the inter-coastal view if you do not like a lot of noise from the mall bars and the street.

The owners' and Board meeting will take place on November 11, 2008. This would be a great opportunity for owners to visit BeachPlace and meet with Board members and Marriott management. For those owners not able to attend the Board meeting, please indicate any questions or matters (from owners only please) that you would like me to take to the Board.


Eric Minotti
Click to expand...

It sounds like they finished the renovations ahead of schedule? I think the original target completion was October?
 
Thanks for the update, Eric. An owner's website would be one thing this MBP owner would love to have. Aside from that, are there any pictures we can see of the renovated rooms?

Thanks,
David

minoter said:
Suesam-

The renovations at BeachPlace are complete. All the villas at the resort have been upgraded. The garage has also been resurfaced and repairs made as necessary. Suggest you request the inter-coastal view if you do not like a lot of noise from the mall bars and the street.

The owners' and Board meeting will take place on November 11, 2008. This would be a great opportunity for owners to visit BeachPlace and meet with Board members and Marriott management. For those owners not able to attend the Board meeting, please indicate any questions or matters (from owners only please) that you would like me to take to the Board.


Eric Minotti
Click to expand...
 
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