Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Lauderdale Airport South by IHG

The room had a few serious problems. Nearly every outlet was broken, and the air conditioner was loud, right beside the bed, and sounded like a freight train. A sensor raised the temperature overnight when nobody moved in the room, so it got very hot. The bathroom door squeaked loudly at night, and though the beds were clean, the counters, tub, and floors were dirty and covered in hair. Breakfast was poor, and the water and juice machines were broken. When I asked if I could get a drink from the hotel shop instead, they said no. That shop charges $5.50 for a bottle of water, which feels like taking advantage of guests. Parking also costs extra when it really should be free. The location in Dania felt sketchy, with few shops or restaurants within walking distance. The hotel is showing its age, and it was an overpriced disappointment. I expected more and think management needs to pay attention.

The fourth-floor pool and gym were a fun setup, and the pool gave a city view instead of looking straight onto the street. There are lots of restaurants within walking distance, and the neighborhood felt safe, though crossing the busy highway was a bit difficult. I also liked having all the toiletries supplied, including liquid soap, lotion, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. They were Dove products, which seems like a smart choice with TSA limits on liquids. Breakfast was nice too.

We slept really well on both nights. My wife and I found the beds comfortable, and there were two pillow options, one soft and one firmer without being too hard. The room and the big bathroom were very clean, as were the pillows. Housekeeping did a great job looking after the room. The front desk team were professional, polite, and easy to talk to. We liked the breakfast a lot, and there was a nice fitness room and a clean pool. The TV had DirecTV with a huge range of channels. The location was excellent and the price reasonable. We'd gladly come back and recommend it to family and friends visiting the area.

The shuttle was the big problem: the driver was rude, drove recklessly, and shouldn't be behind the wheel. Aside from that, the stay was okay. I enjoyed having the pool open around the clock and got a quiet late-night swim. Breakfast was ordinary, about what I'd expect from this kind of hotel. It's an okay place, but I wouldn't count on the shuttle.