Tru By Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Airport

We found the hotel remarkably quiet, even with lots of families around. The lobby stayed calm during the breakfast rush and while people waited for cruise shuttles. The lobby itself is bright, modern, and welcoming, and the young staff were friendly and efficient. Valet staff were excellent, though valet is required because self-parking isn’t allowed. The room was immaculate when we arrived and generally clean and well kept. The bed was extremely comfortable, but two of us felt cramped. There’s no closet, just a rail and a few hangers, and no bureau or drawers. There’s no microwave or coffee maker either, although coffee is available in the lobby around the clock. A single traveler who’s fine living out of a suitcase might be more comfortable here. They stocked only two bath towels and one hand towel, which I haven’t encountered before. I’m sure we could have asked for more. Housekeeping was otherwise efficient, but didn’t clean the shower. The lotion dispenser at the sink was empty when we arrived and still empty after service. Breakfast was just okay, though the fresh pancake machine was a nice touch. This place works well for a one-night stop before an early flight or cruise, but not for an extended stay. The stay wasn’t unpleasant, but Tru seems aimed at travelers and situations that don’t fit us. I can only blame myself for not realizing that before booking.

The air conditioning was broken when we got to our room, and we spent the first night in a hot room with no way to open the window. The front desk had said maintenance would come, but after an hour with no response, we called again and were told there was no record of the request. They promised again to notify maintenance, but nothing happened. I stressed the urgency to the desk the next morning after we’d already spent a night without AC. They assured us it would be fixed while we were out. When we returned around 4 p.m., it still wasn’t working. I asked for an immediate repair or another room and was told maintenance was on the way. Two hours later, there was still no response. At the desk, I was told maintenance had already been in and fixed it, which wasn’t true, nobody had entered. Only after I followed up persistently did someone finally come and resolve it. The first interaction at the desk had already been dismissive and unhelpful. Though the hotel eventually refunded one night, we later found personal items missing from our rental car after valet parking. My wife’s North Face jacket and a drink we’d brought back from Japan were there when we handed over the car, but missing when it was returned. That left us seriously concerned about how guest belongings are handled and secured in valet care. The repeated maintenance delays, inaccurate communication, and missing property badly undermined our confidence in the hotel’s operations and guest safety. I’m asking for a formal investigation into the maintenance response failures, a review of valet handling and security procedures, and a written explanation for the claim that maintenance had entered and repaired our room. I chose Hilton expecting reliable, professional, guest-focused service. This fell well short, and it wasn’t the experience I’ve come to expect from Hilton. I’d appreciate a prompt, meaningful response.

We got to relax in the huge lounge until it was time to leave for our cruise, and there were plenty of seats. The hotel let us check in early, which was a big help after a long travel day. The shuttle came in about 10 minutes, and the driver was really helpful. Breakfast was good, with lots of choices and family-friendly options. The 24/7 coffee and hot chocolate were a big plus. We loved the place and would definitely recommend it for a pre-cruise stay.

The location was convenient for both Fort Lauderdale Airport and the cruise port, but the room wasn’t properly cleaned. The floor felt sticky, there was a strong unpleasant smell, and the bathroom supplies, including soap and lotion, were all empty. At $427 a night under the Hilton name, this was far below what I expected. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.