Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort Lauderdale 17th Street Hotel

I usually try to leave positive reviews because I appreciate businesses that take care of their customers, but this was one of the rare times I felt I had to say something negative. The hotel was very expensive, and the service and facilities didn't justify the price. Check-in, bar, and meal lines were awful, and having more staff could have made a simple difference. It felt like they were trying to run with the bare minimum. The place was packed, but only three of the five elevators were working. We heard from other guests that it had been like that since November. On the upper floors, just getting to the lobby could take over 15 minutes. Our room wasn't very clean either. The bathroom drain was clogged with hair and other debris and wouldn't drain. We asked twice to have it fixed, but got nowhere. The staff acted as if it didn't matter, and there was still no response on our second day. If you're in Ft. Lauderdale, I'd look elsewhere.

We could see our Disney cruise ship from the room, and it was a quick walk to Publix and nearby restaurants. The staff were friendly and went out of their way to arrange a crib, early check-in, and a ride back from the cruise terminal. Breakfast was solid, and the pool and outdoor area were great. The property is nice and the rooms are spacious. The elevators were extremely frustrating, though. On cruise day, several were out of order, and it took nearly 30 minutes to get one from the eighth floor. That seems to be a recurring problem here. Even with all five running, I imagine it could still get congested, perhaps around 5-10 minutes, but 30 minutes just to reach the lobby was unreasonable. Since this isn't an inexpensive hotel, it's surprising they haven't put more into fixing what seems to be an ongoing issue. It had a real effect on our stay.

The location worked well, close to shops and just a quick ride from the beach. The pool is heated, and I liked the outdoor space on sunny days, the ground-floor seating, and the waterfalls. They also give you two free drinks for each night, which I enjoyed. The staff were friendly, and Amy at the bar was a superstar. The rooms were only so-so for cleanliness. My first one smelled musty. The second smelled fine, but there was hair in the tub and on the bed. I also almost never got an answer when calling the front desk or other departments, even after calling several times from my cell. It was alright, but that's how it went.

The staff were very nice, friendly, and professional, and breakfast was satisfying. We stayed two nights in mid-February 2026 before a cruise, but the property upkeep left us disappointed for an Embassy Suites. The room's furnishings were pretty worn, and there was a strange “mystery cleaner” smell when we first walked in. For the price, we felt the room could have been maintained better. We also deducted a star because only two of the five elevators worked during our stay. The other three, on the back or south side of the building, were out of service. Since we were on a higher floor with cruise luggage, checking out was extremely difficult. People were riding elevators up just to head back down to the ground floor, so we ended up carrying all our luggage down the stairs. It was a letdown overall.