Blue Strawberry by the Sea

The location was great, just two blocks from Lauderdale by the Sea and the beach. It’s close enough to walk, but far enough from the party to stay quiet. Our room was spotless, the bed was comfortable, and we had everything we needed, including a full-size fridge. We also had a lovely welcome from Alba. We’d happily stay again.

Alba gave us wonderful service, she was incredibly kind and friendly. The room was spacious and stocked with plenty of towels and toiletries, and the prices were great. Blue Strawberry is super close to the beach. If I’m back in FLL, I’m staying here again. Thank you, go Blue Jays!

I’m glad we ended up choosing another hotel, since I don’t know what charges might have come up after arrival. I never stayed here, but the booking experience was frustrating. The website said they needed my credit card to hold the room and didn’t mention a one-night deposit. The next day, $193 came out of my bank account, more than the cost of a night I’d booked. I called for days, with the phone ringing and ringing and no answering machine. Once I finally reached someone, she canceled the room and I got a refund. Their policies don’t mention the charge, and I wasn’t prepared for it. The payment also triggered a separate $18 foreign transaction fee, and nowhere did it say they wouldn’t charge in USD. It felt shady and sheisty.

We canceled all five rooms we’d booked after a really disappointing exchange about possibly upgrading one of them. The person we spoke with called himself “Kent,” and may have been a manager. He was rude and disrespectful, used inappropriate language, and came across as passive-aggressive. That interaction left us with little confidence in the management or service there. We wouldn’t feel comfortable booking this location again.