La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fort Lauderdale Tamarac

The neighborhood may not be the best, but the hotel is clean and well maintained, and the staff clearly work hard to keep guests comfortable. Armand, the manager, made my stay especially pleasant. He greets people each morning with a friendly, professional manner and makes them feel welcome. One day he even went upstairs himself to replace the shampoo in the shower. When I asked where to eat, he took time to suggest nearby places. The next morning, while reactivating my keys, he asked if I’d tried the restaurant he recommended. That personal attention really stood out. The staff provided great service and made the hotel feel welcoming. By the way, some of his suggestions were players and Flanigan’s, both great.

For $139 a night, this was the worst hotel stay I’ve had. The first thing I noticed was a terrible stench. The carpets were stained and dirty, and the bathtub was chipped and worn. A strong marijuana smell also kept me from sleeping. I left my Apple Watch charger behind and called the front desk just an hour after checkout. They were dismissive and unhelpful, saying no charger had been found. The photos online don’t resemble the place I stayed. I’d give it zero stars if I could. Avoid it.

Our AirBnB, which we’d booked months ahead, wasn’t as advertised, so we ended up here instead. The room was about twice the size of our “studio” AirBnB, which was a huge relief. We brought our two Standard Poodles and were glad to find a partly enclosed area behind the hotel, plus an open grassy spot at the back of the parking lot. The pet fee was reasonable and in line with what we’ve paid before. Staff were friendly, and nobody harassed or bullied us about the dogs. The room was clean, the linens spotless, and it stayed cool. We liked relaxing and watching TV at night. The shower was hot and had plenty of bulk shampoo, conditioner, and body soap, so we didn’t have to ration it and there was less waste. Check-in was easy, there was an elevator, and breakfast was free with typical options. The parking lot was huge, a 24-hour CVS was next door, a Walgreens and a Ross were across the street, and they had some food and drinks on site too. It was mostly quiet, though we heard extra vehicle noise Friday night and kids screaming from other rooms a few nights. We often saw staff cleaning, so cleanliness seems to be a priority. The highway and turnpike were easy to reach. We booked through Bring Fido, and I’d recommend this hotel to people traveling with pets.

This stay fell well below what I expect from La Quinta, and I wouldn’t recommend this location until they improve the cleanliness, facilities, and guest service. The room smelled unpleasant, felt old and poorly maintained, and didn’t match the price. Hallways, walkways, and the elevator were dirty too, making the whole property feel neglected and cheap. There was no laundry service, a major problem on a 3-4 day stay. We had to look for a coin laundry outside the hotel, which felt unacceptable given the high standard rates. Even basic expectations weren’t met.