Staying: The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale, FL

When Rob told us where his meeting in Fort Lauderdale was to be held, I didn’t want to go. A chance to go to the beach? What’s not to like about that? I was scared, terrified of where we would be staying. No, it wasn’t in a crime ridden part of town that would be dangerous for tourists with young kids. Not at all.

It was the The Ritz-Carlton that scared me. I am a more self-serve kind of person. I don’t know how to behave in a full-service hotel. What if I did the wrong thing? Is that apple in the bowl free? Or will I get charged $20 for it?

Ritz-Carlton

In the end, I decided to not let fear win and chalk it up as a learning experience. If I did something wrong, maybe I could watch what others did and do it right the next time.

My kids have rules about not walking around in swimsuits or barefeet in a hotel. They know about “hotel voice”. They know I am *NOT* going to spent $8 on a little glass jar of gummi bears, but that I will go next door to the CVS and buy us fruit, crackers, cereal, milk, bread and peanut butter.

Sunrise from our room

Luckily, the hotel was practically deserted, so I had very little to worry about. Did I tip the right amount to the bellman, the towel person at the pool, housekeeping? Probably not. But I tried.

Would I go back? Yes, I probably would — assuming someone else is covering the hotel stay.

Details:

• Pool: Outdoor, but heated.
• Suite: No idea, but our room did have a nice fridge. NO Coffee Machine, though!
• Parking: No idea, we flew and took a taxi (some take CCs, others are cash only).
• Breakfast: CVS next door or coffee shop in lobby. Hotel restaurant to expensive for me.
• Wif-fi: Ours was free, but I suspect that there is usually a per day charge.
• Beach Access: Pedestrian Bridge over Beach Boulevard.
• Location: On Beach Blvd. Nearby were CVS, restaurants (some with kids’ menus), Water Taxi.
• Staff: Everyone was super nice and helpful.

Interior of the room