Hotel Review: Tru by Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Airport
Hotel Review for stay on September 9, 2023
Contrary to my normal way of doing things, I booked a somewhat last minute cruise on Virgin Voyages and needed to find a pre-cruise hotel. Scarlet Lady was sailing out of Miami, but the hotel choices there were limited and expensive along with the airfare to Miami. So I tried something different, I would fly into Ft. Lauderdale and then take the Brightline train down to Miami in the morning. It turned out to work out perfectly.
I hope this review will give you some information to help you decide if this is the right hotel for you. I’ll also let you know about my first experience on the Brightline train and little bit about embarkation on Virgin Voyages.
My other Ft. Lauderdale hotel reviews are The Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel (December 2021), Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort (March 5, 2022) and Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port (December 2, 2022)
Cost
I was able to book this hotel using points. I have the American Express Hilton Honors card that allows me to get points for Hilton hotel stays, so that worked out great. The hotel rate for this date ranges from $200 to $250 a night. The hotels in this area do tend to be very pricey as there is a surprisingly limited amount of inventory. I read that Port Everglades is trying to address this as they see it as a negative for selecting the port.
Transfer from the Fort Lauderdale Airport
One not-so-great experience was the transfer from the airport to the hotel. I normally take a taxi from the airport as the Uber/Lyft situation is a mess and the taxi stand is very fast. However in this case I got a grumpy driver who was not happy that my trip was so short. It was unpleasant, but I am sure that is a one-off situation. However, you may want to be sure the driver is OK with a short trip before you get into the taxi. The cost of the taxi was $20.
TIP: Have the Address Printed
If you do plan to take a taxi, I recommend printing the hotel name and address and bringing that with you as many hotel chains have multiple hotels in the area with similar names. Having the address printed makes things much easier for everybody. The image to the right is an example of what I do. It shows a picture of the hotel and the address and phone number along with a map.
Check-in and Lobby
The lobby of the hotel was very inviting and had plenty of snack options along with a kiosk to reserve transportation to the airport. Virgin does not have you print luggage tags in advance so I didn’t use the business center, however everything looked to be in order. There were ample outlets and tables if you wanted to do some work in the lobby and lots of couches and chairs. There was even a pool table!
Room
I really liked the room, everything worked, it was very clean and had an excellent bath. I especially liked the “No Soap Radio” products they offered. I had never heard of this line but they worked well. The “closet” was small but for an overnight stay, it didn’t matter, especially since I was traveling solo.
Fitness Center
The fitness center was one of the best I’ve seen in this class of hotel. It is open 24 hours and is actually located in a separate area accessible from the outside courtyard. Due to the location, if I were working out alone at night, I’d be a little hesitant to do so. There is a phone for emergencies, but I’d still be cautious.
Courtyard
There was no pool but they did have a very nice courtyard with seating and plantings. In the photo below, the Fitness Center entrance is just to the right outside of the frame. If the weather is nice, this looked like a very nice spot to relax.
Things Nearby
There are a few stores in the area. I was able to walk to the Publix (an excellent supermarket chain that has nearly everything including drug store items) nearby, but you might find the walk to be a little too far. I arrived at the hotel later in the evening so most of the stores in the area were closed or getting ready to close.
The Brightline Train to Miami
I looked into a few options to get from Fort Lauderdale to Miami, but decided to give the new Brightline train a try. I’m glad I did. I opted to get the Premium fare which included an Uber from the hotel to the train and also an Uber from the train to the port. It also allowed for access to the Premium Lounge at your departure station. The lounge was really nice and also not at all crowded. Outside the lounge area was a bar, a small vending area and one of the cleanest restrooms I’ve ever seen. Signage in the station is very clear.
Booking Uber in the App
With the Premium fare you book your Uber pickup right in the Brightline app. It was easy to do and the drivers were excellent.
The seats on the train were very comfortable. Space was provided to store luggage and they do have a service for you to check your luggage if you prefer.
I would not hesitate to ride on Brightline again. It was excellent value for money.
Transfer to the Miami Cruise Port Terminal V
The signage at the Miami Brightline station was very easy to follow. The Uber driver met me just outside the station and it was only a short five minute ride to the Virgin Voyages Terminal V. I arrived a bit early but as I had Deep Blue Extras, I stopped by the desk next to the Virgin Voyages Sailing Club and they directed me to the line where I waited for the terminal to open. Terminal V is one of the nicest cruise terminals I’ve ever seen. But there was not much time to enjoy it as within 10 minutes they were calling us to board.
Would I stay here again?
The Tru by Hilton is an excellent choice for a one night stay. There is not much in the area but as I was arriving late, it did not matter. The price is in line with other hotels. If a pool is a must then you might want to look at another property. If you are looking to enjoy the beach, then you might consider staying at the The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort instead.
For my next cruise in January 2024 I’ll be staying at the Hilton Marina Fort Lauderdale and I’ll be sure to let you know how I found that hotel to be.
