The Grand Resort and Spa — Hotel in Fort Lauderdale

First off, we checked into our room. The room looked clean but smelled like mold, there was no hot water, the a/c wouldn't keep up at all, the drain to the shower was backing up, and the plug on the sink was broken. I can usually live with one or two of the items on the list, but decided we needed to bring it to the attention of the front desk. After speaking with them, they were kind enough to move us to another room in another building. This room had the same thing with the a/c not keeping up, my partner and I both still could smell mold, the towel bars and shower curtain would fall off the wall every time we used them, and the toilet would need to be adjusted so the tank would fill back up at every use. We thought, you know what! We will just make the best of it. || We went for a walk and explored the grounds. The grounds were kept neat and tidy. All patrons were very friendly, and we felt comfortable. |Day two we head down for some cocktails and pool time. The menu clearly states $16.00 per drink. We figure when on vacation and in a big city, no big deal. We order and charge to our room as the instructions say. The bartender rings it through and charges 20.00 per drink. I let it fly as I am not normally one to complain. We continued on to our 2nd drink of the day and the same went through, 20 dollar per drink charge. My husband then asks the question if the charge is correct or if we are missing something. The bartender then corrects it to 16.00 per drink.|| Day 3 and it was pool and cocktail time again. We are there to have fun and meet new friends. We go to order drinks and the same 20.00 per drink charge comes through. I then ask the bartender why he is charging 20.00 per drink when the menu states 16.00. His response was. It is a service fee and taxes. That is a 25% tax/service fee. This seems excessive in any world. I maybe can see it if we are in a 5 star resort, but this resort is about as far from 5 stars as you can get.|| We stayed a couple more days and made the best of our surroundings, meeting very great people and had wonderful conversations. We were able to get out and explore the local establishments and see the scenic views.|| On the final day we go to check out. They print the final bill. The number of service charges and resort fees is astounding. Plus, when you add the liquor charges up, add the fees and taxes in, they still come to well over 20.00 a drink. I asked the gentleman at the front desk about the fees and what was the deal with the drink charges. He said the fees are correct, and then showed a picture of the trip advisor website to voice any concerns. || I am sad to say, we visit Florida a couple times a year. We have been to Orlando, Ft, Meyers, Sanibel Island, Miami, Clear Water, and Key West. Most of these cities numerous times. Never have we had an experience like we had at The Grand Resort for service charges. The pictures all look like you are walking into a 5+ star Grand Resort. YES! The staff is friendly and you can see they are doing the best they can with what they have to endure daily, but we will not be coming back. The Value just...

I’m thinking this place could more accurately be called “The LAST Resort” as it is definitely rough around the edges and not likely to improve given that it and the three properties immediately around it, have been bought by a big investment group which I highly suspect will tear them all down and build another huge, white tower as has happened throughout the immediate vicinity. The clock is ticking for this place and it’s kind of sad because these buildings have that 1950s and 60s charm and it is all being destroyed. This may explain the glum atmosphere in general, including among the staff (but for an occasional passing exception).

If it’s a gay vacation you are seeking in Fort Lauderdale, this is NOT the venue nor the neighborhood for it at all. There are NO gay bars or dance spots anywhere close by. All require a rental car or Uber ride, most likely to Wilton Manors, the center of it all. And although it’s a short trip, the traffic is heavy and a 3 or 4 mile ride can take 25 minutes. Even just to find a bag of chips and a bottled water is a 20 minute walk each way.

If you like to walk the neighborhood, the ONLY place to do so is along the beach (Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd), which is only a block away and that’s nice, but how much of that can you do? Along the way, there is nothing but huge towers of hotels like the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, and a higher end Westin, Hilton, and others, so the streets are full of nothing but rich, almost entirely straight people, though also some very nice eye candy in the form of hot straight men with muscly tan bodies.

(About my reference to “straight people,” I mean that only with regard to the cultural divide between they and us, and the fact that there is no mix of gay and straight here, thus leaving a gay tourist feeling a bit alien.)

The boulevard provides the occasional restaurant, most with loud music, loud tourists, and high prices. Restaurant options could be found here and there off the boulevard, but few were anything exceptional. The hotel staff could offer nothing in the way of advice and basically told me to walk the streets and see what I could find. Thanks.

Back at the hotel, I should mention that on the main level by the pool, the wi-fi seemed fine, but in my 2nd floor room, there was ZERO wi-fi which was a big problem for me, and I learned that was the case in other rooms as well. The staff feigned bewilderment at this, sniffed around as if checking on it, and then gave me the old “oh well, we will have to call Comcast” line. Never heard from them again. I hate Comcast as much as the next guy but didn’t blame this one on them.

If I could do it again, I would find accommodations in Wilton Manors. From what I have learned, in the area of Wilton Drive and NE 26th Street. I visited there with a friend and found all the fun bars line the main road (Wilton or 26th ?), along with LOTS of choices of restaurants and shopping. Don’t need a car, and honey it is gay, gay, GAY!

Take a ride to the beach one day for an hour just to check it out as there is no denying that it is beautiful, then head back. I will return to Fort Lauderdale, but will not stay at the Grand Resort or even close to it. Wilton Manors is the...

From 9-28.11. we spent our vacations at "The Grand Spa and Resort". We have been coming to this hotel for 6 years now and always felt very comfortable. Over the years we have witnessed and accepted one change or another. Corona has also brought its changes and we like the changed housekeeping policy. The always very friendly staff (Bob, Paul and Bobby and Eduardo from housekeeping) do a good job and are always helpful and nice. Due to the change of ownership there were changes in the operation, which is now 4 properties. We find the opening of the 4 hotels good, even if this seems to make the service suffer a little. We come to the hotel as Europeans with a non-American cell phone and are supposed to call an American phone number for check-in. This is impossible. The intercom in the "Grand" does not work. The sun loungers are in terrible condition and no one feels responsible for repair or replacement. The wi-fi network "GrandResort" is a disaster. Every now and then we were lucky and could use the Worthington's network in our room 29. But this is not a standard. We asked several times all the staff and even the resort manager Scott, who told us that the IT specialist was just in the house, had no solution for us and never gave us an update again - weak unacceptable performance. At breakfast we miss the hot food that was available before Corona and was cut at that time by Corona measures. Not comprehensible is the sustainability thought, everything is offered on plastic cutlery and plastic dishes to throw away. In today's time the environmental protection thought should be much more considered here. The new price policy is absolutely not comprehensible. Why are early booking discounts no longer offered? Why are no more rejoiner discounts offered? What is the reason for the exaggeratedly high prices on normal dates? A Hilton and a Conrad (both 5-star hotels) offer rates for $280 and the Grand is priced at $290. Here, the owner/revenue department should think about the pricing once - the currently valid prices, even for the year 2023 are not appropriate, absolutely exaggerated and almost outrageous. We spoke with other guests who are also considering not to come back to the "Grand" at...