Cool places to stay while visiting the great Mai Kai, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Greetings to all fellow tiki travelers,

My wife and I are venturing south for a wedding in Orlando in Jan. 2005, and are making a pilgrimage further south to the Mai Kai.

We're looking for some help in finding a "low-key" medium priced place to stay, near to the Mai Kai and beach front, if possible. We have looked at the listings on the Hukilau 2004 website (a bit helpful, making us want to attend next year's), but would love some first hand recommendations before we book rooms for our 2 nite stay.

Any help from fellow pilgrims would be great.

Feel free to post or e-mail me directly.

Thanks in advance,

Aaron

I've stayed at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood (right in the same 'hood as Ft. L) and it is just the most gorgeous hotel, right on the beach, couldn't recommend it more highly. Here's its website:

http://www.diplomatresort.com/Public/index.asp

THANKS! We'lll check it out...

Do you remeber the trek time from the hotel to the Mai Kai? We might drive or, more appropos to an evening of mai tais, grab a taxi/car service.

Thanks again,

A

For fun places to Visit , eat and or drink
see these threads;
https://tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=3018&forum=4

https://tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=4167&forum=1

This site has a ton of nice clean older independent motels:

http://www.superiorsmalllodging.com/

I recommend the Winterset, which I stayed at for a week once. There are 2 pools and lush tropical landscaping.

http://www.thewinterset.com/

It is a short walk to the beach, and a short cab ride to the Mai Kai. The surrounding neighborhood is filled with many old 50s motels.

If you want to be right on the beach, check out Hollywood, which is just south of Fort Lauderdale. The rates are cheaper for beachfront motels than they are in FL, and some are right on the beach walk instead of facing the street as many are in FL. Hollywood is also quieter than FL. The only drawback is it's farther from the Mai Kai.

One nice older motel on the beach in Hollywood:
http://www.bougainvilleahollywood.com/

However, if you're looking for something luxurious these places are not the ticket.

Thanks to all for the posts!

We'll have a lot to look at tonight...

Aaron

Whatever you do, don't stay at the Budget Inn on N. Federal Highway near the Mai Kai.

Miserable shithole, as many here will attest.

On 2004-12-16 13:25, martiki wrote:
Whatever you do, don't stay at the Budget Inn on N. Federal Highway near the Mai Kai.

Miserable shithole, as many here will attest.

Yes! Do not be swayed by descriptions of the "Jungle Room" with the heart-shaped bed and Jacuzzi! Do not even be swayed by the free porn! Do not stay at the Budget Inn unless you are prepared with a full-body condom. It's just that icky.

HA! I have always been curious about that heart-shaped bed and jungle room! I even thought of surprising my bf as a playful gag... glad I read this thread before I wasted my money! lol!

I live near the Mai Kai, and will keep my eyes open for you. I can tell you names of places to research, but since I havent had the need to stay in any of them because I live so close by, I wouldnt know the conditions of what is inside. So I doubt I could even be that much of a help! lol But I will ask around and try. :)

You will love the Mai Kai! I go all the time, usually just for drinks but every now and then for dinner and the show. I went three times last week, alone! It never gets old, and always feels like home. I'm so happy for you! Have fun!

Lenore

Thanks again for the info. We still haven't picked a place yet (have to soon!). Craziness with work and Holidays leave us with little time.

Again, thanks to all for the info, especially about the shithole :wink:

We'll post an update & review of the place we picked when we get back...

Aaron

Flounder, Marian and I stayed at a hotel within walking distance of the Mai-Kai earlier this year. It was pretty good, however, when we woke up there was sticky rice all over the floor and I was missing $100.

Flounder, you've still got some 'splaining to do!

KG

Hi Lostinbrooklyn,

Not sure if you already left for your pilgrimage to the Mai Kai, but if not, a hotel that is on the beach not too far from the Mai Kai is the Holiday Inn at Sunrise Blvd and Ocean Drive. Its not the newest hotel, but not bad. (I went to a wedding there last May and the rooms were fine, nothing fancy). But it is right across the street from the Beach and is less than 10 minutes to the Mai Kai. The Westin Diplomat that was recommended to you is a SPECTACULAR hotel, but I imagine it is quite a bit pricier ... and its also in Hollywood, which is about 20 minutes or so from the Mai Kai. Another nice hotel (not as close to the Mai Kai... but still close) is the Marriott at Beach Place. (Beach Place is a fairly new trendy shopping/dining area that is right on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale. It is a nicer hotel than the Holiday Inn, and more things to do right downstairs from your room (bars, restaurants, shops, etc.).

Thanks to all for the posts and advice...

Ultimately, after a lot of on-line snooping (aided by y'all), my wife Mic came across Best Florida Resort ( http://www.bestfloridamotel.com/ ) in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, A WONDERFUL place, with a nouveau Polynesian/Indonesian and Floridian feel. The garden/pool area has been hand-crafted (as are rooms, see the pix here: http://www.lostinbrooklyn.com/image_gallery/mai_kai_bf/bf_images.html ) by owners Tomasz and Bozena. Coconut palms, tikis & bamboo and island flavor, impeccably done. The establishment is 8 years old and the tropical garden invites quiet relaxation. Only a 2 min walk to the beach access, beach side of A-1-A. This, I will add pointedly, IS NOT a party spot. More of an oasis compared to all the crap we came across on-line in the area of Ft. Lauderdale near the Mai Kai. Just a 5 min drive to the Mai Kai (pix posting to follow). The Indonesian/Floridian styled efficiency rooms in this revamped 1950's small motel/hotel, are clean, spacious and comfortable. A triple star *** rating from the Tiki folks in Bklyn. Highly recommended, though you may be hard pressed to grab a room amongst all the return European clientele (mostly) while in season. To boot, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea sported great beaches, some wonderful eats (check out the Sea Watch, much like a nautical Trader Vic's) and local color. We'll definitely be back next time we visit the awesome Mai Kai...

--Aaron & Mic

Aaron a.k.a. "The Big Red Kahuna of Bklyn"
[email protected]

...still lost in brooklyn...

[ Edited by: lostinbrooklyn on 2005-01-19 19:09 ]

[ Edited by: lostinbrooklyn on 2005-01-19 19:11 ]

[ Edited by: lostinbrooklyn on 2005-01-19 19:12 ]

The lush gardens remind me of The Winterset. A great place in Ft Lauderdale where I have stayed a few times.