Contents
The Hyatt Pier 66 is close to the Fort Lauderdale airport. The hotel is roughly 5 miles from the Fort Lauderdale airport and 31 miles from the Miami airport. The hotel doesn’t have an airport shuttle, but taxis and other ride sharing services are available.
The first thing that is important for readers to be aware of is that the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 is not located on the beach and it is not located within easy walking distance from the beach (beach is roughly 1 mile away). The hotel does operate a free beach shuttle which takes guests to the beach, but at the time of my visit, it was operating once every two hours.
There is a major port for cruise ships approx 1 mile from the hotel. Public Water taxis are available at the marina and there is a Sun Trolley service that has a stop at the hotel. Water Taxi tickets are $26 per day and Sun Trolley tickets are $3 per day, both with unlimited rides for the day.
Visited May 2016
I previously reserved a room for memorial day weekend roughly one month in advance. After reserving the room online, I called the Hyatt diamond line to apply one of my 4 suite upgrades. The Hyatt representative informed me that a suite would be available during the weekend of the trip.
The desk clerk informed me that no suites were available. Instead, i was given a junior suite, but I was informed that my suite upgrade would be returned to my account and I could use it in the future. Hyatt is the only Major hotel chain that offers confirmed suite upgrades upon arrival to its Diamond level guests, but how great is this benefit if you can’t use it or it is not available after you’ve requested it?
Room
The junior suite i received was on the 5th floor. The room itself was very nice. It included a balcony, small living room / desk, and a large double bed. I had no major complaints with the room, but I came to the hotel expecting a suite and while the room was better than the basic standard room, it was not what i was expecting.
When I expressed my disappointment at not receiving a suite that night, the front desk clerk suggested to try again in the morning since it was possible something could open. Unfortunately when i tried the next morning, there was still nothing available. So much for the suite on this trip.
Hotel Amenities
Aside from the suite issue, the hotel property itself was very nice and fairly extensive. The property is located on 22 acres. The hotel has 384 rooms, five on-site restaurants, 27,000 ft of meeting and event space, a large outdoor pool, and a full service spa. A marina is located on the property and is full service with 127 slips.
The hotel pool is located in the center of the property and is circled by the hotel which is designed like a square. The main hotel tower is on one side and a smaller two floor wing of the hotel makes up the other three sides.
Pool
In the center of this outdoor court is three separate pools broken up by cascading waterfalls. Beach chairs are available on a first come first serve basis. The Orchids bar and restaurant is located next to the pool area. On one side of the pool is a large sand pit with volley net and the other side of the pool has a separate open grassy area.
Spa
The hotel spa and the gym are located on the ground floor in the pool courtyard, on the side of the main hotel tower.
Buffet
Diamond members are given free breakfast at the buffet. When i inquired if the free breakfast included any items from the menu, i was informed it did not. While I wouldn’t label the buffet bad, i would label it as basic and limited.
The hot food consists of an omelet station and separate hot plates with bacon, sausage, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and a rotating choice of french toast (probably switched with pancakes and/or waffles).
On the right corner was a cold station, which included fruit, yogurt, cinnamon rolls, muffins, breads, and bagels. Coffee and beverages were available at your table from the wait staff. Guests also had the option to order breakfast from the menu which included the same food options as the room service menu.
Pier Top
The Pier Top previously operated as a bar/lounge on the top floor of the property. Unfortunately the lounge has closed and the space is now used exclusively used for private events. The view from the Pier Top is really impressive.
Pros
– Large resort style property with significant amenities
– Direct access to the marina which has boat rentals and fishing charters
– Five restaurants ranging from fine dining to poolside burgers
– Large pool area located in the center of the hotel
– Hotel property is well maintained and the staff is helpful
– Nearby transportation options include a water taxi and sun trolley
Cons
-The hotel does not have direct access to the beach. There is a hotel shuttle that takes guests to the beach.
-The hotel does not have a Regency club.
-Complimentary premium internet access was not available. The hotel WiFi was relatively slow and I relied on my personal cell network which was significantly faster.
Final Thoughts
The Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six is a large, well maintained resort style property in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The property has a large pool area, access to an on-site marina, and five restaurants. The property is close to the airport and is located near the bay and away from some of the heavier traffic closer to the beach area. Although you can’t easily walk to the beach from the property, a beach shuttle from the hotel is available. Overall its a really nice hotel for a relaxing weekend or vacation in Fort Lauderdale Florida.
Leave a Reply