Your Perfect Pre-Cruise Oasis: A Delightful Stay at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina

Forget the stress of travel! We took the scenic route on Amtrak’s Silver Meteor from Wilmington, Delaware, all the way to Fort Lauderdale. Once we arrived at the station, a quick 20-minute taxi ride (even with a bit of evening traffic) had us pulling up to the stunning Hilton Marina. You'll immediately feel that vacation vibe, as the hotel is right on the Intracoastal Waterway, practically hugging Port Everglades. Plus, it’s super close to the Convention Center and the iconic 17th Street Bridg—talk about a prime location!

Just a quick word of warning about that 17th Street Bridge, though: it’s a drawbridge, and when it goes up, traffic can really come to a halt. We experienced some pretty bad traffic getting to the hotel because of it. Luckily, our expert taxi driver knew how to navigate around it, but we also sat and watched the bridge go up once, and let me tell you, it took forever. We actually got bored and stopped watching! So, just be aware of that potential delay, especially during peak times.

Our King Room was spacious and wonderfully comfortable. After 28 hours on the train, that bed felt like a cloud—firm, with high thread-count sheets that were so crisp and cool. Pure bliss! We had a fantastic view of the hotel’s bustling marina and the inviting pool area from our balcony, which was large enough for us to comfortably enjoy a table and chairs.

King size bed and king sized room!

The bathroom was a sparkling haven with a fantastic walk-in shower, complete with overhead lighting and a mirror that had a cool LED light built right in. While there wasn’t a bathtub (a little something I personally love for a bubble bath), the pristine cleanliness and modern feel were top-notch. And here’s a huge plus: the room and hallways were remarkably quiet. Even when those magnificent yachts were heading out from the marina, we barely heard a peep!

This is honestly the best shower we had literally in days

Speaking of dining, the hotel does have its own lovely on-site restaurant, Olive & Sea, which is open for dinner. While their menu is Mediterranean and Greek-inspired (and I heard they have an intriguing octopus dish I’d love to try another time), for our first night in a beautiful beach town, we were really craving fresh seafood.

So, for dinner, we took a lovely five-minute stroll to The Boatyard, a local gem. Now, don’t let a Thursday night in October fool you—it was “Ladies’ Night” and the place was absolutely buzzing! Despite the lively crowd, the food was beautifully presented and incredibly tasty. My husband was thrilled to find fresh raw clams (a rare treat), and I still dream about the dirty rice with foie gras. And trust me, the drinks were even more amazing! We even caught a cool light show on the water featuring a “flyboard” performer—such a fun surprise!

Back at the hotel, our morning started with a delicious buffet breakfast at Olive & Sea. At around $30 per person, it was a bit of a splurge, but we were able to use our hotel credit, so we only paid the tip! It was the perfect pre-cruise meal, loaded with fresh-squeezed juices, pastries, bagels, hot options like bacon and sausage, and even a unique hummus bar with a Greek twist. We fueled up knowing our next meal on the cruise ship might be a while away!

The hotel features a really nice resort-style pool, a giant chessboard, and their very own marina. We even chatted with a crew member from a yacht docked there—next time, we’re definitely planning a fishing charter right from their marina! They also have a clean fitness center and offer massage services, though not a full spa.

I wonder if the valet parks these too?

Perhaps the biggest win for us was the incredibly easy transfer to Port Everglades. The hotel offers its own shuttle service for just $15 per person, and you can book it right at the valet stand. It runs “as needed,” which meant no waiting around! This shuttle is actually a perfect way to get to the port—we’ve heard stories about Ubers and other independent shuttles facing long delays for ID checks. Our driver, however, was experienced and knew exactly which gate to go through. They only ended up checking his credentials, so we were able to get onto the port extremely quickly, even with two different cruise ships departing at the same time! It took us a mere 10 minutes from the hotel to the luggage drop-off at the port. You truly can’t beat that convenience when you’re ready to start your cruise vacation.

We loved waking up and heading to the nearby water taxi stop to watch the previous cruise ship pull into port—it built so much excitement knowing our own adventure was just hours away! (Just a heads-up, this particular water taxi stop was closed for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show preparations during our visit, but it’s usually a great amenity.)

I don’t know how we lucked out, but we woke up early enough and got to see the reflection arriving to Port from right outside the hotel

Overall, I’d give the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina a solid eight out of 10. It was absolutely perfect for what we needed: a comfortable, convenient, and enjoyable pre-cruise stay. The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. Check-in was a breeze (they even lent us a corkscrew for our wine), and the cleanliness and upkeep of the entire property was outstanding.

Much better than a bus…

If you’re looking for a stress-free and delightful start to your Fort Lauderdale cruise, or any Florida adventure, the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina truly hits all the marks. I wholeheartedly recommend it for your next trip!

While the resort fee felt a little high since we couldn’t use the credit towards the Port Everglades shuttle (which we had to pay cash for), and we didn’t have time to fully enjoy other amenities like the free beach shuttle due to our short stay, the location and overall experience more than made up for it.

The other thing to keep in mind is, if you do not have a car, there’s very little within walking distance. However, there is a water taxi stop right outside the hotel’s parking lot. It’s a convenient way to get around as long as you’re not planning things too far away from a stop.

For more information and insider recommendations, visit our Fort Lauderdale page.