I’ve been to Fort Lauderdale quite a bit, considering it is within driving distance of my second home in Miami Beach. Oddly enough though, I’d never been to the Fort Lauderdale beach. Insert the look of shock and awe here. As a beach girl, I found it hard to believe myself. That’s why on this visit I had to make sure I stayed at a property on the beach. Of course, for a thorough review for my clients (smile).

I selected the Pelican Grand Beach Resort because not only was it directly located on the beach (no crossing the street), it had a homey feel to it, even from the images. And it did not disappoint.

 

Upon my arrival, I walked straight through the lobby and the sliding glass doors to the beach, and instantly I was at home. I knew exactly right where I’d spend my time that I wasn’t working. Fortunately, I’d built a day in on each side of my business so that I could enjoy the beach and the property. I’m so glad that I did.

Since it was Christmas time, it was cool to see the beautiful holiday decorations and hear Christmas music playing while I felt the warm sun and ocean breeze on my skin. What a treat! If you plan to go around the holidays, be sure to check out the gingerbread house. It was one of the largest and most detailed I’ve seen to date.

I booked a standard room, thinking that I would probably upgrade my room upon arrival. Then I saw my room – surprisingly spacious and beautifully decorated. Based on the uniqueness of the décor and furniture, it appears each room has its own distinct feel to it. I do recommend that if you plan to visit for more than a few days, go ahead and upgrade yourself to an ocean view room with a balcony. The view is totally worth it!

While the room was amazingly cozy and spacious, I spent most of my time on the veranda right outside of the lobby in the hotel’s signature rocking chairs. The restaurant also offered outdoor seating on the veranda, which of course provided a front row seat to the beach. Literally thirty minutes into my arrival, that’s where I found myself enjoying breakfast, which was delicious.

The hotel sits on a quiet beach that makes it ideal for beach bums like me. One caveat, because it is a public beach, the hotel does not serve food or beverage on the beach. So, if you want that daquiri and a snack, you have to order it on the veranda and take it down to the beach.

While I didn’t get a chance to spend much time at the pool, it is pretty expansive, and even includes a lazy river for those who want to spice up their pool time. That will have to be an experience on my next visit.

All in all, I truly enjoyed my stay at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort and I do see myself returning, despite some needs for updating. While I appreciated the addition of electrical outlets along the veranda and the cool décor, I must say the chipped paint and overused beach chairs took it down a notch from luxury. But in my book, those are easy fixes and I do believe the Pelican Grand is up to the task considering the A’s in other areas like service and cleanliness.

There is one other thing to note. If you get hungry after 10:30 pm, there are no options for food inside of the hotel, but they do have great recommendations for delivery. They will even deliver right to your room for those of you like me who have a thing for room service.

If you’re looking for a beach hotel while visiting Fort Lauderdale, I definitely recommend the Pelican Grand. When you visit, be sure to drop me a line and let me know what you thought of it!