My husband and I just spent a week at the Riverside in Las Olas. I'm so glad that we stayed here, a couple of the reviews had me worried but there was no reason to. The staff was wonderful, especially Maria at the front desk, she always had a smile and was very helpful. Our room was in the new tower and it had everything you could need. The bathroom was all marble and tile and huge. The room had a small fridge and a servie bar, we also had a balcony. The bed was comfortable which is unusuall for us since we are used to an air bed. The location is great with lots going on in downtown Las Olas. The pool is very nice although it is a short walk across the street (about a block). It was very warm and well kept up. My only complaint and it's a small one is that there is a large yacht tied up to the dock that blocks the view of the river almost completely. I had read this from a previous reviewer and thought big deal, but it did get annoying after a day or so. My husband and I are big boaters and we really enjoy watching the boat traffic on the river so we would have to carry some chairs down to the dock so we could see around the yacht. The hotel restaraunt is very good although expensive. There are many restaraunts within walking distance to choose from though. Our personal favorite was the Cheesecake Factory since we don't have one here at home in Michigan. We really enjoyed our stay as did others I spoke with at the pool and I would not hesitate to stay here in the future.

My husband and I were just stranded in Fort Lauderdale due to the recent snow storm in Boston. Since we were able to secure a flight out of Lauderdale instead of Palm beach we drove down to the area around 9:00pm on Feb 28th without a reservation. Luckily for us, we stumbled across the beautiful Riverside and inquired about a room. The front desk was extremely helpful and accommodating. We were able to get a room for 2 nights for $145/night. The queen room was in the older section (which they described) and we found it to be perfect for what we needed. The front desk clerk made it very clear that there is a "new" section and an "old" section to the hotel. The newer rooms were pricier and larger. The hotel bar (Golden Lion) is perfect for sipping a martini either inside or out on the sidewalk. The restaurant was crowded both nights and the food looked really good! The pool area is perfect - right on the intercoastal with food and drink service via a house phone. The pool was very warm and clean - beach towels are available along with a men's and women's bath/shower area. The location of the hotel is perfect for checking out the Las Olas and Riverwalk area - there are tons of bars and restaurants in the area. Check out O'Haras pub for nightly jazz. The cheesecake factory is right next door to the hotel in case you don't want to be adventerous.

You can park your car at the parking garage right across the street from the hotel for $10 or valet for $12. The hotel seems to cater to an older crowd, however, we are in our late 30's and found the atmosphere to be perfect. The last place we wanted to stay was a hotel welcoming spring breakers! This is a great hotel for 2/3 nights.

I have stayed at the Riverside off and on for 10 years and have never had a bad experience. I am mystified by those who claim the hotel is anything but stellar. The old part of the hotel is the only place I will stay because I enjoy the old Florida charm of the rooms. They are big, comfortable and quiet. The staff is always helpful and the location is tremendous. The pool is delightful. The place is a little pricey for my taste, but nowadays everything is.

While the location is very good, we did not have a good time in this hotel on our honeymoon. We tried to draw a bath, and the water looked like urine. No lie. When we complained about it, the maintenance guy said "it always looks like this".

It might be that the new tower is nice, but they put us in the old part, which is falling apart and our first room was filthy when we got there. I had to request an upgrade and that room was merely passable. Oh, and the mirrored-ceiling above the bed was fairly creepy also.

I can only say stay away!