First time I've ever left a Ft. Lauderdale Guest House early. When I checked out, instead of the owner asked what the problem was, I was told to "have a nice day"

I stayed at the Coral Reef for a week in May. The facility was very clean and well maintained and the staff was very friendly and accomodating. The resort provides free beverages by the pool and light breakfast/snacks all day. The location is a compromise...about halfway between the beach and the Wilton Manors nightlife.

My partner and I just returned from Coral Reef in Fort Lauderdale and absolutely loved it. We felt so comfortable and warmly welcomed. Our room was fantastic with a private patio and nice furnishings. The pool, hot tub, refreshments all made for comfortable days with minimal effort.

We chose not to rent a car and rather use the bikes Coral Reef had to lend and take cabs. The beach was so close and Wilton Manor was nearby. In the end what we spent on cabs probably came close to a rental.

The neighborhood was quiet, more residential than the Los Olas area, so it was much more our speed.

We loved the people at Coral Reef, Frank and Bruce, the hosts, made us feel personally welcome. Damien and Harry made feel so well taken care of. And Wayne made our visit unforgettable - like visiting friends.

I go to Fort Lauderdale a couple times a year and always stay at the Elysium, but decided this time to go somewhere quieter. Based on the reviews from this site, I chose the Coral Reef.

All in all, I was very pleased with my choice. And the ways in which I wasn't pleased generally had to do with wishing I was someplace a little more festive. I can hardly blame the resort for that.

It's a very nicely kept, clean, quiet resort with terrific, friendly help. Wayne and Harry were, hands down, the most accomodating hosts I have ever met at such a resort. They really knew how to make me feel comfortable and at home without being intrusive.

The highlights: A friend of the owners has a yacht and on one of the days he took it out and we were all invited to come along. I didn't go (I was in the midst of a nice nap when they left) but it was nice to be invited and everyone said they had a good time.

One day I took a bike (they have two and they're in pretty good shape) to the beach. It was about a two mile ride and it was a really nice way to get around.

It's really nice that they have a communal refrigerator with drinks and some snacks. Many resorts have soda machines, and it's nice not to be nickeled and dimed to death when you want a water or a soda, or even a beer! Their breakfast, unlike some other resorts nearby, includes a bowl of fruit salad nicely prepared each morning.

The people were varied in age and were from all over: Canada, Scotland, different parts of the U.S.

Now for the (slight) negatives. The hot tub and pool are connected and they seem to think the hot tub will work as a heater for the pool. Not so much. It was quite brisk and on 75 degree days it was a bit too cold to swim for my taste. Also, I asked upon checking in if they were sold out for the weekend, and was told they were, but clearly they weren't. I would have liked to have known that before forking over the other 50% of my money. While I am glad I stayed there, I didn't appreciate not having the right information. Still, it's a niggling point. Real minor.

If you can help it, try to stay in a room other than #4. It's not bad, but it's quite small and the ice maker (on the other side of the wall from the bed) makes a lot of noise.

All told, this was a great place to stay and I'd stay there again. Probably next time I'll bring my partner, because it's definitely that kind of place.