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Villa Venice Men's Resort: Traveler Reviews


Villa Venice Men's Resort
2900 Terramar Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304-4013
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Traveler Reviews

93% Recommend
4.0 of 5 stars 17 reviews
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Somewhat oversold

Villa Venice Men's Resort

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3 of 5 stars
LondonTravel1 15 contributions
London, England
Apr 29, 2006
26/31 found this review helpful

There's nothing significantly wrong with Villa Venice. It just left me a little disappointed vs the cleverly-written and photographed website.

Althought nicely refurbished, underneath it's still basically an ordinary 1960 L-shaped 3-storey motel with exterior walkways wrapped around a courtyard (pool and hot tub) which backs onto a side street a couple of blocks away from the main road at the beach.

The work they have done is to a high standard (although it seems a shame it's been done in a "nice-hotel" style rather than as a 60s retro restoration - it looks great in the original 1960s vintage photos).

Examples of the over-selling include:

The "Torino Cafe" is just a converted guestroom with a self-service countertop and fridge. The "lavish continental breakfast" was a small selection of pre-packaged items and some tinned fruit salad in the fridge. The "cafe" only serves breakfast.

The "Guest Business Centre" is one PC with internet access. Complimentary Wi-Fi is provided but this was intermittent for all guests.

The pool area is beautifully landscaped but is quite small. It was the quiet season when I stayed but please note there are only 10 loungers and there are about 20 rooms so maybe up to 40 guests.

The rooms were nicely appointed and newly refurbished. However, the bed mattresses seemed to be covered in plastic sheeting (are their guests incontinent?!) which was noisy and uncomfortable. Other guests commented on this too.

Unlike other gay guesthouses I have stayed at, there were no complimentary drinks by the poolside, let alone evening cocktails - not even a poolside jug of water. Nothing was done to make you feel welcome as a guest. Having just come from a Key West guesthouse with the same room rate where we had made to feel so welcome by all the staff, this place felt very corporate vs the oasis I had just left.

Pool towels were not replenished and replacements are kept under lock and key in the office which closed at 4pm on the Sunday we were there. The only facilities within a 10 minute walk are a couple of cafes. Everything else is a drive away.

A microwave is provided in the room but no plates or cutlery. The office had closed by 4.30pm and they had locked the 'cafe' which might have had a spare plate.

I was not bothered by any construction noise from the numerous large hotel-building projects nearby.

For me, Fort Lauderdale was not as relaxing or convenient as Key West or as fun as South Beach and I'd give it a miss on any future trip to Florida.

This is a perfectly nice place to stay, so long as you realise it's just a motel that's been done up nicely and carefully targeted. As a consequence I think it's somewhat overpriced.

One final point, Villa Venice refused to refund for a day-early checkout (3 nights instead of 4) requested after the first night. They also would not offer the unused day as credit for a future stay. Other guests told us that during the quieter times, it is better to book a day at a time and extend day-by-day to avoid this punitive policy.

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay April 2005
  • Member since October 10, 2005
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Fun in Ft Lauderdale

Villa Venice Men's Resort

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4 of 5 stars
A TripAdvisor Member
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Mar 26, 2006
27/27 found this review helpful

My partner and I recently returned from a 10-day stay at Villa Venice in February, 2006. The owner and staff were very friendly and helpful. Our impression was that their mission was to please their guests. The hotel has a great location; a short walk to the beach, restaurants and shopping. Wilton Manors is a short drive or cab ride away. The hotel itself was quite nice. The pool and hot tub area were well maintained. The rooms were nicely decorated and functional. Our room, a garden suite, was clean, but I think the housekeeping staff could have done a better job. Have to admit, I am a bit of a clean freak, so perhaps my expectations were a little too high. There was a nice breakfast room where a continental breakfast was served from 8am til 11 am (the staff was very accommodating to those guests who slept past the closing time). There was also a computer with internet access for the use of guests. The clientele here was a good mix of nice people. Overall, I would recommend Villa Venice. We enjoyed our stay!

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay February 2006
  • Member since March 26, 2006
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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My God

Villa Venice Men's Resort

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3 of 5 stars
A TripAdvisor Member
Toronto, Canada
Feb 22, 2006
9/31 found this review helpful

These reviews all so glowing and so full of superlatives and marketing lines it sounds like they were written by friends of the management (and probably were somehow influenced by them). I have stayed at this resort a number of times over the past 7 years, but only twice since the new owners took over. I decided never to stay after the last time. Yes they spent a gazillion dollars on the place, yes they upgraded everything, but what I don't like is the attitude of the owners which is that they are doing you a favour if they do anything other than get your room cleaned and tell you where the pop machine is. I have other friends who have stayed at Villa Venice that say the same thing. The previous owner maybe didn't spend the money these guys did but he didn't make you feel like you always owed him something.

In any event, I'll likely stay away from any gay resorts the A1A as they are now building two HUGE condo's on Terramar and Miramar streets and there area is going to be a construction zone for the next 5 years (one tower is a TRUMP tower), but then again, construction is only between 7am and 3pm, so maybe you can sleep through it if you've been out late!

  • Date of stay January 2006
  • Member since February 22, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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There's no other place to stay in Fort Lauderdale!

Villa Venice Men's Resort

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5 of 5 stars
A TripAdvisor Member
Truro, MA
Oct 14, 2005
4/16 found this review helpful

I just returned from a 5-night stay at Villa Venice and have to say that I've never received such incredible service at any other Fort lauderdale gay guesthouse! From the friendly and outgoing manager, Eddie, to the cute-as-a-button housekeeping staff, it was an incredible experience!

If you're planning a visit to Fort Lauderdale, there's not any other property that would even warrant your consideration - Villa Venice is THE place to be!

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay October 2005
  • Member since October 14, 2005
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, An amazing honeymoon
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Understated Elegance with Outstanding Customer Service

Villa Venice Men's Resort

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5 of 5 stars
A TripAdvisor Member
Louisville, Kentucky
Aug 17, 2005
9/11 found this review helpful

The property is very well appointed and intimate. The atmosphere is relaxing and unassuming. The clientele is diverse yet fun. The customer service is outstanding. Any reasonable request will be fulfilled. Terry, Eddie, Luis and the rest of the gang make your stay enjoyable and fuss free ! We have stayed at the property for an extended stay, as well as for holidays. There's something for anyone at any given time of the day, from a quiet morning or evening on a balcony to happy hours and special events for that social animal in you. We hate to say it (because it's going to be more difficult to get rooms in the future!) but we highly recommend this property.

  • My ratings for this hotel
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
  • Date of stay July 2005
  • Member since August 17, 2005
  • I recommend this hotel for Young singles, Tourists
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Villa Venice Men's Resort Address

2900 Terramar Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304-4013