I found the Cocobelle through Tripadvisor and called the owner Dorothea (spelling may be off) for a reservation. She was very nice and worked us in right away.

We had number 8 on the end probably since I had kids and she was a bit worried about noise.

The room was very clean and orderly. The furniture in each room is different. Her son told me it was from his old house, but I dont know if ithat is true or not. Nevertheless, it was fine and clean. The only complaint we probably had was that the shower floor edge was too low so water got all over the place. Also, the thin strip of soap that you would get an an old Holiday Inn was much too inadequate -- it was gone in 3 seconds. Bring your own toiletries.

The check in was a bit stringent directed by her partner that gives all the instructions for the air conditioner etc in lock-step order with a bit of condescending manner if you don't pay close attention. I saw him later doing the same to another couple -- note: tone it down. We're on vacation.

The pool area and such are quite lovely and all in all the place was great. The only down side was the "noseeums" or little bugs their lawn has around the pool. Over 4 people in our party got them and our legs are still very itchy almost 2 weeks later. Bring OFF if you come for sure!

My husband and I stayed one night at the Cocobelle Resort in November. We found it absolutely wonderful with everything as expected after reading the reviews. We stayed in a one bedroom, #10, and it was beautiful. It was all nicely remodeled and very clean. Dorothee was a delight and very helpful. We will look forward to coming back and staying here again.

My husband and I and our 3 kids (ages 11, 15 & 17) loved our 8 day stay at the Cocobelle! From the easy Philadelphia to Ft. Lauderdale flight, to the 20 minutes/ $22 cab ride, it was an easy trip! The owners and managers, Dorothee, Ernest and Marx, were hospitable, generous, and honest. and always available for information. They are also all excellent company! This was a great introduction to Ft. Lauderdale for us. The hotel is quiet, well-run and extremely clean. My kids also loved the pool, centrally located, and the relaxed atmosphere. We had a one bedroom apt as well as a hotel room, which worked well for the 5 of us. Dorothee took the time to patiently review all the different combinations of rooms with me prior to our booking.

Ft Lauderdale is a fun destination for a family (and just about anyone else who enjoys a creative, low-key, multi-cultural location). It is a very interesting city especially now, as it is experiencing the fall-out from the sub-prime mortgage market. There is a lot of construction of upscale hotels and a lot of plans to raze smaller, seedier motels. The Cocobelle is situated in the shadow of these new high-rises (like Trump, Hilton etc) and still surrounded by the lower-rent motels. Note to families with teenage girls: I would recommend the "buddy system" for any young girls going out. We got just a whiff of too much machismo attention from young men, but as long as it was ignored there did not seem to be a problem. The overall vibe is fun, repsectful and live-and-let-live.

The beach is about a 5 minute walk, and there are semi-upscale beachfront shops within a mile walk along A1A. A great place for breakfast, lunch or dinner is Primanti Brother's Pizza, several blocks north of the Cocobelle on A1A. I also recommend St. Bart's Coffee House, also on A1A, near Primanti's. Further south on A1A, the restaurants and shops are pricy, but a lot of fun for people-watching and fashionistas. The beach is clean and the water is beautiful. It would be a good idea to rent a car if you want to explore other areas of Ft Lauderdale, such as Las Olas Blvd (which is beautiful but overpriced! -except for American Soul, a great men's/women's clothing shop at 810 E. Las Olas. The Brazilian owner Chris is a delight. and open to price negotiation), but there is a bus that is available if needed. We would return to the Cocobelle in a heartbeat and I recommend it very highly. For the price, you get a tremendous value.

We'd read great reviews on tripadvisor about this property and it certainly lived up to them! This property really is a great find, we were in room 6, a lovely large, clean room that is nicely decorated and with a well equipped kitchen. The pool area is great and it's lit in the evening with pretty lights, perfect if you want to enjoy a drink outside. The hotel owners couldn't have been more helpful and the location is great for the water taxi service, Fort Lauderdale Beach and the local bars and restaurants. We highly recommend this property and would definitely stay again.