Just returned from a great 4 days stay at Marriott Harbor Beach. I have never really taken a beach/resort vacation before, so I don't have a point of reference based on past experience. However, I thought this place was really nice.

The room and the bathroom were comfortable, clean, and in good repair. Lots of fresh towels each day. The staff was always polite and many staff members were friendly.

For me, the landscaping on the beach side of the hotel makes this place special. During a long beach walk, I observed that many of the large Fort Lauderale hotels look pretty institutional. I think the landscaping (the palm trees, the shingle roofed cabanas, and the wooden walkways leading to the beach) makes the Marriott feel more like real getaway place and less like a motel. Eating breakfast outdoors on the plaza facing the ocean was a joy. The food in the various eating venues was pretty good.

The beach is kept clean, and there are both umbrellas and blue cabinettes for rent. This end of the beach is near the city's transportation hub. You will see lots of ships pulling out of the harbor, and *hear* lots of airplanes taking off and landing.

Note, this is a *very* kid friendly place. On the weekend, the children pretty much ruled the swimming pool. There were fewer families and more adults during the week days. I only gave the resort 4 stars because I felt a little overwhelmed by the number of kids running around.

I agree with many other reviewers that you sort of get nickled-and dimed to death by paying for the extras here; however, Fort Lauderdale is an expensive place. The drinks, snacks and meals at the hotel aren't that much more costly than many restaurants in the area.

You don't really need a car to get around -- a taxi ride to Los Olas Blvd. costs about $7. You can walk it from the hotel -- but its a really LONG walk - around 45 minutes. Once you reach the causway, the view of
the waterways are very pretty.

Just returned from 3 nights at the Marriott. Put very simply, almost Ritz Carlton. The service, food, property, spa and beach were fabulous. Hidden secret - for $30/day or included with a spa treatment, you have full access to an excellent fitness center, locker rooms, healthy eating restaurant and private outdoor pool and whirlpool with comfy lounge chairs and relaxing music. Worth every penny. Room service food was excellent and prompt. If I had to come up with a negative, it would be double beds instead of queen beds, but I had trouble finding any beach hotel in the Fort Lauderdale area with queen beds. It's a little difficult putting two 6' sons in a double bed together. We ordered a rollaway which was delivered promptly and at no charge.

The beach and pool areas are beautiful, but the room was just a hotel room, nothing more. Also, at the prices charged, it was dishartening to be nickel and dimed for everything--renting an umbrella, using the business center computers, parking, bottled water in rooms.

I just returned from a stay at the Harbor Marriott (March 19). Let me just say that I am a fairly easy-going person when I travel, which is often, and I don't look for every bad thing, I am not a high maintenance traveller...BUT.....if I book a non-smoking, ocean front room at $600 a night, I expect to get that upon check-in. Guess what? Didn't happen. We arrived by airplane and got to the hotel about 6:00 p.m. We were promptly checked into an ocean front, smoking room. I don't smoke, don't want to smell it, and was offended that I'd gone to the trouble to book a non-smoking room, and never informed that I'd get anything BUT a non-smoking room, but was put in one anyway. When I complained, a young manager type came over and matter of factly said they didn't have any non-smoking rooms and I could have another room but not with a view. Basically, he knew that I was stuck between a rock and hard place, and he couldn't have cared less whether I walked away or not. Of course I was furious, but I took the musty cigarette smelling room and was miserable for the next few days. So here's the thing...according to the manager, there is really no guarantee for a non smoking room. If you arrive and they don't have any, thats just your tough luck! And thats exactly the way you will be treated about it. And they WON"T tell you this when you make the reservation. So non smokers BEWARE. I did write a letter to another manager upon leaving and told him that I would write up my experience on Trip Advisor.com .....quite frankly though, I don't think they care.

A couple of other observations. This is a hotel for families. My husband and I are in our 40's, and have raised 4 children. Children are not a problem. But if you would like a quieter scene, this is NOT the hotel for you. There is a crazy amount of jockeying for a chair at the pool. ID checks every time you come around the pool. Lines for lunch, $20 charge to play on the tennis courts, extra charge for internet use, parking charges, charges for this, that, and everything else! I wouldn't stay here again. Too much craziness. Felt like a cruise ship experience on land, I'm sure some of you will know what I'm talking about when I say that. Hope this is helpful.....