When I was looking for a nice quiet spot for us to stay in and around Fort Lauderdale for a few days after arriving on a cruise ship, I checked hundreds of sites on Trip Advisor as I normally do. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea looked to us to be a quiet, relaxing area with lots of beach to walk on and a good base to also do some shopping. The Sea Spray Inn had exceptional reviews from a lot of guests who had stayed more than once. Based on the location and the reviews I booked with the Sea Spray.
We arrived by cab and were met by Franz, the owner, at the curb. He greeted us and took our luggage up to our room (number 4). As we did not have a car, he immediately offered to drive us to a local supermarket so that we could get some provisions for our stay, and we took him up on that offer. On the way he gave us a bit of a tour to familiarize us with the area. He dropped us off at Publix and arranged to pick us up about an hour later. By then we were feeling like we had really made the right decision to stay at the Sea Spray - great location and extremely helpful owner.
The hotel itself is quite small (7 rooms) but this is a real advantage as far as we are concerned - a nice quiet place where you are treated as people not as part of a herd. It is located right across the street (very easy to cross as there is a stop sign right in front of the hotel) from a marvelous sandy beach that stretches for miles in both directions. Our suite was a very clean unit that consisted of a bedroom, bathroom and combined kitchen/living room/dining room. There was also a very large walk-in closet that was great for storing all of our luggage and clothes. The kitchen was fully equipped with good quality dishes, cutlery and cooking equipment (not a lot of cheap stuff like you often find in hotels). The sheets and towels were also good quality. We had a wonderful sleep each night and woke up to beautiful views of the ocean from our front window and balcony. The balcony was a nice sunny spot for the first few hours of the day and later provided some shade for reading or just sitting.
The town of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea is only a short (2 blocks) walk from the Sea Spray and there you will find a few shops and restaurants. There are also many more restaurants and stores located only a short walk away. For those without cars, bus transportation is close and is easy to use.
The hotel itself is really nice and the location is also unbeatable but what made this vacation special for us was Franz. He went out of his way for us from the moment we arrived right up until we left. Our visit was not without a problem or two but, without going into details, the key point to be made is that these issues were addressed promptly by the Sea Spray, and one of them (phone service) was beyond their control entirely. It is difficult to imagine anyone who could be more responsive and apologetic than Franz. He did his utmost to look after us (provided a lovely teapot on request, loaned us his cell phone when the landline was being repaired, drove us all over town, chatted with us each day as if we were long-time friends and took us to the airport on our last day). You can never expect things to work out perfectly; all you can hope for is to stay at a place that treats its guest properly, and the Sea Spray did this for us in spades. As a result we would not hesitate in the least to return to the Sea Spray or to recommend it to anyone. Our only regret is that we did not stay long enough.
- Also Known As:
- Sea Spray Inn Lauderdale By The Sea, Florida
Phone Number:
Region:
United States >
Florida >
Lauderdale by the Sea
Amenities:
Beach
Free High-Speed Internet
Free Parking
Kitchenette
Suites
Ranked #1 of 9 B&Bs / Inns in Lauderdale by the Sea
Price Range:
$$
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
-
Beautifully renovated suites and ocean views are the highlights of this charming seaside inn. An intimate tropical atmosphere featuring immaculate accommodations and personal service make your stay here truly a "home away from home. "All suites have full kitchens; private balconies or patios with ocean views; and flat panel high definition TVs and cable service. Also included at NO EXTRA CHARGE is Wireless Internet; assigned, off street parking; housekeeping service; and beach chairs and towels. We have no resort, parking, telephone or hidden charges - everything is included in the rate. We are proud to be a five time repeat "White Glove Award" winner from the Superior Small Lodging Association, representing outstanding commitment to cleanliness and guest service. Once you have been our guest once, you will definitely return!
...
more
less
