I was in room 612 for BCS champ weekend. Our stay was excellent. The
room was nice for my brother and I and the walk was great to the
stadium. Everything was "as advertised". I made my reservation back in
April since I was not affiliated with either of the teams. The walk to Sun Life took 22 minutes. Walk to casino took about 6 minutes. On BCS weekend, this hotel was the hub of local activity (not including the stadium parking lots, of course). StubHub pickup table was set up in hotel driveway starting early morning on game day. Live band followed and overall a great game day atmosphere. Loved the 9th floor sports bar. The staff was EXCELLENT. Yes, it's an older hotel and I must say my shower drained slower than I would have liked. Not much around if you don't have a car (KFC was a 10 minute walk). No other food places close. But AC worked great, view from balcony was awesome, and facility was aged but up to par. I was concerned looking at some of the reviews. But with some people so picky and others quick to complain, you have to wonder. I'll just say this: If you are going to an event at Sun Life, you don't want to drive, you enjoy playing slots and you want an excellent sports bar on site, stay here. Cab fare was $41 back to FLL airport....about 30 minutes away.

All if the above and even provided a shuttle to and from the game at a reasonable price! I highly recommend this hotel if you are going to attend a game at Sun Life Stadium. You also ate in walking distance to the casino and horse race track . Great experience and a great time. ROLL TIDE!

A friend & I stayed here while in town for the BCS National Championship. We chose this hotel based on proximity to Sun Life Stadium. When we arrived we saw fans of both teams everywhere. There was live music in the drop off area. We were given a welcome package of oranges, postcards, chocolate, honey, & a sun visor. There was a vendor in the lobby selling game merchandise & drinks were also available. Right away just a fun, welcoming atmosphere. The rooms were basic hotel rooms but certainly had everything we needed & were clean. The bathroom was well stocked with namebrand toiletries. We did not go to the breakfast area. Legends Sports Bar was nice to grab a drink & enjoy the view but food service was slow. The pool area was clean & relaxing. The minigolf area is nicely landscaped & just on the other side of palm trees from the pool. It is a very short drive to the stadium. When we returned from the game it was very late. We were pleased to see security both in the parking lot & in the elevator. The staff at the El Palacio was very friendly & helpful. We enjoyed our stay.

I returned home (Fort Lauderdale) from a two nights stay for the BCS Championship game. I booked this room a few months ago, not knowing at the time if Notre Dame would be invited to the BCS game. I wanted a place to stay as close to the Sun Life Stadium as possible and your hotel was selected after my Google search. After reading the reviews of the hotel, I was scared for my life, as well as my friends, that also stayed with you from South Bend, Indiana. Reviewers said they were robbed, the hotel was dirty and needed a face-lift; we talked to numerous people that live here who have stayed with you – all with negative remarks. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Our room was wonderful (#108) and the excitement with StubHub and the Police being right across the hall from our room was incredible. The hot tub was the deciding factor after viewing the room selection and the fact that we could get a ground floor smoking room with a terrace was made to order. The staff was so patient and friendly and even tried to boost our spirits as we were leaving, knowing we were the losing team. I can’t say enough good things about El Palacio.

I am a Hampton Inn lover; these were the best three days we’ve had at a hotel that wasn’t a Hampton. I highly recommend El Palacio.