As the first all-suite hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Beach House Fort Lauderdale, A Hilton Resort, has carved a niche for itself that few other waterfront hotels can offer. After a refit from its days as the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, it’s now a family-friendly getaway with plenty of pizzazz for all ages. You’ll find a boutique spa, poolside cabanas and a buzzing rooftop bar known citywide. Including all of the above, these are our top five reasons for staying at Beach House.
The outdoor spaces
The sixth-floor pool deck is front and center here, enjoying an elevated position over the turquoise shoreline. With so many lounge chairs, there are options for both shade and sun. Many guests scramble for one of the waterfront chairs, but the truth is, there is no bad seat.
Splashing fountains spill into the enormous pool, which has whirlpools on two sides. Cabanas ring the edges; these private sections come with shadier and cushier chairs, a fridge, TV and bottle of Champagne. Prices vary based on occupancy and season, but these are great for those that want something more exclusive.
The staff circles around with menus for salads, burgers, tacos and drinks from the bar. In-the-know guests take the staircase down to the circular deck that juts out to the sea. It is popular with weddings and social functions, but is open to guests when it’s not in use. This is one of the best spots to snap that Instagram selfie.
Another impressive perk is sunscreen and cooling gel available at the towel stand. These are the types of amenities I expect at a resort that charges four digits a night, but a pleasant surprise here.
All of the accommodations benefit from furnished terraces, which means no matter what time of day, you are always just seconds from the ocean breeze.
The suites
What makes this resort unique is that it is entirely comprised of suites. This means large bedrooms, living areas, kitchens, bathrooms and then option to connect to a neighboring suite to expand the space.
They vary in size starting with Sunset Studios, which are the smallest and have their namesake views, to the Penthouse units on the highest floors. The studios have kitchenettes while the larger suites have full kitchens. They come in oceanview (side-angled) and oceanfront categories (just wait until you see the sunrise from the latter).
Families love this concept, which is often priced below what other hotels on the waterfront charge for a suite. These suites are actually condos, some of which are privately owned or open for sale. When not being used, they are part of the hotel inventory.
Comfy beds with duvets have ample power and USB ports on either side (kudos for the wireless chargers). Large-screen TVs are in the bedroom and living area. I found the kitchens to be great for takeout or restaurant leftovers. There is a microwave, oven, cooking utensils, espresso machine, and in the cupboard, a hot water kettle.
Bathrooms are bright with soaking tubs by a window and glass shower stalls with drenching water pressure (I admit to lingering a little longer for that aqua massage). Paraben-free, hotel branded toiletries have a great scent, and I was impressed at the quality of other amenities. For example, dental kits had premium Marvis toothpaste, and the shaving kits had wooden-handle razors with designer shaving cream. These types of extras are disappearing, even in some luxury hotels around the world.
On the sixth floor, a subset of suites opens directly to the spa and pool deck. They have larger terraces where guests can walk out to the pool.
During my stay, the only issue I experienced was intermittent WiFi. It was an issue both in my suite as well as in the restaurant or by the pool. But being by the beach with the strong breeze may have something to do with that.
The dining
“The Restaurant People” is a highly regarded food and beverage consortium responsible for some of the city’s top bars, cafes and restaurants. And it has two venues at Beach House.
Part of the hotel, S3 (Sun Surf Sand) is faces the beach and draws a big crowd from outside the hotel, especially around happy hour. Its circular bar is always happening with great views of the Atlantic Ocean. Inside, the menu is a pan-Asian affair with a sushi chef that competed multiple times on Iron Chef Thailand before moving here.
His menu features seafood flown in overnight from the top fish markets of Tokyo and has a loyal following. Highly recommended (and showcasing the chef’s provenance) is the Thai Tuna Roll (coconut, macadamia, jalapeno and avocado). I also loved the Thai Chopped Salad tossed in a tamarind-mint vinaigrette and black sesame tahini sauce. Both were incredibly delicious.
I also recommend the wok charred edamame with togarashi and sesame. If you order one of the dozens of intricate sushi rolls, I suggest dipping one of the rolls in the sauce that comes with the edamame for the perfect taste.
Up at Nubé, if you are lucky to score a reservation (especially during weekend brunches), the views of the entire coastline unfurl on either side. The indoor-outdoor rooftop venue is known for its soaring ceilings, living wall, lively bar scene and hopping music. It’s a see-and-be-seen spot from early afternoon to late in the evening.
The flat breads are large enough for a meal, but it would be a shame not to wagyu dumplings, short rib empanadas or spice-crusted salmon plate. On the cocktail menu (including a few zero-proof options), the tequila-based Smoke Cloud, with its coconut and smokey flavors putting on a show when ordered, appeared to be one of the popular options at tables near me.
Light fare is available by the pool or at Le Marche for grab-and-go bites. There are also morning pastries, desserts and cocktails and the lobby bar. Regular events take place there, too, like a new mahjong tournament that sold out as soon as it was advertised.
The family friendly perks
Aside from the suites themselves, there are plenty of other kid-focused perks here. It starts with check-in when kids are welcomed with beach toys to take home.
Two organized kids activities are onsite including the fully accredited and educational (fee-based) Funky Fish Ocean Camp. There, kids participate in activities like boogie boarding, snorkeling lessons and pool games. More importantly, there are educational opportunities to learn more about marine life and eco conservation.
Turtle Cove is complimentary and features organized activities like arts and crafts or board games indoors with supervision. It is convenient to the pool and spa.
These perks are part of what comes with the nightly resort fee, which includes everything from workout classes and access to the kids club to a pair of beach chairs and bike rental.
Spa Q has four treatment rooms (one is a couples suite) offering a variety of massage and beauty treatments. Before or after a service, guests can sip tea or snacks in the lounge and then retreat to al fresco cabanas by a trickling fountain.
The Q Club is the resort membership program that is open to the public. Members gain access to the recreational facilities, including the pool-facing gym, workout classes, kids club, cabanas, parking and discounts for the spa and beach chairs among other things.
The Hilton Honors perks
As part of a global loyalty program like Hilton Honors, guests can earn and redeem points during their stay. Unlike at other properties where it may cost a lot more to get a studio with kitchenette, that is the base-level accommodation here. This makes it a great option for families that want to rack up points or burn their Hilton points to save money on vacation. Many guests use the resort as a pre or post-cruise stop.
For those with a Hilton Honors co-branded credit card, they can take advantage of bonus points earnings during their stay. Top-tier Hilton credit cards come with an annual night certificate, which can also be redeemed here. And if you have elite status, you can take advantage of those benefits, too. For example, top-level Diamond members enjoy a $15 food and beverage credit to use anywhere here.
All guests can sample one of the bartender’s drinks of the day at check-in. When I arrived it was a white sangria-based cocktail.
On the lobby level, meeting space welcomes groups, and wedding functions are almost a weekly event here. Whenever you pull up to the resort’s porte cochere, staff is at the ready to point the way to reception, restaurants (popular with locals) or simply to offer a greeting. It’s hard to miss the enormous digital wall offering local images and artsy designs.
Whatever reason brings you to this pet-friendly resort, it serves families, couples and groups well without infringing on each other. And that’s hard to do!
