W Fort Lauderdale
What We Love
- Two infinity pools—one overlooking the ocean, one facing the Intracoastal and city
- Two hopping hotspots—Rande Gerber’s Whiskey Blue bar and the Living Room Lounge
- The celebrated Bliss Spa and Bliss products in every room
What To Know
- Some rooms have glass shower doors open to the room; if you’re traveling with a pal, not a partner, ask to avoid these
- Tower 1 is closer to the main pool, restaurant, and gym than Tower 2
- Ocean view rooms see stunning sunrises; if you’re a late sleeper, ask for a city view
Amenities
- Bar
- Gym
- Handicap-accessible
- Parking On Site
- Pet-friendly
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Room Service
- Spa

Overview
The Lowdown
W Fort Lauderdale is a 517-room symbol of the new, more sophisticated face this former Spring-Break destination is wearing these days. It offers grown-up fun at every turn: one of the two infinity pools (Wet East) has glass panels on the bottom that let swimmers and guests having a signature cocktail in the Living Room lounge below get a glimpse of one another. The in-house restaurant, Stephen Starr’s STEAK 954, pairs creative cocktails and views of a 15-foot-long reef aquarium with its dry-aged beef.
In the Area
Talk about an embarrassment of riches: Fort Lauderdale has 23 miles of beaches (the W is situated on 315 feet of them), and 300 miles of canals and creeks (hence its nickname as the Venice of America). Explore the natural beauty at Fort Lauderdale Beach or by taking a gondola tour or river cruise, then head farther afield for an airboat or swamp buggy eco-tour of the Everglades. There are plenty of indoor adventures to be had, too, whether it’s taking in the Museum of Art or sampling the restaurants of Las Olas Boulevard.
How to Get There
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Reviews
We arrived at the W and our bags were immediately gathered by the friendly, helpful doorman and then stored until our room was ready and brought to our room. The front desk receptionist Nicole was polite, efficient and friendly. During a delicious lunch at El Vez at the communal table, we were called that the room was ready. It was probably the largest suite and balcony that i have ever stayed in. there are floor to ceiling windows all around the room (ocean front). the balcony was large and had a couch, lounge chair and table and chairs. it was a corner room so there was another balcony along the side. The bed was comfortable. There were two separate rooms, each having a large TV. The bathroom was a bit odd as the sliding door did not close fully and it had some sort of metal contraption which stuck out on both sides of the sliding door to serve as a handle. We visited the beach view roof pool. there is tile all around the pool which is wet with pool water, muddied by everyone's shoes and slippery if wearing flip flops. Service was good. the pool attendant helpful in finding chairs. The beach is across the street and there are beach attendants to assist you there with chairs and umbrellas. Later on, while sitting on the balcony you begin to hear the loud music from the pool area and when that closed (after returning from dinner), you then heard the pounding music from the hilton across the street. It does not let up. At 11pm there was still music playing loudly. With having an early flight in the morning, this did not bode well for a good night's sleep.
My husband and our 2 teenage children stayed here over Presidents Day Weekend and we loved it! It's in a great location and all the employees are very friendly and accommodating! We went to the beach every day and Adler and Sam were very nice and helped us get chairs and umbrellas everyday, they couldn't have been more helpful. The hotel is very clean however, housekeeping didn't come to our room until when we were at dinner basically every day (we stayed on the 14th floor). Overall, it was a great trip and we would definitely stay here again.
We've enjoyed other W's in the past and always found them to be higher end, funky, and a bit edgy. The W Fort Lauderdale offered many positive attributes and some negatives.
The positives: The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. The hotel is a nice blend of Florida chic with some attitude. Our two-bedroom suite was huge and well appointed; more than enough room for two adults and two teens. The rear (Tower II) pool offers a quieter alternative that's still equipped with a bar and food service.
The less-than-positives: The main (front) pool was crammed with way too many mid-lifer's trying to recreate their 80's and 90's Spring Breaks (usually, it's the families with young kids that ruin the pool scene at an upscale hotel). The Tower II rooms have little to no ocean view (disheartening when you're paying for a suite on the 22nd floor). There seems to be a tolerance for shirtless, shoe-less visitors walking through the common areas and restaurants.
Overall, we enjoyed the W but much of the clientele (and their actions) left us feeling as if we were in 1980's Fort Lauderdale. One would hope the price of admission would keep the atmosphere a bit higher end but that wasn't necessarily the case.
We stayed here in 2015 before the remodel and the experience was decadent. Back then the check-in foreshadowed an amazing experience where small things like having bags brought to your room was the first order. We checked in today and it’s just not the same. First, the apathy is palpable. Nobody appears to care. We checked in, were told there was no upgrade because they are booked (understandable), I had $100 Amex platinum credit and I needed to quibble for $25 because they were only prepared to honor $75. Second, not even an offer to have our numerous bags sent to the room. Third, the brand identity is gone . The remodel is ok but if it meant that you would lose the service that the old W was known for, then the remodel should have been forsaken. This is day 1 and I am already underwhelmed. I’m hoping this gets better because we really loved the W brand and loved this hotel even more.
I stayed at the W for 5 nights in July of 2018. Upon arrival I was given a room that was less than and not what I had booked. The view was non-existent and it wasn’t a King, as I’d requested. I went to the lobby to express my disappointment and was immediately upgraded, without hassle. The view from my room was better and the conference spaces [including roof-top social function] were wonderful! Being directly across from the beach and within walking distance of many shops and restaurants was fun too. My experience in Florida was great!