where to stay in ft. lauderdale?

Two 19 year old girls looking to stay in a reasonably priced hotel ($150-$220 per night) in ft. lauderdale from December 27, 2008 to Jan 1 2009. We won%26#39;t have a rental car so we are looking to stay somewhere on the beach and in walking distance from Las Olas Blvd. We are looking to stay at a hotel where there will be other people our age. Also what is the nightlife in Ft. Lauderdale like for 19 year olds? Thank you so much in advance for your help/advice!

where to stay in ft. lauderdale?

A local may be able to confirm or help on this one but I was under the impression that most Fort Lauderdale hotels don%26#39;t take bookings from people under 21. Also since Fort Lauderdale has dumped it%26#39;s party immage, bars strictly enforce the ID anyone who looks under 30 policy so I%26#39;m not sure what nightlife there is for 19 year olds. If I were a 19 year old American party person I%26#39;d hit Cancun or Acapulco, don%26#39;t get me wrong I love Fort Lauderdale but I just don%26#39;t think you will hit the party scene you%26#39;re probably looking for.

where to stay in ft. lauderdale?

Pat%26#39;s right - most of the hotels here won%26#39;t sell a room to anyone under 21 or even 25. I would check to see what the age policy is at the hotels before I made my flight arrangements. Check out Marriott Courtyard (on Seabreeze), Best Western Oceanside, Sheraton Yankee Clipper, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach. Sue can advise if the Cocobelle allows under 21 year olds, but from everything I%26#39;ve read in TA about Cocobelle, it sounds more like a middle-age, couples sort of place. At the properties listed above, you%26#39;ll be on, across from, or a short walk to the beach. Las Olas is walkable or you can grab a water taxi or the Sun Trolly.

There are some nightclubs in the Himmarshee area (just west of trendy Las Olas Blvd.) but there again, you are ';underage'; and may have trouble getting in. As I said, I would definitely call to check the age limits before I make my plans.

Sorry - that was Sue, not Pat, who wrote......

I agree with Sue. Many lodgings here will not accomodate you, even if you have booked them on line and arrive with a reservation- a throwback to earlier days when college age students routinely trashed rooms or had many extra occupants. It would be difficult to find alternative lodgings at that time if year if you should be turned away on arrival, so you must be certain any lodging knows your age and will allow you. Thatsaid, finding a lodging with people your age will likely not happen- most holiday travelers here are families or much older than you. This is no longer a popular vacation spot for young adults as it was years ago, because of high prices and strict enforcemnet of drinking laws.

The livlier part of the beach arae is the southern part near Las Olas Blvd, but you really will not likely be allowed in any of the bars there , even if you are not drinking. The more western end of Las Olas, off the beach is primarily high end dining places and I see very few young adults there.

It%26#39;s also true that a great number of beach area hotels are already booked solid for that very busy holiday time - and many that are not have vacancies because they are pretty substandard, like Avalon and Tropic Cay. Two I have found that still seem to have vacancies close to the upper end of your price range ($200, higher for some nights like NYE) and on the south end are Bahia Mar and Best Western Oceanside - I am really not certain either would admit you. The Bahia Cabans Days Inn would be cheaper in the same area, but states no under 21- and it is not a very nice property in spite of some cosmetic updates recently.

I am sure you copuld enjoy the beach and there is a Street Dance for NYE on West Las Olas near Riverfront, but for the other nights I am not sure what you could find to do without a car besides eating dinner.

If you already have airline reservations , I guess you can plan to work on your tan, but if your plans are still flexible, the suggestions Sue has made are worthy- students of late flock to Mexico and the Carribean , where it%26#39;s a constant party- that would definitely not be the case for under 21 yr olds here.