Is W Fort Lauderdale family friendly?

Yes, the resort is kid friendly. Each dining option, from room service to El Vez, offered a kids menu. We saw kids comfortably enjoying the resort, including adult-leaning social spaces, such as the pool scene at WET East and the Living Room lobby bar.

Does W Fort Lauderdale have free parking?

No, only paid valet parking is available, at a cost of $60 plus tax per night.

Can I book W Fort Lauderdale with points?

Yes, you can book rooms at W Fort Lauderdale with Marriott Bonvoy points. However, some suites and residential rooms don’t appear to have points availability. You could try booking a standard room and upgrading it upon arrival.

Is W Fort Lauderdale beachfront?

W Fort Lauderdale is a beachfront hotel with a short, shaded walkway leading to the crossing at A1A. On the beach are a ramp, beach attendants, and guest lounge chairs in the sand.

Why W Fort Lauderdale Is the Ultimate Beachfront Escape for 2025 [Full Review]

Updated: August 15, 2025, 8:00am CDT

Edited by:

Jump to Section

Table of Contents

Booking W Fort Lauderdale
W Fort Lauderdale Location
Checking In
Lobby
Supreme Suite
Residential Suite
Amenities
Food and Beverages
Service
Final Thoughts

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

The author stayed as an invited guest of W Fort Lauderdale. All opinions are the author’s own, and W Fort Lauderdale had no input in any part of this review.

I visited W Fort Lauderdale for 3 nights in June 2025 and was impressed by the beachfront views, pool scene, and thoughtful amenities, from beach cruiser bikes to outstanding food. It struck a great balance between luxury, comfort, and fun in the sun.

Here’s how my visit went and what stood out.

Booking W Fort Lauderdale

Room rates at W Fort Lauderdale typically start around $300 per night, including the $55 resort fee, or about 49,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a Deluxe 1 king room with a resort view balcony.

W Fort Lauderdale Deluxe room booking — The cash price for a Deluxe room. Image Credit: Marriott

I stayed in a Supreme 1-bedroom suite with a corner balcony, which runs about $540 per night. When I searched, it was not bookable with points.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme 1 bedroom suite booking — The cash price for a Supreme suite. Image Credit: Marriott

We recommend using one of our favorite Marriott Bonvoy credit cards if you’re booking a room with cash. If you’re using points, you also pay taxes and fees, including the $55 nightly resort fee.

W Fort Lauderdale Location

W Fort Lauderdale is a beachfront hotel with frontage on State Road A1A at Bayshore Drive. It’s in an excellent location for enjoying the beach, the surrounding stretch of A1A, and highlights of Fort Lauderdale, including Las Olas and the Riverwalk district.

W Fort Lauderdale exterior from the beach — W Fort Lauderdale at A1A and Bayshore Drive.

It’s only about 9 miles, approximately 20 minutes by car, from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). The Intracoastal Waterway is visible from the hotel, just a block away. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is under a mile away.

W Fort Lauderdale location Intracoastal Waterway — The Intracoastal Waterway as seen from the hotel.

W Fort Lauderdale is in good company, surrounded by numerous luxury hotels on the beach, including:

W Fort Lauderdale location Westin — The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort next to W Fort Lauderdale.

Checking In

I arrived at the W Fort Lauderdale around 3 p.m., entering via a covered breezeway under the building.

W Fort Lauderdale front entrance — The W Fort Lauderdale vehicle entrance.

The check-in desk was on the fourth floor. I was quickly checked in and was given a map of the property with a list of activities and a card highlighting the resort fee benefits.

W Fort Lauderdale check in desk — Check-in desks on the fourth floor.

Resort Fee Benefits

The resort fee includes:

2 daily beach chairs and 1 umbrella per room
2-hour daily bike rental for 2 people
Enhanced Wi-Fi access
Daily yoga classes

Lobby

A concierge desk was next to the check-in desk.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite — W Fort Lauderdale concierge desk.

The check-in desks were the main point of the lobby, but the Living Room bar and common areas were to the left. Living Room seating was open and featured various kinds of soft seating.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverages The Library — Seating in the Living Room.

Heading out to the patio, there were numerous seating areas with a view of the beach.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverages The Library balcony — The lobby patio.

Supreme Suite

I stayed in a Supreme Suite, which featured an entrance hallway with a large closet, a living room, a bathroom, a bedroom with a king-size bed, and a corner balcony.

Walking into the room, a large closet was to the right, followed by a short hallway leading to the living room.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite hallway — Entering the Supreme Suite.

One morning, the door didn’t automatically lock behind me as I left. A housekeeper in the hallway helped me reset it and get on my way. After that, I checked the lock each time I left.

The closet spanned 3 sliding doors. A W robe was in the middle with a luggage stand below it. To the right was an iron, an ironing board, and laundry bags.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite closet — Inside the large closet.

To the left was a shelving unit featuring a safe and 3 small drawers for clothes storage.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite closet drawers — Storage inside the closet.

Living Room

The hallway led into the living room, which had a wall-mounted TV and minibar atop a buffet with drawers and shelves.

Turning the corner revealed a view of the rest of the room, including living room seating, the bedroom, and a fabulous wraparound corner balcony.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite living room into bedroom — Looking into the room.

The living room had a small sofa, a glass-topped coffee table, and chairs between the side balcony door and the bathroom. Some Supreme Suites at the W Fort Lauderdale have sofa beds in the living room to sleep up to 4 guests, but this one didn’t.

The table featured a remote and a local magazine. A stand-up sign with QR codes connected me with the hotel guide, TV channel information, in-room dining menu, and bookings for AWAY Spa and WET East cabanas.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite living room seating — Living room furniture.

Bedroom

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite guest room — Supreme Suite at W Fort Lauderdale.

The bedroom was another generously sized room, featuring a king-size bed, 2 nightstands, a sitting chair, a long desk with a TV, a minibar, and a coffee maker.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bedroom — The Supreme Suite bedroom.

A balcony door next to the bed led to the main balcony overlooking the beach. The view from the bed was fantastic, as the glass balcony walls offered a clear view of the water.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite balcony — The balcony view from the bed.

The king-size bed had all-white bedding and 4 fluffy pillows. The nightstands, each with 2 drawers, were built into the headboard. Each side had adjustable spotlights.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bedroom king bed — The king-size bed.

Each nightstand had storage space and an outlet set with 1 regular plug outlet and 2 USB-A outlets. The nightstand closest to the bathroom had a remote and the same QR codes as the living room table, while the other had an alarm clock.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bedroom nightstand — A nightstand.

Across from the bed was the desk with a TV, a lamp, a phone, a coffee maker, and a minibar fridge. In the corner was a padded sitting chair. The bedroom was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows on the exterior sides. Sheer curtains covered the windows behind the desk.

The wooden desk chair was uncomfortable for more than a few minutes. I moved it to the side and brought over one of the living room chairs with a cushion, which worked well.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bedroom table and TV — The bedroom desk and TV.

A Nespresso coffee maker was on top of the desk. It included 5 regular and 1 decaf pod. There were 2 condiment kits, each containing 2 half-and-half creamers and various sugar selections with a wooden stirrer. Housekeeping added water bottles on the second day.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bedroom coffee — Nespresso coffee maker.

Underneath was a small fridge filled with drinks for purchase, including sodas, wine, and beer.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bedroom minibar — The minibar.

Bathroom

The bathroom was in the middle of the suite and could be enclosed with a large sliding door facing the living room.

In the middle was the vanity and sink with a lighted mirror. This unit featured bath and hand towels, a hair dryer, tissues, moisturizing facial cleanser, lotion, water bottles, drinking glasses, and bar soap.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bathroom — The bathroom vanity.

To the right was the toilet room, which had a second robe hanging up and could be enclosed with a frosted glass door.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bathroom toilet — The bathroom toilet.

On the opposite side was the walk-in shower with a rainfall showerhead. It had a shelf with hanging pegs for towels inside, and the frosted glass wall faced the bed.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bathroom shower — The walk-in shower.

A small shelf featured a washcloth and MOMO shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite bathroom shower toiletries — Shower toiletries.

Balcony

The room was spacious and comfortable, but the balcony was the highlight. With a corner balcony, I had 2 sides to choose from. The side balcony off the living room was covered and quiet, while the main balcony off the bedroom had loungers in the sun and sweeping beach views.

The main balcony off the bedroom featured 2 padded loungers and a side table.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite balcony loungers — Loungers on the balcony.

This side of the balcony had a great beach view, including pink-and-blue cotton candy skies at sunrise.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite balcony sunrise view — Sunrise from the balcony.

My only complaint about the balcony was the lack of privacy. I could see and hear both neighbors next to me, and would have preferred taller walls.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite balcony neighbors — Adjacent balconies.

I loved having a side balcony, which offered another viewing angle and more privacy than the main balcony. When the main balcony was too bright or wet from rain, the side was covered and perfect.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite side balcony long view — The side balcony.

The main view from the side balcony was the city and the Intracoastal Waterway.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite side balcony — The view from the side balcony.

But I could also look to the right and see the water.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite sunrise view — Another view from the side balcony.

The wraparound balcony was great any time of day, but I especially enjoyed it at night, watching the city’s lights and movement, or the flashlights on the beach of people marking sea turtle nests.

W Fort Lauderdale Supreme Suite balcony night view — The wraparound balcony at night.

Residential Suite

I visited a Deluxe 2 Bedroom Residential Suite, which offered 2 bedrooms with king beds, a sofa bed, 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, a dining area, and a long balcony running the length of all 3 rooms.

This room type costs about $500 to $600 per night and doesn’t appear to be bookable with points.

W Fort Lauderdale Residential Suite living room — The kitchen, dining, and living room were at the entrance to the residential suite.

The full kitchen featured a full-size refrigerator, oven, microwave, coffee maker, blender, and shiny blue cabinets.

W Fort Lauderdale Residential Suite kitchen — Residential suite kitchen.

The larger bedroom had a sitting chair, a king-size bed, a soaking tub, and a separate shower and toilet.

W Fort Lauderdale Residential Suite master — Master bedroom in the residential suite.

The smaller bedroom had another king-size bed and a separate bathroom. Both bedrooms had a great view from the balcony, along the wall of windows.

W Fort Lauderdale Residential Suite bedroom — Bedroom balcony window wall.

The long balcony featured an excellent view of the city and the Intracoastal Waterway.

W Fort Lauderdale Residential Suite balcony view — Balcony view from the residential suite.

Amenities

Amenities at the W Fort Lauderdale include beach access, 2 pools, a fitness center, bikes, a spa, and meeting and event space.

Beach Access

The hotel’s beach access is far and away the best amenity. Being only steps away from Fort Lauderdale’s beautiful blue water and soft sand was a joy.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach hotel view — A view of the hotel from the beach.

From the hotel front door, a mostly shady walkway led to the corner of A1A and Bayshore Drive, where it was easy to cross over to the beach using the stoplight.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach walkway — Walking to the beach in the morning.

An attendant checked out chairs and umbrellas. Guests got 2 daily beach chairs and 1 umbrella per room.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach attendant — W Fort Lauderdale beach attendant.

Plenty of beach loungers were set up mostly in pairs, and some with umbrellas already in place.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach loungers — Resort beach loungers.

A rinsing shower was near the exit on the beach side.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach shower — Beach rinse shower.

The beach was beautiful, clean, and well-maintained.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach view — I saw tire tracks from overnight maintenance vehicles each morning.

Stepping down into the water was a little steep, but it made it easy to get waist-deep without going very far out.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach walk — Waves along the shoreline.

Wildlife sightings were great at this beach, mostly birds, including pelican pairs diving for fish.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach access wildlife — Birds at Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Numerous spots were marked off with sea turtle nests so beachgoers could steer clear.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities beach sea turtle nest — Sea turtle nests on the beach.

WET East

There were 2 pools on the fifth floor, and WET East was the main pool. This hot spot had a great view of the beach and a lively atmosphere with an afternoon DJ.

An interesting feature was a covered stairway that cut into the pool and led to the fourth-floor lobby.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East pool stairs — The pool and stairway.

In the early part of the day, the pool was in full sun, keeping the water warm. Later in the day, it was shady, but the water was still warm — perfect for taking an afternoon dip.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East pool — The pool and hotel tower.

At the entrance to the pool was a manned station with towel attendants. Spa water, apples, and sunscreen were also available.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East water and towels — WET East towel station.

Restrooms were next to the towel station, with 2 open rinse showers nearby.

W Fort Lauderdale WET East shower — Showers at the pool.

Several cabanas were available, including the large and festive Veuve Cliquot cabana. The cabana was lined with cushioned seating, storage shelves, and 2 small snack tables. Fun additions were a large bottle of Veuve Cliquot, which appeared empty but ready for photo ops, and a branded Jenga-style stack of wooden blocks.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East Veuve Cliquot cabana — Veuve Cliquot cabana at W Fort Lauderdale WET East.

A couple more large cabanas were next to the branded cabana, offering the same size but no shelves or Veuve Cliquot theming.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East cabanas — Regular cabanas.

Additional reserved seating options included daybeds. Some daybeds had sun covers and could be positioned to look out on the beach.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East beachfront seating — Beach view daybeds.

Plenty of regular loungers were available around the pool; each had a flag for ordering food from the bar.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East bar loungers — WET East loungers.

WET West

Another pool, WET West, was in the residential tower and was much smaller and quieter. I visited in the morning when it was mostly shaded, with very few people except a family in the pool. I got the impression that WET East is where you go for a pool scene, snacks, and soaking up the sun, and WET West is where you go for a swim.

There was a bar at this pool, but it wasn’t open in the morning when I visited.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET West bar — The WET West pool bar.

There were covered cabanas at this pool, which an attendant said were complimentary and first-come, first-served.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET West cabanas — Complimentary cabanas at WET West.

The towel station at this pool was smaller but offered spa water, fruit, and sunscreen.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET West water — Towel station at WET West.

Fitness Center

The fitness center, adjacent to WET East, was smaller than I’d expect for a hotel with 2 large towers, but it wasn’t crowded when I visited. There were various cardio machines, including treadmills, stationary bikes, and ellipticals. I also saw several weight machines and free weights with benches. Towels and apples were near the entrance.

W Bikes

House bikes are one of my favorite hotel amenities, so I was pleased to see bikes at W Fort Lauderdale, complimentary for 2 hours each day. The biking environment was pretty good, with side streets and destinations such as the Intracoastal Waterway or A1A beach promenade.

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is less than a mile from W Fort Lauderdale down A1A, so it was easy to take a quick morning ride there. A highlight of the park is a banyan tree that’s more than 100 years old.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities W Bikes Hugh Taylor Birch State Park — Biking to the banyan tree.

Hot Tip:

The bikes at W Fort Lauderdale are easy-riding beach cruisers with a basket in the back. If you prefer an electric bike, there are Broward BCycle bikes available to rent on the property at the corner of A1A and Bayshore Drive.

AWAY Spa

The AWAY Spa is across from the concierge desk and offers massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, hair cutting and styling, and makeup services.

I visited the spa for a prescription facial. The locker room had several lockers, each with a W robe, towel, and sandals. A restroom, steam shower, and vanity area were available. A small waiting area offered spa water, snacks, and reading materials.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities AWAY spa — The women’s locker room at AWAY Spa.

The treatment area had a warm bed. My facial was refreshing and took about an hour.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities AWAY spa treatment room — Spa treatment room.

Parking

Valet parking is the only parking option at W Fort Lauderdale and costs $60 per night plus tax. Electric vehicle charging is available.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities driveway entrance — Valeting in the breezeway.

The covered waiting area with a mural and stylish seating in the breezeway was perfect for waiting for a ride or valet.

W Fort Lauderdale driveway seating — Waiting area at the W Fort Lauderdale.

Ocean Blue Gift Shop

A small gift shop was near the restaurants, offering resort wear, sunglasses, souvenirs, and essentials such as deodorant and sunscreen.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities gift shop — Ocean Blue gift shop.

Pets

W Fort Lauderdale allows pets with a $100 nonrefundable pet fee per stay, plus a $25 extra charge for dogs. There’s an additional $20 nonrefundable pet fee per night. Guests can have up to 2 pets per room, with a maximum weight of 45 lbs.

Room service features a pet menu, offering pet-friendly snacks such as chicken, sweet potatoes, egg-white omelets, broccolini, and a selection of wet and dry cat and dog food.

Event and Meeting Space

The second floor had meeting and event space, including a great room (which I understood to be a ballroom) and studios that seemed appropriate for meetings.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities meeting space — Indoor event space.

The terrace in between the towers looked like an excellent spot for an outdoor wedding ceremony.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities terrace — The terrace.

Avis Car Rental

An Avis Car Rental location was in the hotel on the Bayshore Drive side.

Marriott Vacation Club

With a residential tower, Marriott Vacation Club had a distinct presence at the hotel. There was an information desk on the ground floor near the restaurants, and the residential entrance offered a showcase.

Wi-Fi

I connected to the hotel’s open Wi-Fi network and consistently got download speeds around 10 Mbps. It was sufficient for getting work done, but might not be enough for large uploads or streaming videos.

Food and Beverages

W Fort Lauderdale offers 6 dining options, including room service, El Vez (with a grab-and-go market), Steak 954, WET Bar & Grill, Living Room, and SoBe Vegan.

W Fort Lauderdale Steak 954 and El Vez lounge seating — The lobby near Steak 954 and El Vez.

Room Service

In-room dining is available from 6 a.m. to midnight most days, though service is available until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Local selections include conch chowder and a Cubano sandwich, and a kids menu is available.

I ordered room service twice and was pleased both times. The first was a spicy soppressata pizza and creme brûlée, delicious and delivered quickly. It had a hint of spice, soft and satisfying burrata, and sweet-but-zippy Calabrian chili honey. The crust was chewy with light brick-oven char.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverages room service pizza — I wasn’t expecting to love room service pizza this much!

On my last morning at the hotel, I scheduled room service breakfast the night before, which arrived precisely on time. I was just as impressed by the salmon eggs Benedict and avocado toast as the pizza.

The salmon eggs Benedict had soft, freshly baked English muffins, topped with thick and flaky smoked salmon, a soft poached egg, and a generous dollop of hollandaise.

Another standout was the avocado toast, which featured chewy multigrain bread topped with avocado spread, feta, and sprouts. I especially enjoyed the slight spice and sweetness of the sliced radishes and chili honey.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverages room service breakfast — Room service breakfast.

El Vez

El Vez is a Mexican restaurant open daily for breakfast and lunch from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 10 p.m. for dinner.

The bar features more than 90 varieties of tequila and mezcal. Menu highlights include ceviche, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and chimichurri snapper. I got the chicken and steak tacos al carbon, and considered the freshly grilled tortillas and seared chunks of Chihuahua cheese the meal’s highlight.

W Fort Lauderdale El Vez fajitas — Chicken tacos al carbon.

El Vez offers a grab-and-go market until 1 p.m daily.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverages grab and go market — El Vez grab-and-go market.

Steak 954

Steak 954 is W Fort Lauderdale’s fine dining restaurant, helmed by James Beard Award winner Stephen Starr. It’s open for dinner daily from 3 to 10 p.m. and Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

From steak tartare and wagyu sliders to a porterhouse and bacon mac and cheese, I enjoyed everything I tried at Steak 954, but a few items stood out. First was the double-smoked old-fashioned, which was smoked with cedar chips — unlike the typical oak.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverages Steak 954 double smoked old fashioned — Double-smoked old-fashioned with cedar smoke.

Surprisingly, the main dish I enjoyed the most at this steakhouse wasn’t the steak but the Chilean sea bass, which was flaky and had a light sweetness from the fish and yuzu butter.

W Fort Lauderdale Steak 954 Chilean seabass — Chilean seabass at Steak 954.

The baked Alaska dessert featured Key lime ice cream on a graham cracker crust. Waitstaff poured the blackberry and makrut lime soda around it as it was served.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverages Steak 954 baked Alaska — Baked Alaska.

WET Bar & Grill

The WET Bar & Grill at WET East is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The menu features shareables such as guacamole, coconut shrimp, chicken tenders, salads, pizza, and sandwiches.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East bar seating — WET Bar & Grill.

I ordered a large Greek salad with huge feta slices, generous peppers, and onions.

W Fort Lauderdale amenities WET East Greek salad — Poolside Greek salad.

Living Room

Living Room is the lobby bar, with varying hours starting in the afternoon and continuing into late night, depending on the day. A DJ plays on Thursday through Saturday nights. The bar offers beer, wine, and cocktails with bar bites including sliders, coconut shrimp, flatbread, sandwiches, and entrees.

W Fort Lauderdale food and beverage The Library bar — Living Room bar.

SoBe Vegan

SoBe Vegan is a streetside vegan restaurant offering light bites, an all-day brunch, and satisfying vegan main dishes, including a Mediterranean bowl, flatbreads, and a crispy mushroom sandwich. The restaurant opens most days at 8 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. on weekends.

Hot Tip:

W Fort Lauderdale has several places to eat, but the surrounding area is full of great eats, too. Highlights include the Mykonos Greek restaurant on the Riverwalk and Pittsburgh-original Primanti Bros. 24/7 sandwiches and pizza on A1A near Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.

Service

I received excellent service at W Fort Lauderdale, from the front desk to housekeeping, spa to dining. The front desk greeted me warmly and took the time to explain the hotel’s amenities and resort benefits. Housekeeping left extra water bottles and toiletries, and a staff member helped me with my door one morning when I had trouble with the lock. Service at the spa and each restaurant was warm and friendly, and the valets were always ready to answer questions about directions or where to pick up a bike.

Final Thoughts

W Fort Lauderdale offered a relaxing beachfront stay with a fantastic view and comfortable luxury. I enjoyed starting my days with balcony sunrise views, walking or biking along the beach, and ending with dinner on-site or a nightcap in the lobby bar. The service was friendly and helpful, and the food exceeded my expectations, especially the room service. I felt cared for at this hotel and would happily return for a family or girls trip.