Sheraton Yankee Clipper
Hotel Information: A landmark in Fort Lauderdale since 1956, the Yankee Clipper is the closest beach hotel to Port Everglades and thus attracts cruise-ship passengers seeking a pre- or post-cruise stay on the beach, as well as families and couples. Fort Lauderdale's principal yacht harbor lies west of the hotel on the Intracoastal Waterway, providing stroll-and-awe thrills for guests without yachts of their own.
Amenity highlights: Two pools provide alternatives to the beach. The main pool lies in a courtyard flanked by palm trees. Underwater swimmers look through windows into the hotel's famed Wreck Bar and vice versa. The beach pool is surrounded by a stone sundeck, which is fronted by a second, wood sundeck. From the wood deck, guests step directly onto an exceptionally deep beach that runs 11 miles along the barrier island on which the hotel lies.
Insider tip: A public water bus transports passengers around Fort Lauderdale's inland waterways from mid-morning to after midnight, stopping at 20 locations such as restaurants and shopping centers. The closest stop to the hotel is only 150 yards from the hotel. The water bus runs on a schedule, which is available at the concierge desk. Ticket options include a bargain-price all-day fare.
This Fort Lauderdale hotel has 500 guestrooms and suites housed in four buildings ranging from five to 11 stories. Rooms at the Sheraton have a nautical theme and offer views of either the beach and the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway and the city.
All rooms offer The Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed: custom-designed, extra-thick, plush-top mattress dressed with three sheets, fleece blankets, plump duvet in rich colors, and five goose down/feather pillows. Bathrooms offer curved shower rods for extra elbow room. High-speed Internet access (surcharge) is available. Rooms offer cable TV, pay movies, video games (surcharge), and multi-line phones with voice mail. Amenities include in-room safes, hair dryers, complimentary daily newspapers, and coffeemakers.
