B Ocean Resort Fort Lauderdale

The first thing you need to know is that this is not the original B Ocean Hotel, which was on the other side of town. B Ocean first opened on the corner of Sunrise and A1A; that hotel is now the Sonesta Fort Lauderdale. This hotel now occupies the space that originally was the Yankee Clipper and more recently, the Sheridan Fort Lauderdale.

Something to take note of is that the B Ocean doesn't have any wide pictures of the Hotel itself on the website; all shots are cropped. I'm not sure if they're trying to hope you think that this is their old, slightly better location or if they just don't want you to see that the hotel is shaped like a ship.

They have a very small "valet" area which is right on A1A that can be quite difficult when there's a lot of traffic.

The dates are messed up on their website, they show Oct 15 as 15/10/2015, which can be pretty darn confusing.

Hotel Bars

The Wreck Bar is open in the evening; it was kind of cool 30 years ago, but the concept is a bit outdated.

There is another bar in the lobby of the hotel; beware of the staged photos; this is a small corner bar that is very unimpressive. It's part of the Dos Caminos Mexican restaurant; a wildly overpriced restaurant with mediocre Mexican fare.

Location

The hotel is right on the beach; most hotels in Fort Lauderdale are on the west side of A1A, so you have to cross the road to get to the beach. This place and the Marriott Harbor Beach next door are the only 2 hotels south of Sunrise that are right on the beach. Note that there is a parking garage and a tower on the other side of the road, so when you book keep that in mind.

The trade off is that the Hotel is not walking distance from any good restaurants or nightlife, so you'll have to take a cab or drive.

Accommodations

Rooms in this hotel are uninspiring; there don't seem to be any Suites available at any time so maybe there aren't any?

Be aware that there a lot of different room angles here so what room you get will have a drastic impact on your view. They charge $30 extra for a view of the "intracoastal", but as you can see, you the intracoastal is pretty far away.

Only the corner rooms in the tower across the screen have a view of the marina, which isn't the beast view. Many of the room are interior, so you only have a view of the pool. And it's not a tall building. Rooms on A1a will give you a nice view of the road; and a lot of noise.

Resident Rate

The B Ocean only offers a Resident Rate off-season, From April 29 to December 24. They only offer a discounted rate; no extras such as free drinks and there is no discount on the $25-$30 parking fee. One difference is that they also offer the rate to residents of Georgia; as if someone driving down from Atlanta is going to want to stay here.

Value

I give this hotel a low rating, because I personally wouldn't want to stay here. It's mid-range decor, I don't like the restaurant or bar, and only some of the rooms have good views. I actually stayed in this hotel in 1987; back then the pool and the back bar was right on the beach. I hated it, and after 1 day moved to the Days Inn on the strip.