An Awful Week in Deerfield Beach

The most awful hotel I have ever stayed at! Not like other Embassy Suites at all. The prebook rate of $180 seemed good, too good to be true - some guests had pauid up to $350 a night—not value for money in my books!

First impressions not good, the exterior looks tired and tatty, signage not working, and valets who take a long time to look after you.

On arrival the public areas look reasonable, however the front desk reception was somewhat frosty. And you soon get the impression that this hotel is in dire need of a refurbishment. Why's that? Well what the website doesn't tell you is that the hotel bore the brunt of hurricane rita last year, and this is soon apparant when you get to your room.

Rooms are well below the standard of the more modern Embassy hotels, and dated in '80s Floridian style decor and furniture; flamingo pink interiors, outdated ensuites, balconies you wouldn't want to sit out on (the only people I saw using them were smokers having a crafty cigarette), and then if you have the pleasure of an oceanfront view you begin to discover the effects of the hurricane.

Check out the waterstained carpets, the buckled patio door frames (we had to move out of our first room as when we opened the door it fell out!), the watermarked interior walls with paint peeling off, and general smell of damp.

The hotel on weekends seems popular with wedding parties—great for them, but inconvenient for the other residents as they seem to spill out to the public areas. When it comes to complimentary cocktail time, guess who's at the front of the queue making it difficult for other guests to get a drink. The hotel is aware of the problem BUT they do nothing about it. The same is true when it comes to the bar, again mobbed by the wedding crowds.

We gave it 4 nights (who knows why) and then moved. If I were you, I'd avoid this hotel until they finish there refurbishment, and be warned, phone the hotel directly and the holding message informs you of the 244 newly refurbished rooms. Funny that the staff weren't able to show me one.

As for the resort, there isn't any nightlife. What restaurants there are, are expensive and not nice. Not a place for a relaxing holiday from a UK perspective (perhaps my standards are too high) but compared to a four-star UK hotel and this was alledgedly a four-star hotel there is a lot of work to do. If I were Hilton/Embassy, I'd close this place down and re-open once fully refurbished. Save your bucks and head for Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, or better still the Gulf Coast; oh yeah, and be prepared to pay $15 a night for parking. Cheeky or what!?!

A general review of the resort. If all you want to do for your time in Deerfield Beach is to stay in your hotel or go to the beach, then I'm sure you will have a lovely time.

If like me, you would like to experience life out of the hotel, find restaurants worth eating at, go for a drink and maybe some shopping within walking distance... forget it.

It seems that Hurricane Rita not only hit the city, but ripped the heart and soul out of it too. Therefore, if you are staying near to the beach, the options to dine out or find a bar are limited, and what there is is in my view is over-priced and over-rated. You certainly need a car, as you'll probably want to head to either Fort Lauderdale or even Miami for some good choices of food and entertainment.

There really is no soul to this place, sure the residents are friendly, but there is no buzz or life to the place. Its' one of the strangest places I have ever been to. If you are in the yachting crowd, then you'll probably love the place. It seems to be the in thing to do. If you're not, then like me it'll probably be quaint by the first day, boring by the second, and get me out of here by the third!!