LuxeSyndicate

Size doesn’t always matter. Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Superior Small Lodgings, a collection of cozy, comfortable hotels and inns each with 50 rooms or less, are ideal for a couples getaway that supersedes the formality of big-name hotels. Often upscale and usually owner-operated, these properties add a touch of rustic romance to a beach chic destination that has come into its own with five-star hotels, upscale shopping opportunities and an eclectic dining scene.

Besides the properties themselves, Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Superior Small Lodgings offer something else that is comparably small and friendly: the bill. Especially during the summer and early fall months, it isn’t uncommon to find an SSL property just steps from one of the destination’s Blue Wave beaches for approximately $100 per night – an outstanding value compared to most beach destinations. 

From now through September 30, 2007, many of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Superior Small Lodgings are offering a free night…stay three nights, get the fourth night free.  Bookings should be made through each individual property. A full list of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Superior Small Lodgings properties can be found at www.sunny.org/ssl. 

Examples of property-specific experiences and amenities at Superior Small Lodgings in Greater Fort Lauderdale include:

At The Pillars Hotel at New River Sound (www.pillarshotel.com), the only thing more breathtaking than the view of the Intracoastal Waterway is the decadent dinner served to guests on most nights. The meal – strictly limited to hotel guests and prepared by the property’s private chef – takes place under a romantic setting of the stars and watching the mega-yachts cruise by. The Pillars also offers an extensive menu of spa treatments which can be scheduled dockside, poolside or in the privacy of your guestroom. Need a beach break? The hotel is an easy two-block walk to the renowned Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Villa Sinclair Beach Suites & Spa (www.villa-sinclair.com) is a converted Spanish-style mansion dating back to the 1940s redesigned with Parisian flair. Just 150 feet from Hollywood Beach and its newly-renovated Broadwalk, Villa Sinclair’s highlights include a tropical garden and patio, a cedar sauna and a hot tub “Vita-spa” that sits up to six. Parlez vous francais? The owners speak the language of love, French. 

  Leave the guide book at home when staying at Cottages by the Ocean (info available at www.4rentbythebeach.com) in Pompano Beach. Owner Elaine Fitzgerald knows as much about the destination as Robert Poirier does about palm trees. Elaine has the inside scoop not only on the area’s best restaurants and best attractions but its best-kept secrets as well. The six-room property also is conveniently located just two blocks from a pristine swath of beachfront.