When heading to Art Basel back in December, I booked my hotel fairly late in the game. Fortunately, I found a great alternative to staying in South Beach, where the festival is held. I opted for Fort Lauderdale, which is only about a 30-minute drive south.
My hotel of choice? The B Ocean Hotel, part of the expanding B Hotels and Resorts brand. The recently refurbished boutique hotel, which used to be a Holiday Inn, has 240 deluxe guest rooms all with killer views of the Atlantic Ocean and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.
Located on the corner of Sunrise Avenue and A1A, the trendy hotel is within walking distance of shops and restaurants. The first thing you’ll notice upon arrival is the mood lighting in the lobby that changes from blue to purple to pink and a touch-screen board that shows what’s on property and what’s going on around town.
Our room had a great ocean view, as promised. And I loved the bright and welcoming feel. The furniture is all white and the walls are, too. You’ve got the typical 37-inch flat-screen HDTV, two phones and free Wi-Fi. Plus there are cute little extras, like a stuffed turtle sitting on the Blissful Bed, as part of the B Humane program. And the desk features a fun minibar with unique treats like beach toys and cotton candy in the B Treated tray.
The bathroom features Aveda toiletries and be warned, the semi-opaque window gives anyone outside of the bathroom a vague idea of what is going on in there.
The next morning before heading to Art Basel we enjoyed the breakfast buffet at the B’stro Beach cafe. The spread of foods was impressive. The take-out bakery, with its organic breads, pastries and gourmet coffee, was pretty tempting, too. Another crowd pleaser is the self-service, 24-bottle, temperature-controlled, Italian-manufactured Enomatic wine dispensing system, where customers can sample tasting wines, or purchase larger glasses to go along with dinner or snacks and artisanal cheeses.
Although I didn’t have time to check out the hotel’s other restaurant, SAIA, I hear it has received rave reviews from the local press. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay.
Note: Only valet parking is available, so be sure to factor that into your budget, too.
999 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 | 954.564.1000 | 888.66BHOTELS
www.bhotelsandresorts.com/b-ocean-fort-lauderdale/