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The Fort Lauderdale area keeps changing. For the better. Every time I turn around, there’s some new restaurant getting raves in the newspaper food section. That happened just today – a place near my home in Dania Beach that got high marks from the restaurant critic. Part of Fort Lauderdale’s continual change is the fast-growing number of fine hotels. The Atlantic has been here for a while, but we also have the new Hilton on the Fort Lauderdale beach. And the St. Regis is a world-class hotel not far from the Hilton, with a spectacular bar and wonderful restaurant that have been attracting many locals. Other hotels are coming soon, including a new W that looks like it should be beautiful.
But I don’t mean to suggest that all the new hotels are filling a vacuum. We’ve had many excellent hotels in this community for years. One of those is the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa on A1A in Hollywood. The old original Diplomat had been a classic celebrity stomping ground for decades. This new version is massive, with enormous open spaces, nine restaurants, a golf course and more. I’d always heard good things about it from friends. But even though this resort is only a few miles south and east of my home, I’d never stopped to check out the Westin Diplomat. Until very recently.
I really don’t know why I hadn’t found a reason to see this hotel before now. But a few days ago, a friend asked me to lunch and suggested the sports bar there. This happened on one of those great, cool, sunny days and the thought of sitting on the Intracoastal sipping iced tea was appealing. So we parked ourselves at a waterside table at Rivals, as the restaurant is named. The food was good and the setting was ideal. After hanging there for an hour or so, we walked around the hotel. The grand lobby features a small forest of live palm trees and leads to a gorgeous pool. And a very unusual one – in two levels, with a window in the top pool to entertain the swimmers below. The pool is also right on the beachfront, directly overlooking the sea. I want to head back to the Westin Diplomat soon, maybe to go dancing at the hip Nikki Marina club. Or to try dining at Aizia, the hotel’s new Asian-themed restaurant. Or maybe just to chill out with a drink at Rivals. Whatever. There may be some terrific new hotels in town these days, and some others on the way. But the Westin Diplomat is a reminder that there have been plenty of high-quality places to stay around here for quite a while.
But I don’t mean to suggest that all the new hotels are filling a vacuum. We’ve had many excellent hotels in this community for years. One of those is the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa on A1A in Hollywood. The old original Diplomat had been a classic celebrity stomping ground for decades. This new version is massive, with enormous open spaces, nine restaurants, a golf course and more. I’d always heard good things about it from friends. But even though this resort is only a few miles south and east of my home, I’d never stopped to check out the Westin Diplomat. Until very recently.
I really don’t know why I hadn’t found a reason to see this hotel before now. But a few days ago, a friend asked me to lunch and suggested the sports bar there. This happened on one of those great, cool, sunny days and the thought of sitting on the Intracoastal sipping iced tea was appealing. So we parked ourselves at a waterside table at Rivals, as the restaurant is named. The food was good and the setting was ideal. After hanging there for an hour or so, we walked around the hotel. The grand lobby features a small forest of live palm trees and leads to a gorgeous pool. And a very unusual one – in two levels, with a window in the top pool to entertain the swimmers below. The pool is also right on the beachfront, directly overlooking the sea. I want to head back to the Westin Diplomat soon, maybe to go dancing at the hip Nikki Marina club. Or to try dining at Aizia, the hotel’s new Asian-themed restaurant. Or maybe just to chill out with a drink at Rivals. Whatever. There may be some terrific new hotels in town these days, and some others on the way. But the Westin Diplomat is a reminder that there have been plenty of high-quality places to stay around here for quite a while.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 11:42 AM
Tell us the restaurant that good marks from the critic!
Sure, happy to share that with you! It's Armadillo Beach on Federal Highway. It's the new incarnation of an old west Broward favorite -- the Armadillo Cafe. The Miami Herald critic loved it! Hope you do too!
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