Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort Receives The First KINO Designation

It’s my fault. It’s all my fault. I suggested that the family stay at the Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort despite not being too thrilled with it the one and only time that I had stayed there.

And that makes no sense, I know, I know.

What gives?

Well, when it comes to hotels and dining, I am not a fan of beach motifs.

I like quite sophistication and employees who act in a stately manner. Beach sand is really just dirt by another name, and surfboards will never be misidentified as stately décor.

So then, why did I recommend the Kimpton Shorebreak?

Because the fam wanted to be near the beach and given my personal dislike of that style, I figured it was me, not the hotel and that they would like it because Kimpton’s, by and large, rock the hotel universe.

But alas, it wasn’t me, it was the hotel.

Let me count the ways.

The waitress at Escape, the rooftop bar, was clearly overworked, as her attentiveness was less than what a four-star hotel typically provides. Further, she seemed annoyed that we wanted food with our drinks.  

My sister Lisa and I at the Kimpton Shorebreak rooftop bar Escape.

La Fuga, the restaurant that is open to the public and easily accessed through the hotel, has received high praise. With 1,481 combined reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and Yelp, it falls within a range of 4.7 to 4.9, with 5.0 being the highest rating possible.

Tripadvisor lists La Fuga as the ninth best restaurant in Fort Lauderdale.

Our party of eight would be hard-pressed to say that it is the best restaurant on the block, let alone a top 10 citywide.

We dined outside by the pool; it was a bit too dark, leaving many in our group commenting that they couldn’t see what was on their fork. What was on my fork, the Branzino con Caponata (Mediterranean seabass with eggplant, capers, olives, pine nuts and tomatoes)  was less than the best I ever had.

We ate on the righthand side of the pool.

A gentleman I was conversing with didn’t finish his margherita pizze as it wasn’t to his liking. I asked if I could try it (strictly for you kids, I wanted to provide first bite knowledge of said pizze).

He was right, it was bad.

Each day brings the hope of better things. The morning’s complimentary coffee and tea put a ding in such optimism, as it wasn’t available until about an hour after the stated 6 a.m. that we were told the complimentary drinks would be ready.

But the rooms at any Kimpton are great, right? So there is at least that.

Yes, but the Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is the exception to the Kimpton rule.

It was a nice room, despite a lamp that didn’t work and a step down as one leaves the room that is steeper than normal. I nearly tripped a few times, until I got used to it.

At 440 square-feet the king premium room is larger than average. The price ranges from a cool $374.88 to $451.16, depending on the perks you select and the time of year.

One person did trip and fall. I heard a yell, went down the hall, offering to contact the front desk. However, a family member said they had it under control.

I oft say that there is room to groove within each hotel star rating. There are four-star hotels that are four plus stars, and four-star hotels that are three stars. The difference is largely in how that particular site is managed.

The Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is a four-star brand within the IHG Hotels & Resorts collection. However, the Kimpton Shorebreak is a three-star.

It is a  KINO: A Kimpton In Name Only.

The 96-room Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is located at 2900 Riomar St, Fort Lauderdale, FL. It offers a 5 p.m. cocktail hour that is spot on. The less-than-average service at the rooftop bar and pool, Escape, doesn’t detract from the fantastic views. There is live Jazz at La Fuga Thursday through Saturday.

Please see The Dalmar, Fort Lauderdale, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, below, as a better alternative to the Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.

Take a look inside the Kimpton Shorebreak Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.

Charles I. Guarria is an author, reporter and host based in the state of Florida, USA, covering any topic, anywhere in the world. His career began in 2009. Mr. Guarria is a three-time winner of Emerald Group Publishing’s Highly Commended Award and host of The Opinion Guy Fun Friendly Informative. He is available for hire to write, research, or beta-read.

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` Photo Credit: IHG - Kimpton, Me

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