Hollywood Beach Resort

Historic Hollywood Beach Resort is located in the heart of the seven-mile Hollywood Beach. This resort is an eight-floor property built in 1925 in the Mediterranean Revival style popularized by the Breakers in Palm Beach and the Biltmore in Coral Gables. The resort was renovated in the 1940s in the Art Deco style popular in Miami beach, and in 2012 was given a Spanish flair, with a burnt sienna lower level, red clay tile trim, and arched windows. The registration desk is located on the first floor in the hotel's Oceanwalk Mall, which is filled with souvenir shops, an on-site convenience store, a restaurant, and cafe. The white floor tiles contrast with the gaudy gold tiles on the ceiling.

The pool area includes a large free-form pool, a small kids' pool, a hot tub, and a large stone-tiled pool deck that holds several white and turquoise metal beach chairs from the 80s. The hotel's Ocean Pub 101 sits near the beach, offering outdoor seating and a large bar in the center of the room with the same color scheme found in the lobby. The bar overlooks the ocean, making it a great place to grab a beachy cocktail or a snack.

The Historic Hollywood Beach Resort is located on the oceanfront Hollywood Beach Broadwalk. Restaurants, including Princess on the Beach, Taco Beach Shack, and Mamacita's Bar & Grill, are within a 10-minute walk of the hotel. Three casinos -- Gulfstream Race Track, Seminole Hard Rock Casino, and Mardi Gras Casino -- are about 10 miles away. Shopping fanatics can flex their spending muscles at the hotel's on-site shops, or at nearby Aventura Mall (six miles away) or at Saw Grass Mills Mall (20 miles away). Other attractions within 15 to 30 minutes of the hotel include the Anne Kolb Nature Center, the Jungle Queen sightseeing cruise, the Village at Gulfstream Park, and Las Olas Boulevard. Both valet and self-parking cost extra (with no in-and-out privileges) at the Historic Hollywood Beach Resort.

With white walls, beige tiles, and sparse furniture, the units here are basic and plain. They can appear cold and uninviting, with their lack of color and uncomfortable-looking furniture. Rooms include city/ocean view Studio units, city/ocean view One-bedroom units, and city view Standard rooms with double beds. The one- and two-bedroom Suites have full kitchens with full-size refrigerators, and the studios and smaller suites have kitchenettes with mini-fridges and stovetop burners. Some rooms have flat-screen TVs, others still have tube TVs. The tiled bathrooms have shower-tub combos. Past guests have reported everything from broken air-conditioners to pest problems to a musty smell. Expect to pay extra for spotty Wi-Fi.

There are two outdoor pools on the property -- one for adults and one for kids -- as well as two on-site restaurants and Cappucino Café for espresso and pastries. Jimmy Max Hideway serves sandwiches and pizza, and the menu at Ocean Pub 101 includes burgers and wraps, fresh, local fish and specialty cocktails. There are no real freebies to speak of, as the hotel charges for parking and has a daily resort fee for use of the beach, bikes, spotty Wi-Fi in the public spaces, the pools, and the 24-hour on-site gym. Shuttles can be arranged to the airport or cruise port, for a fee. Coin-operated laundry machines are a nice feature for longer term stays.