ARRIVAL/CHECK-IN: Located right on the marina, Pier Sixty-Six seemed overwhelming when I first arrived due to its sheer size and spread-out amenities and spaces, but on-site valet and staff quickly aided me in finding the spacious lobby. Vast windows bathed the massive room in natural light, and checking in at the front desk also entailed views of one of the hotel bars, the café, a grand light fixture hanging from the ceiling and, of course, the tops of yachts moored in the marina.

© Pier Sixty-Six Resort

GUEST QUARTERS: My king guestroom boasted floor-to-ceiling windows and a sliding door that opened out to a balcony overlooking the marina right below, as well as the Atlantic Ocean in the distance, where I frequently watched cruise ships enter and depart. The room itself embraced subtle luxury without being overly pretentious, utilizing pops of color in the headboard, couch and statement wall behind the flat-screen television. The bathroom came with oversized mirrors, a high-tech toilet/bidet with many functions and a tiled rainfall shower. Elsewhere in the room was a drawer filled with slippers, silk sleep mask and other turndown amenities; and a Nespresso machine gave me that much-needed tasty caffeine boost to start the day.

A desk, sofa and table, and balcony chairs gave me plenty of options when it came time to sit down and do some work.

Pier Top © Aoife O’Riordan

SERVICES/AMENITIES: It would take many days to fully experience all of Pier Sixty-Six’s amenities based on the sheer number of experiences alone. I did, however, visit a few of them, each just as special as the next. The café in the lobby serves delicious craft coffee and gourmet croissants (think massive pistachio-filled pastries), while the spa is a microcosm within the hotel itself. Jaw-dropping wellness features include a range of sensory spaces such as a snow room, immersive sensory shower, vitality pool and ceremonial sauna … all on top of treatments, massages and facials offered here.

Perhaps one of the most memorable amenities in the hotel is Pier Top, a rotating bar with 360-degree city and ocean views, serving some of the most inventive cocktails (who knew elote liquor could be so tasty?) alongside light bites. I enjoyed decadent French toast for breakfast one morning amid lush landscaping at Garni Café. Come dinner, the indoor/outdoor Sotogrande restaurant perfects tapas and Mediterranean-style cuisine with hummus, chicken skewers, patatas bravas and coastal drinks. Pier Sixty-Six also boasts two pools and multiple event spaces.

TOP TAKEAWAYS:

• Don’t miss out on a visit to Pier Top, a rotating bar with endless city and sea views.
• Dine marina-side at Sotogrande for an authentic Fort Lauderdale evening.
• One of the most unique and extensive spas in the city

PIER SIXTY-SIX RESORT
2301 S.E. 17th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
tel 954 525 6666