Saturday, March 24, 2012

gaming and ocean question for hollywood

We are thinking about moving our annual family vacations to Hollywood from Singer Island.

Our favorite beachfront mom and pop hotel on Singer Island was demolished for a highrise condo last year along with a couple of our regular eating establishments.

The reason we LOVE Singer Island is because of the CRYSTAL CLEAR BLUEocean water and wave action. We have been to other areas in FL and are not satisfied with the water conditions. They just are not the same as Singer Island, in fact they seem to be kind of murky. Is the ocean water on Hollywood%26#39;s beaches blue and CLEAR?

AND...I read that there is a gaming facility in Hollywood. I saw that it has slot machines and poker tables. Are there any Russian Roullette, Black Jack, etc. tables????

Thanks for any info!

gaming and ocean question for hollywood

There are four new gaming areas in Broward County. Two are in Hallandale, one a block from the Hollywood border at the Hollywood Race Park Facility, one in the www.gulfstreampark.com complex (Also next to Hollywood), one in the Dania Fontron, next to Hollywood and one in Pompano Harness Track (Still being built...about 10 miles N of the other para mutual gaming areas.

These are not Indian Casinos....like the Hollywood Reservation (Seminole HArd Rock Hotel %26amp; Casino)...(IN HOLLYWOOD)

The new Paramutual gaming facilities ONLY have class 3 slots, (Each ober about 1500)poker slots and poker tables in the 100% smoke free areas. There is also simulcasts of all gaming events...and live racing at the Gulfstream Park and Hollywood Park. I don%26#39;t know when the season starts for the Pompano HArness track....but the casino sections are open even when the racing season at that particular track is closed.

Payback by Fl law in the non Indian casinos must be at least 85% (on the machines and poker). The two we visited last week had posted paybacks of 91% average.

We have a T/S club on Palm Beach Shores at the Marriott, so we are familiar with the Singer Island pluses and negs....espically since Hollywood has attempted the same eminent domain tricks used on Singer Island to remove the folks who can%26#39;t possibility pay the taxes the new developers promise they can bring in.

The ocean beach IMO is much nicer in Hollywood. There is a great boardwalk with tons of shops and inexpensive restaurants. There are also people from all over (big French Candian, European and folks like that who will be walking on the B%26#39;Walk....so if that might be an annoyance...find another place.

(Nearly all of the beaches in Hollywood are easily open to the public) Its not the ';our private beach crowd) Family orientated..

The water will be warmer and a bit more blue. The Gulfstream current hits from Miami to Mid Palm BEach nearly head on before going NE to NC %26amp; British Isles.

Currently ocean temps here now are 77 F. Beaches usually have smaller waves than further north (like north of Vero)

The entire full beach is lifeguarded, from the north end at about Dania Beach Blvd all the way S to about Greenbriar...about 6 or so miles. S of GReenbriar starts the huge hotels and condos....like the Westin Diplomat, Trump Hollywood, and the recently converted apartment units to condos. The guard are allowed to issue tickets ans citations....and usually just warn. ie....snorkle must have dive flags (about 4.99 at the Wal MArt on Hallandale BEach Blvd just over the IC Bridge.

The three gaming facilities are probably less than 3 miles from most Hollywood points. No one under 21 allowed in the casino sections, but they can stay in the other areas (ie...race track.

Hope this helps

gaming and ocean question for hollywood

Hey...thanks for the quick reply!!!! Since you are familiar with Palm Beach Shores, then I%26#39;m sure you know (knew) ';The Rutledge'; hotel. It looked like .... from the street, but it was ALWAYS clean, reasonable rates and very friendly staff! We HATED to see it go. We have been staying there for several years.

So.....if you have a timeshare at the Marriott on PBS....do you ever rent it out? Although, I really would like to visit Hollywood and stay there.

It%26#39;s just scary trying to find a 2 BR condo so that our older teens can come with us. I%26#39;ve read a lot of your posts about lodging there and have checked out several but we NEED a pool on the property and BEACHFRONT with 2BR.....and CLEAN.

Again, thanks for the quick reply and all the info :)


iu4ever said:

';...Hey...thanks for the quick reply!!!! Since you are familiar with Palm Beach Shores, then I%26#39;m sure you know (knew) ';The Rutledge'; hotel. It looked like .... from the street, but it was ALWAYS clean, reasonable rates and very friendly staff! We HATED to see it go. We have been staying there for several years.

So.....if you have a timeshare at the Marriott on PBS....do you ever rent it out? Although, I really would like to visit Hollywood and stay there.

It%26#39;s just scary trying to find a 2 BR condo so that our older teens can come with us. I%26#39;ve read a lot of your posts about lodging there and have checked out several but we NEED a pool on the property and BEACHFRONT with 2BR.....and CLEAN.

Again, thanks for the quick reply and all the info :)...';

I have seen it (used to see it I guess) from the outside, but n ot from the inside.......

WE can%26#39;t rent our weeks at the Marriott. The main resaon is that many Marriotts are lock off (either 2 or 3 bedrooms that convert to smaller units). We have Marriott lock it off so we get two weeks and then give the 2 weeks to II and get (sometimes) a bonuse week. So, we get 3 weeks for the one. BUT once we give the units to Interval (An exchange company) we are not allowed to rent anything we get back from them (thats an RCI rule, too)...or we can lose all the weeks, and the renter will be refursed check in.

But, the T/S idea can work for you. Yes, maybe even the MArriott units on Riveria BEach called Marriott Ocean Point. They are 5 star, and might be hard to get as a rental, during many times, but they will be easily available in less demand times (like summer -very hot- and through the last 3 weks in December.

There is a converted Radission Suites hotel (now a VRI Timeshare) next to the Marriott Ocean Point that would be a lot easier %26amp; cheaper to rent. Both are in the sand.

There are also a lot of T/S all along the beach down to Miami. I an suggesting T/S because you would only need one unit for the entire family......many one bedrooms sleep 6 easily, and the two bedroom Marriott BEach Place on the beach in Fort LAuderdale sleeps 8 easily (a friendly family, that is)

There are 5 or 6 timeshares in Hollywood on the beach. The only one I would tell you to absolutely avoid is the Ramada Managed Hollywood BEach Hotel and Resort. This place would fit your bill perfectly, but the rooms and conditions are near third world conditions...its a shame, this place should be a star...but it isn%26#39;t.

Next to it, however, (and developed by the same company 50 years+ after the Ramada mess is the Hollywood BEach Tower...a 100% one bedroom 2 bath slepp 4 to 6 that is an OK place (It aon%26#39;t a Marriott, either)...but it does have a pool (It used to have a flyway walk that connected it to the Ramada...which has a beautiful pool)

The Hollywood Tower was build near the end of the 1970s and has been under refurb.....I%26#39;m not sure all the rooms are done, but all the rooms are one bed 2 baths......and will be roomy enought to fit the family.

Other Timeshae I would consider on the Hollywood BEach is the www.hollywoodsands.com next to the Marrriott Hollywood resort. I think it has a pool, and might have apartments that hukd up to 6

Every T/S has resale (but yearly maint fees). THose in the Hollywood Tower are as low as $500 a week (usually $1000 a week) that is to BUY not rent......(Also, that ex Radission in Palm BEach Shores has similiar pricing....(not renting). Just remember, if you thik about buying, there will be yearly maint %26amp; RE taxes.

Those other apaertments I listed (like Sea Downs, Manta Ray, also have apartments that could fit the entire family. Not sure if there is a pool at the Manta Ray

  • look for valid discount
  • No comments:

    Post a Comment