My family and I stayed at Sonesta Fort Lauderdale for a family reunion and booked 6 rooms under the Rochester name for 3–4 days. Overall, this hotel has a great location and nice amenities, but unfortunately the service and communication issues heavily impacted our stay.
First, I want to recognize a few staff members who truly stood out:
• Sophie at Steelpan Restaurant – Extremely sweet, attentive, and gave great food recommendations as well as local sightseeing suggestions.
• Rosa Soto (Front Desk) – Very kind, helpful, and informative. She was the only one who took the time to properly explain amenities and provide my complimentary breakfast vouchers.
• Andy (Pool Bar) – Very attentive, friendly, and made us feel comfortable and welcomed at the outdoor pool bar.
Now for the concerns:
Unfortunately, our initial check-in experience with Adeline (Front Desk Lead) immediately set the tone for the stay. As someone who works in hospitality, I was disappointed by the rushed and dismissive interaction. There was no warm greeting, no explanation of amenities, no overview of Platinum member benefits, and I felt more like a burden than a guest. When I later called to request toiletries, I also felt rushed off the phone.
Pros:
• Accommodated our early check-in and late checkout requests
• Amazing location – beach directly across the street
• Beautiful ocean views
• Heated pool with outdoor bar and smoking area
• Happy hour menu was great
Cons:
Room Conditions
• Rooms felt dated and dusty
• Ventilation was poor and rooms felt stuffy
• One of our rooms had a clogged toilet
• No hot water in one room
• Phones in rooms were not functioning
Lack of Communication / Disorganization
Breakfast information changed almost daily:
* Day 1: I paid for breakfast because no one informed me about my complimentary vouchers
* Day 2: I was told only continental breakfast was included
* Day 3: I was told I could order anything except steak & eggs
This inconsistency made the experience frustrating and unorganized.
Biggest Issue: Valet Service
This was by far the most stressful part of our stay.
On the first day, we called 30 minutes in advance to retrieve our vehicle. After waiting over 40 minutes, we contacted the front desk and were told to come downstairs. Once on the drive, valet informed us they were backed up and we had to wait an additional 30 minutes. This caused us to be extremely late to an event. A manager apologized and advised that valet charges would be covered and our vehicle would be placed under VIP priority.
Unfortunately, things escalated further on our last day.
The valet team lost my rental car keys, which caused me to miss my flight entirely. Because of this, I had to:
* Extend my rental car reservation
* Rebook my flight
* Stay an additional night unexpectedly
* Replace lost rental keys
The hotel assisted in some of this, but what was most frustrating was checking out the next day and still being charged for the additional stay despite being told there were notes on my account. I was instructed to dispute it after leaving, which was uncomfortable because I did not feel this should have been unresolved before departure.
Final Thoughts:
Sonesta Fort Lauderdale has a fantastic location and solid amenities, but the service, communication, and organization need serious improvement. There were bright spots thanks to a few wonderful staff members, but overall my family left feeling frustrated, brushed off, and disappointed—especially after such major avoidable issues.
I am hoping management reaches out to properly resolve the outstanding billing disputes and address the stress this caused my family.
