Luxury Lands in Ft. Lauderdale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Apr 25th 2008 at 2:02PM

The name Ft. Lauderdale may be inexorably linked with the phrase "Spring Break," but that could be about to change now that the dingy Marina Marriot is getting a $60 million glamour injection. Full renovations on the newly-christened Ft. Lauderdale Grande Hotel & Yacht Club will be completed next month. The interiors are refreshing, stylish and modern, not to mention well-insulated from the frat boy set.

Meanwhile, a branch of Manhattan restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow's chic China Grill has already started serving guests lucky enough to snag one of the soft-opening suites. This is Chodorow's first outdoor waterside space; he'll also run the hotel's in-room dining operation. The restaurant overlooks the 33-slip inlet marina for yachting and diving enthusiasts, and a beautifully-redesigned pool area with cabanas and an outdoor fire pit. Check out the Photo Gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Ft. Lauderdale Grande