The Westin Fort Lauderdale

I almost never leave reviews, but my stay at The Westin Fort Lauderdale was nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster. Anyone considering staying here should read this first. Disappointing Start Immediately upon arrival, I was disappointed. I had spent weeks arranging a surprise in our room for my boyfriend’s birthday — calling a representative two weeks prior, following up that week, and messaging through the chatbot to confirm. When we arrived, nothing had been set up. They said they were “just now writing the card,” which was far too late. I was extremely disappointed. The hotel did compensate us with two free breakfast vouchers, which I greatly appreciated. Later, returning from dinner, we found champagne in our room, which made me happy. We enjoyed the breakfast, our room, the gym, sauna, and pool amenities, and the cleanliness was impeccable. I even personally thanked the manager for all they did — I genuinely appreciated those efforts. Theft and Shockingly Poor Security Then, this morning, everything changed. We left to get breakfast and use the gym, and when we returned, my wallet and sunglasses were stolen from our room. I immediately freaked out, canceled all my cards, and called the hotel. Their response was shockingly unhelpful — there are no cameras in guest rooms (understandable), but none in the hallways either??? I could not believe it. What kind of sense of security does that provide? God forbid something worse happened — there would be no trace. I filed a police report and called the hotel again. After a very direct conversation, they said they would review the key card entry records to see who accessed our room between 9–11am. However, since no manager was present today, I have to wait until tomorrow for updates. Financial Loss and Lack of Compensation This entire ordeal means that $320 of my hotel stay was essentially wasted, and I was shocked that the hotel didn’t offer to comp my stay or provide any additional value. Barely even an apology was offered on their behalf. Conclusion As we drive 3.5 hours back home, I am without my license, credit cards, gift cards, and my favorite sunglasses — a stressful, inconvenient, and upsetting situation. While I had hoped my stay would end on a positive note, I am leaving with a terrible distaste and no desire to return, purely for safety reasons. It’s such a shame because the hotel itself — the amenities, cleanliness, and service when it works — is genuinely pleasant. But if safety and security are important to you, or if you want a special surprise set up in your room, do not stay here.