Fairfield hotel opens in Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE — In a bid to attract business and leisure travelers who seek easy access to downtown Fort Lauderdale’s offices, shops and restaurants, a Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott opened its doors Thursday on Federal Highway.

The 108-room hotel is located at 30 S. Federal Highway, just north of the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel and a short walking distance from the Las Olas Boulevard retail and restaurant district. It neighbors a Starbucks at the corner of East Broward Boulevard and Federal Highway.

The property is operated by Luckey’s Management of Fort Lauderdale, which is a Marriott franchisee. Construction started in 2016. Co-owner Jay Patel said the location is favorable due its proximity to the airport, convention center and Las Olas Boulevard.

“The hotel is very conveniently located walking distance to Las Olas, which is a big plus for us,” he said Thursday. He added that his company is aiming for a mix of 60 percent corporate travelers and 40 percent leisure visitors.

The hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool on its fourth floor, a fitness center, valet laundry service, indoor parking garage, Wi-Fi and fax and copy services. It also contains 1,037 square feet of meeting space for events with up to 75 people.

The Fairfield is the first in a fresh lineup of new hotels earmarked by developers for the downtown area, which is viewed by lodging industry analysts as short on overnight space for visitors.

The Dalmar, a 25-story “lifestyle” hotel, is scheduled to open this summer on Federal Highway, a few blocks north of the Fairfield. In 2019, a Hyatt Centric is slated to open as part of the 100 Las Olas mixed-use tower now under construction on Las Olas Boulevard.