We are on the 2/28 western cruise. We decided to drive up today and stay near the terminal. All the hotels on A1A were booked due to a Beach Boys concert tonight. We found a lovely hotel on Rt 520 - the Clarion. It was a nice hotel - clean rooms, very nice pool and near a shopping mall and a Wal Mart. We paid $79 which includes a continental breakfast and hookup for a laptop. That rate was with a coupon (Florida Travel Saver book). We took a dry run to the terminal and it took us 15 mins from the hotel - get on Rt 3 and then Rt 528 to the terminal. It was much faster than last year when we went from the Best Western Oceanfront. Most of the hotels outside the Radisson are not that close to the terminal. The Hilton is the farthest. We have been experimenting for the past couple of years with the best way to get to the terminal and were surprised that this hotel was by far the best way to go to the terminal.There are lots of places to eat nearby - Red Lobster, Outback, Longhorn, Denny's etc. We will definitely stay here again next year. We just think that in February all the hotels on A1A near the terminal are too overpriced - we don't need to stay on the beach since we are in Boynton Beach for the winter and have access to a beach every day. For us the most important thing is a clean room and a nice pool - which the Clarion has. Too bad the weather didn't cooperate (50 degrees today!) for us to get to the pool
Hope the weather is better tomorrow
Can't wait for the sailaway party and the pool
