There’s quite a bit to like about this family-friendly but luxe hotel. Elegant public spaces, 159 bright, cheery rooms; ocean-facing suites with balconies; a huge veranda out back where you can sit in rocking chairs and gaze out to sea; a zero-entry pool and “lazy river” right alongside it. But if you’re coming to Lauderdale for the beach (and really, who on vacation isn't?), one key difference about the Pelican Grand is that it’s astride its own 500-foot stretch of sand instead of across the street, as is the case with most every other property hereabouts. Sweet. That, plus a smoke-free environment; a laid-back atmosphere; and other amenities like an old-fashioned ice-cream parlor and location near, yet an arm’s length away from “the scene,” make it especially suited for families.