February 4, 2004 -- The Florida Experience doesn't have to mean an acre of bodies roasting around a huge swimming pool or a line of high-rise hotels blocking your view of the beach. It could mean a cozy little inn a block or two away from the water, with a tropical garden, perhaps some parrots calling out to you, and a comfortable bedroom. That's the kind of Florida I like best, and it's one where you can get to know a genuine Floridian up front, and not just from behind the front desk.
Such a spot is Gigi's Resort By the Beach, the name itself giving you an idea of the owner's sense of humor. Gigi advised me that "although it is small and I heard you are only interested in huge properties, my inn is charming, quaint and has a great location." (In our defense, we more often list bigger properties because readers get frustrated when they try to book a small place we have mentioned, only to find that other readers have got there first and no rooms are left. But we also recommend plenty of B&Bs, too.)
Looking into Gigi's, some nice facts emerge. An important one, she says, is that her resort is "the only African-American-owned and managed hotel in Fort Lauderdale." It's a Bed & Breakfast less than a minute's walk to the Ft. Lauderdale beach, with a garden of bougainvillea, palm trees and orchids. Sixty years old, the inn reflects the Art Deco community found in Miami's South Beach. Suites and rooms here are named for the world's exotic cities, such as Barcelona, Santa Fe and Nairobi. You can get the New York Times or local papers, which are delivered daily. Gigi hopes you'll hang around after breakfast to talk art, politics or whatever with the other guests. Beds are mostly king- or queen-sized, and the 12 rooms and suites have hardwood floors. She also has high speed, wireless (Wi-Fi) connection to the Internet (Boingo users welcome, she says.).
Depending on the size of the room, rates run from $92 for to $192 for suites in winter (December 13 to April 30) for doubles; $72 to $132 for summer. Pets are not allowed. Contact Gigi at www.gigisresort.com or 800/910-2357 or 954/463-4827, e-mail gigisresort@aol.com.
Down in Miami Beach, there's another intimate place, but nearly 50% bigger than Gigi's, with 17 units. This is the Villa Paradiso Hotel, just half a block from the beach, and boasting large studio rooms or one-bedroom suites. There's a nice garden and you can sit in the courtyard, but as a converted apartment house, there is no lobby to speak of. The suites all face the garden, and have ceiling fans, hardwood floors, French doors and separate dining and kitchen areas. Each room has a full kitchen and private bath, with individual air conditioning and cable TV, daily maid service and free local phone calls.
Rates run from $100 to $145 in winter (November 15 through April 30), $75 to $109 the rest of the year, plus taxes. Ten percent discount for weekly stays. Pets accepted. Contact them at www.villaparadisohotel.com, phone 305/ 532-0816, fax 305/673-5874.
Do you have a comment on this column? Have you stayed at either of these properties? We'd love to hear from you on our Florida Message Boards.