Ft. Lauderdale's Tropi Rock Resort
by Wendy Maxey

Ft. Lauderdale's Tropi Rock Resort asserts it's where the hip crowd hangs. And, since one of my hip New York friends was coming into town, I figured I'd have him help me test the resort's claim. I thought it only appropriate that I take him to the self-proclaimed coolest resort this side of the Atlantic.

Now, keep in mind that sometimes you have to be careful with such accommodation jargon. I mean, how many times have you set out to stay at a "centrally located home away from home boasting magnificent views" only to find yourself in a second-rate dump on the outskirts of town overlooking a half-empty parking lot and the brick siding of a nearby Exxon?

And, for certain reasons mentioned above, Tropi Rock's claims left me rather skeptical. This skepticism quickly vanished when I pulled the car up to the coolest hotel I'd ever seen. As a Generation Y-er would say, for real.

Talk about tropical. This place is a paradise. It surpasses even the best of the tropics. Forget Key West and the Bahamas. Hit Ft. Lauderdale instead.

Okay, if it's so great, it must cost an arm and a leg, right? Guess again. Yes, I stayed during Florida's low season, and the one-bedroom apartment is a mere $105 per night. During the winter, the one-bedroom goes up to $160 per night, but there are also standard rooms available for as low as $85. But, let me make one thing clear here. No rooms are standard at Tropi Rock.

Each room is uniquely decorated (sounds like more jargon, I know). In fact, according to Markus Schaerf, who runs Tropi Rock with his father Aglmuth, an artist hand-makes the resort's furniture and most of it comes from Mexico. It also helps that Schaerf, Sr. is an interior designer. The Schaerfs planted their roots in South Florida after living in Austria. The family opened Tropi Rock Resort in November, 1997 and have been packing the house ever since.

The suite that we stayed in was gorgeous. In fact, my friend from New York commented on how our room was bigger than his Brooklyn apartment and would make an ideal place to live in the Big Apple. We were greeted by a living space decorated in a mix of Indian and modern art, complete with four dolphins holding up the dining room table.

The one-bedroom comes with a fully equipped, full-size kitchen, suitable to families on a budget. And, the bedroom has a king-size bed (or two double beds), in addition to a sleeper sofa in the living room.

As for other amenities, you'll find them in Tropi Rock's tropical outside paradise, including Shuffleboard, tennis courts, barbecue pits and an outside bar. The resort also boasts a large heated pool, an exercise room, gameroom, pool table, bicycle rentals, guest computer with Internet access and free parking. You almost forget that the beach is only steps away. And, we won't even get into all there is to do along the beach.

For more information on Tropi Rock or to make reservations online, visit http://www.tropirock.com.