The Pillars Hotel

Recently I had dinner at the Secret Garden Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale with my son. The cuisine, the ambiance, every detail was handled to perfection. From the moment we sat down to the moment we left, everything was in place. Chef Youseff is truly incredible. The sunset was the icing on he cake. I will definitely be going back. It was a truly memorable experience. If you like fine dining, the Secret Garden inside the Pillars Hotel should be your first stop. Lawrence F. Fass, MD

I read the reviews while I was sitting in the lobby of the Pillars waiting to eat at the hotel and must admit was slightly concerned based on the recent review mentioning the swordfish; however, there was nothing to worry about at all. The food deserves its five-​star rating even if the amazing atmosphere didn’t exist. From the time we entered the quaint, hidden gem of a hotel we were treated kindly and with respect. We ate dinner out on the water where it is stunningly beautiful but also cold which the restaurant solves by giving you blankets but if you want to eat outside during the one cold month in Florida make sure to bring a jacket. We had the cheese plate which was perfect blend of fancy cheese, sweet pecans and artisan bread. My husband enjoyed his beet salad. For dinner he had steak and I had sea bass. The sea bass was a great dish which I enjoyed and is the healthiest on their menu if you are watching your girlish figure like moi. My husband’s steak was perfecty cooked and seasoned as well but the star of the meal was the hazelnut pot de crème. Its a perfect romantic restaurant for those special, private locations. I also really enjoyed breakfast the next day; the coffee blend they use is Colomibian, strong and delicious and so far they are the only place in South Florida that knows what «to poach an egg» means. My parents also stayed int he hotel and are very very picky and they were so excited to have a found a small, boutique romantic hotel that they will be staying at in the future.

We checked into the Pillars Friday February 12^th with high hopes and expectations after reading so many good reviews and regrettably, ignoring the not so great reviews. Upon arrival, Carmen Gonzalez, the manager at the Pillars, welcomed us with the demeanor of someone who is overworked in an understaffed hotel. She offered us a complimentary beverage and asked us to take a seat at the bar, 20 minutes later she ran over and poured us a glass of wine…
We made dinner reservations in advance for Friday evening at the Secret Garden, a private restaurant on the premises for guest or members only. Again, we were very excited to try this restaurant and invited two family members who live in town join us. Friday evening we arrived at the front desk and as we are waiting to be seated the waitstaff is parading by us carrying salads, appetizers and entrees. The kitchen is located to the left of the front desk and food is carried through the hotel, outside, and down to water front seating. As I was watching the food pass by I couldn’t help but notice the lackluster presentation. I silently observed this still expecting something extraordinary. We were greeted by our waitress, ordered wine, served wine and some bread and then she disappeared for a bit… when she returned we ordered appetizers and we were all undecided on what to get for entrees. I was torn between the wild salmon and the swordfish… somehow, she convinced us all to get the swordfish… she said it was the best thing on the menu and we wouldn’t be disappointed.
The bread was served with 3 very unremarkable condiments, my cucumber salad had some iceberg lettuce in it that was not mentioned in the description and it was warm as though it was sitting under a heat lamp and the cauliflower soup was over salted.
The entrees were served and it took one look to realize the swordfish appeared to be precooked and reheated… is was under cooked yet had a rubbery consistency… it was served with the exact 3 unremarkable condiments the bread was served with… they were smeared on the plate around the fish…
My husband realized after a couple of bites the center of his fish was inedible, his piece was rare inside… our server apologized and returned his food to the kitchen where they cooked the same piece a little more and sent it back out. Unfortunately, only one of the four of us had the sense not to eat their meal. The 3 of us that ate the fish were all feeling ill afterwards… my husband being the worse… Three hours after dinner he woke to projectile vomiting and diarrhea… At 1:00 am I called the front desk for housekeeping… by this time the toilet and sink were clogged and overflowing…1:15 AM we had a knock on the door and it was a young man who said he was the staff accountant, he informed us the Pillars did not have 24 hour room service.
The accountant let us know the manager would be in at 7:00 AM and he would leave her a message to contact us… 7:30 we are still waiting so I head downstairs to the front desk to speak with Carmen who is in and claims she was going to contact us…
I fill her in on our night at the Pillars, I explain how ill my husband is and the fact that his swordfish was sent back to the kitchen, I also mention to her that the sever pushed the swordfish and her facial expression changed… not sure why… but we can imagine… Carmen immediately sends room service to clean our room and change the bed… When she realizes the severity of his vomiting and diarrhea she informs me she wants a doctor to see my husband and states they will be at the hotel shortly… When the concierge Dr. arrives we are informed Pillars will «graciously’ pays all of the medical expenses.
The physician from AM-​PM medical emergency room that treated my husband was caring and sincere, he treated him with a cocktail of injections and it was decided that he would also need intravenous fluids which were also administered in our room, overall, it was a full day of being treated in our hotel room. The Pillars hotel «graciously» comped the meal… unfortunately, we had to pay for a 3 night stay in a hotel that we could not enjoy any of the amenities due to being ill…
After our 3 night stay my husband felt well enough to check out, the Dr. advised him not to fly until he was feeling totally better so we extended our stay in Fort Lauderdale… checked into another hotel and switched our flight home. Carmen Gonzalez never called to see how my husband was feeling.
I will say the Pillars has an exceptional housekeeping staff and the physician from AM-​PM stayed in contact with my husband for 3 days after treating him, even following up with a text when we arrived back home in RI.
I was warned by e-​mail not to make any slanderous remarks against the Pillars hotel on social media…
This warning came from the president/​owner. I would like to thank him because that warning prompted me to take the time to write this.

We booked a room here for our last day in Fort Lauderdale, wanting to stay away from the tourist crowds and noise around North Atlantic Blvd. Other than that and expectations based on the good reviews we had read in Trip Advisor, we did not expect much else as a gay couple. We were so pleasantly surprised! Our choice was immediately validated with an inviting courtyard facing the intercoastal waterfront, and a beautiful updated room with all the necessary amenities a very reasonable price (it was September). We were already delighted, five minutes into our arrival.
But the staff is the real star of this boutique hotel. They made us feel that everybody, and I mean everyone, from the concierge to the maids, is sincerely interested in making your stay a positive experience. When Vicki, a front desk staff person, overheard us discussing the possibility of having to cancel or postpone our dinner reservation at The Pillars’s restaurant, she gave us (unprompted) a call an hour later to check on whether we had decided to go with our original plan. Since by then we had decided to postpone our dinner reservation, she found us a later slot. Vicki had also ensured we would have a room ready earllier in the day, since we had discovered we’d arrive earlier than planned and our plan to go shopping or take a beach stroll had been eliminated by the persistent thunderstorms. We observed that a couple arriving at 8:00 in the morning from a cruise was made comfortable in the hotel’s courtyard until a room could be ready for them not much later.
That night, we experienced excellent service from the waitstaff, and in fact observed the same for the several local couples celebrating their aniversary there. When sudden rain nixed our plans for a romantic waterfront dinner, they moved us indoors so swifly and carefully that we ended up laughing about the whole thing with the rest of the patrons. Here I should mention that, unlike at other good hotels we’ve stayed, at no point were we treated any different than any of the other couples staying there. It was encouraging to observe actual diversity in age and ethnic group among those staying that weekend.
In short, no matter who you are, expect five star service at this little Fort Lauderdale jewel.

A beautiful hotel right on the water! You would not believe how awesome our view of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Winterfest Boat Parade was!

May have been an ‘off night.’ Food was ‘okay’ service was ‘so-​so’ but the sunset was beautiful.
When you get the opportunity to eat at The Pillars… It should ALWAYS be flawless.

Atmosphere — calm and soothing
Friends — Awesome
Food, was delicious. Stuffed dates were just awesome, and the sea scallops, steak and Venison chops were all just perfectly cooked and seasoned. Where has this place been all along. Jerome made us feel comfy the minute we walked in and oversaw the whole dinner with his staff. Felt like royalty almost. Great food and great service — thanks to our friends for introducing us to this jewel of a find.

Loved our stay because all I wanted was complete peace and quiet. It was perfect. Can’t wait to go back again!

I like this hotel so much that I hate to promote new guests. This is my 6^th stay in 4 years. Every time I visit, I cannot believe the quiet elegance and serenity of this resort. The hotel is spotless and smells of spices. The staff are are extremely courteous and attentive to everyone. The food is delicious. Lunch served poolside and breakfast next to the Intercoastal are very special.

Gorgonzola-​stuffed dates, grilled Georgia peach starter, watermelon salad, and local swordfish. Dinner on the dock was delicious and beautiful; the table was literally 4 feet from the water. Service was attentive, and our waiter was very knowledgable and helpful. Portions were generous, and delicious bread with tapenade and red pepper spread was also included. Be aware the restaurant serves wine and beer, but not liquor.

I did not stay in the hotel, but had dinner at their restaurant The Secret Garden. The restaurant is one of the best I’ve dined in. It is a true delight to your palette. I had the sea bass which was cooked to perfection served over chopped cauliflower in this unique sauce the chef had created. The setting especially outside is beautiful. They have tables right along the dock. A perfect place to celebrate something special.

Excellent hotel. A few blocks from the beach but since the pool area is so well kept and quiet I never felt a need to go to the beach. Breakfast is great, best coffee I’ve had in the states. Rooms are very good and clean, air conditioning is efficient and quiet. WiFi is fast and complimentary. Thank god there’s no valet parking. From what I’ve read the restaurant is top notch buy i have yet to try it. Staff is friendly and attentive. I’d highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a relaxing oasis in Fort Lauderdale.

I was very disappointed last Saturday night (June 15^th) when myself and five 5 guests went to the Secret Garden for dinner. The young waiter (Alan) was not professional or what I expected from what I thought was a 5 star establishment. One of my guests asked him what came with the fish dinner and he said…“It says it right there”…pointing to the menu. Then 4 of my guests had to send their dinners back as two were inedible and two were cold. Two of the dishes were rewarmed and two guests ordered something else.
The watermelon in the watermelon salad was not sweet nor moist — did no one bother to taste the watermelon before serving it?
The presentation of the meals served was not typical of this caliber of restaurant. Our water glasses were not refilled and dirty dishes were left on the table for twenty minutes after we had finished eating. No one came by to ask how we were enjoying our dinner.
Earlier in the day we brought a beautiful cake to the hotel and we asked the front desk to make sure it was delivered for dessert as one of our guest was celebrating her birthday that evening… they said No Problem. After we had finished dinner the young clueless waiter then came up and asked my table «Would anyone like dessert» and started to tell my guests what the options were. We just looked at him and said «Please check in the kitchen for the cake that was delivered «. He said «Oh OK».
When the meal was over Alan brought the bill and was asked if the gratuity was included and he said YES… so I signed it and he left. Ten minutes later he came back and said there was no gratuity on the bill… and brought me another bill.
The evening was very unprofessional. Two of our guests were hoteliers in the Bahamas, with two restaurants and one of my guest owned a restaurant in New Jersey. We KNOW what we expect from our staff to please out guests. Very dissatisfied with what I had hoped would be a wonderful evening at a so called 5 star restaurant.
We contacted the manager, Caroline Bonnell, who offered to give four of the 6 members of our group dinner as her guests — but «NO THANK YOU» was our reply — we had such a «bad taste» in our mouths from this horrendous evening.
Secret Garden is no Secret anymore!!!

Great, especially the restaurant, eating outside on the dock with perfectly prepared fish and veal with imaginative pairings doesn’t get much better. Lunch was also very good and they don’t skimp on the quality of the complimentary coffee in the morning either. Only down side, was our bed was a bit concaved in the middle, might just be the feather bed topper needs to be fluffed but other than that clean, well appointed room and amenities. If your budget allows the suites, the balconies looked amazing.

Just got back from a three-​night stay at the Pillars and wow — this place is amazing. The atmosphere is beautiful. Absolutely perfect. Our room was surprisingly large (I had read on TripAdvisor to expect teeny tiny) but I found out later that we had inadvertently booked one of five suites. The hotel only has 18 rooms total and we just scooped up the last one. At $ 285 a night it was appropriately priced. We had a sitting area with couch and chairs, several radios, a large bathroom with a jacuzzi tub and our room overlooked both the water and the pool.
Breakfast on the dock is a real treat — the food is only slightly better than typical hotel breakfast but the atmosphere really makes it great.
Only a few small nit-​picky things take this from a 5-​star to a 4-​star review.
1) No hot tub (which would have been really nice in the evenings, especially since the pool closes at 6:30)
2) Tried to substitute the hot tub by taking a bath and wound up burning my foot (1^st degree burns) on the bathtub knobs which had a tendency to get way too hot
3) The concierge recommended taking the water taxi over a regular taxi without mentioning how it would be much more expensive and time consuming.
4) The dock is open to the public for dinner so if you’re sunbathing there you have to scoot at 5pm so they can set up the tables. It’s a really wonderful spot to hang out so it’s a shame that people staying at the hotel can’t utilize it in the evenings.

We stayed at the villa and it is just gorgeous! Right on the canal with a pool and jacuzzi! Its beautiful and the villa itself is beautiful! The restaurant also has delicious food and is a great place to enjoy a meal by the water.

Stayed at the Pillars Hotel for two nights before our honeymoon cruise and was sorely disappointed we had to leave to board our cruise. The hotel has a very European feel to it with many of the staff members speaking multiple languages. It screams romance and relaxation. The staff turn down the bed covers and leave chocolates on the pillows each night. In the evening, the candles that sit on small bistro tables outside each of the rooms are lit which create a beautiful ambiance. The beds are amazingly comfortable and the pillows we ended up purchasing when we returned home (Pacific Coast Pillows if you’re wondering). The bathroom could have been a little bit bigger as it’s really only suited for one person but not really a big deal to me. The bath products are Molton Brown which are simply the best. The location is perfect — a short walk to the beach and boardwalk where you’ll find plenty of food and entertainment. The cab driver we got didn’t recognize the name of the hotel so be sure to keep the address handy!
Can’t wait to go back to celebrate our wedding anniversary…

Small luxury hotel, grand piano upon entrance, tastefully decorated, and a prime location for long beach walks.

Lovely small hotel near the beach and right on the waterway. We found it through the small luxury hotels guidebook (btw I would definitely recommend the Soniat house in new orleans which is also listed there). Pretty much, I would stay here for the waterfront restaurant alone that is only available to guests.
We arrived early and our room was not ready yet. But, all was well as we could change in one of the bathrooms with a shower so that we could still go to the beach. The front desk staff are all really nice, helpful, and will go out of their way to make sure your stay is hassle-​free and pleasant.
I loved lingering by the pool with the complimentary iced-​tea and lemon water.
But, really the enchantment is the restaurant. Definitely make a reservation here. The food isn’t necessarily spectacular. It is good, but not incredibly creative. But, sitting on the water with only two other tables watching the sunset and the boats pass by, and as day turns to night, the tables are all lighted. It is truly magical.
And for breakfast, what could be better than lingering over the paper with a hot pot of coffee and piping hot croissants (the croissants are to die for!!! do not miss breakfast).
I would definitely come back to the Pillars next time I am in Fort Lauderdale.

I’m guilty of writing a review from a stay that occurred quite some time ago, but it’s one of the few hotels I reminisce over and hope that one day I will have the opportunity to return to.
This little gem is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World chain, and I’m not really sure how I found it.
What I liked about it the most was it’s location. I went there to celebrate an anniversary with my then fiancé. We were able to walk to the beach and local restaurants. We were frequent visitors to Lulu’s Bait Shack, which was a fun place.
The second thing I liked the most was the feeling of being relaxed. One night, after walking back from Lulu’s, we went to the dock in our robes (it was a nice October evening), laid out on some chairs, and watched the water and took in the quiet. It was hard to imagine how close we were to busy Atlantic Blvd. because it was so peaceful there.
Our room was nicely appointed, the bed was super comfortable, and the furnishing were kinda West Indies-​ish. Could the rooms have been bigger? Sure. Could the bathroom have been bigger? Sure. Bottom line was it seemed like I got the best of what I had, and more importantly, I enjoyed my stay.
In the morning, I would wake up and go down to the dock to read the paper while the other half slept. I was usually greeted by one of the waitstaff asking if I would like some coffee. If I did, I received it almost within 5 minutes. Service was good when we needed it, and in preparing for our visit, Jessica was very friendly and very professional.
We had a rental car and when we arrived on Friday evening, we were able to find a parking space right away and left the car there the entire time because we were able to get around on foot so much. There is a water taxi that also stops at the dock if you want to go to Las Olas, where alot of shops, restaurants and cafes are.
Like I said, it’s been a while since I’ve been, but it’s one of the few hotels that I would really like to go back to.