Riverside Hotel Reviews
Reviews
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Weddingwire
52 reviews
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2064 reviews
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Amanda Sent on 12/27/2025
Our Perfect Wedding
My husband and I visited over ten wedding venues, from north to south Florida, before deciding on the Riverside Hotel as our destination wedding venue. Loma, the Director of Catering Sales, gave us the tour and we were very pleased with her presentation on what they offered. Loma was also the perfect person to coordinate with our wedding planner Gina, to ensure a seamless execution. She was incredible throughout, with making suggestions, ensuring we stuck to our timeline, and helping to make our wedding day extra special.
Although we were unable to see the guest rooms during visits to the Riverside, everything turned out well. We didn’t realize that a little extra patience would come in handy, and thus, were surprised when the rooms were more beautiful in person than imagined. The bridal suite itself was magnificent, showcasing such modern finishes and breathtaking views. Our wedding guests were equally pleased with their accommodations.
Our wedding day turned out to be exactly what we had envisioned. The setup for the ceremony (located on the River Patio) the cocktail hour (on the Skyline Terrace) and the reception (in the Himmarshee Ballroom) were exquisite, with breathtaking views each offering a bit of individual charm and character to our wedding. If we could go back in time, we would find our way back to the Riverside Hotel and do it all again. Our experience from beginning to end was worth it.
Thank you so much Loma and the entire Riverside team for helping to make our day a success. My husband and I can’t stop reminiscing about our wedding and our guests continue complimenting us on what a beautiful wedding it was. -
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![Lindsay]()
Lindsay Sent on 04/30/2025Amazing venue and amazing day!
Love the location of the hotel on las olas. We didn’t want a traditional hotel so this was perfect. I love the different locations for the wedding, the downstairs outside, upstairs outside for cocktail hour, and the ballroom for the reception. The food was great and comes from wild sea downstairs and the cake comes from their bakery. Overall an amazing day! -
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![Jennifer]()
Jennifer Sent on 10/30/2024Wedding 10.13.2024
We cannot say enough about the Riverside Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. My now husband and I had an appointment with Loma to tour the Hotel for our wedding and all I can say is, as soon as we met her we knew right away the Riverside was going to be our Wedding venue. Loma greeted us with the biggest smile and open arms and right away just made us feel like we were the first Bride & Groom that she has ever met, which was huge for us, because we were both coming in from NYC and wanted to make sure if we were going to have a “destination wedding” we wanted all of our family & friends to feel just as important as us. And that is exactly what happened. Our Wedding weekend was magical from start to end. All our guest flew/drove down from NY, NJ, WA, and even TX and they all have been ranting and raving over how prefect their stay was and how beautiful our wedding was and thought the food was delicious. Every vendor that we hired through Riverside ( Eddie B, for DJ/Photo/Video- Lina Portnoy , our day of wedding coordinator to Kiss The Make-up for all hair and makeup for the bridal team) to every staff member at the hotel(valet, all F&B outlets, FD team, & Daniela A) made sure our day was perfect. Loma, Lina and Daniela guided us and the bridal team throughout the whole day to make sure every detail that we wanted was in place and made sure our special day ran smooth, and even held up the rain!!We cannot Thank you all enough for what you all have done for us at the Riverside Hotel, we can not wait to go back. -
Michele Sent on 06/09/2024
professional staff, good value!
We couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue than Riverside Hotel for our wedding. We had a great room and Loma and the staff were sweet and helpful. The location was beautiful, and the facilities were top-notch. Pricing was reasonable, and the planning process was smooth overall. We got married on the Riverside Patio and had our cocktail hour and reception on the 8th floor balcony/ballroom. Our guests were impressed by the venue's ambiance and amenities. Thank you for providing the perfect backdrop for our special day and for making it truly unforgettable! -
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Katherine Sent on 02/28/2024
Highest Recommendations Possible!
Loma and the Riverside Hotel team could not have done a better job supporting us at our wedding. Every detail, from the days leading up to the wedding, the ceremony and reception was executed to perfection. Riverside Hotel is a family owned business, and you feel like part of the family when you have your wedding there. Things that really impressed me throughout the process included: 1.) Backup plan for inclement weather included. One nice touch that the Riverside did for us was bring out beautiful clear fire heat lamps for our cocktail hour because it was a little chilly that night. This is just one example of a little detail I never thought of or discussed: It just happened. 2.) The planning team is phenomenal. It was so nice to meet the team leads before hand so you didn't feel like there were strangers at your wedding. Now that the wedding is over, it feels so special to have dinner at one of the Riverside's excellent restaurants. Its been two months since my wedding and my guests are still telling me it was the best wedding they've ever been to. I highly recommend you check this venue out! -
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![Ron]()
Ron H. Sent on 02/22/2024Beautiful wedding at Riverside
Loma and the entire Riverside team were a dream to work with. From day one of looking for a venue to our special day we felt supported and important. Loma is professional and an urgent communicator. You can tell she values love and marriage by how seriously she takes the planning and execution of your special day. -
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![Brianna]()
Brianna Sent on 02/10/2024The best venue and staff!!
My husband and I had our wedding at the Riverside Hotel this past month and we could not have been happier. From start to finish we have had nothing but the best experience. Everyone that works there has gone above and beyond to help us with even the smallest details. It is such a beautiful property with multiple ceremony and receptions locations on property. The process and communication with the hotel was very easy. The sales and catering manager, Rachel Greenfader, was the absolute best. I don't have the words to describe how incredible she was throughout this entire process. She is so trustworthy and helpful that you feel and do leave with a lifelong friend. My husband and I could not be more grateful to her for her with how much she goes above and beyond to make sure you have the experience of a lifetime. Daniela Almeida was in charge of our room accommodations and she was amazing. So helpful and patient with us through all of our questions and emails. Last, but not least the valet team is fantastic. They were so kind and always lending a helping hand to us bringing in our wedding DIYs. Daniel in particular was such a friendly and helpful valet attendant. Overall, we highly recommend booking the Riverside Hotel for any event. We would choose here a million times over! -
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![Brenda]()
Brenda Sent on 05/11/2023There is no other venue you need to consider
I've lived in Ft Lauderdale my whole life so I know a bit about different options. We still looked at various Wedding venues in East Ft Lauderdale and none compared to The Riverside! The Riverside is classic and being on Las Olas, it is a perfect destination for guests. The venue is easier to get to than beach options. When you look at the small details, like valet is included for your guests and the cake is included and created by a Netlfix show award winning baker at their New River Bakery, these small things all add up to the obvious choice. Then, there is so much more! We got married on the Riverside Outdoor patio. The backdrop of the New River was more than gorgeous, outstanding and beautiful. Cocktail Hour was on their 8th floor terrace with sweeping views from North up, all along the Atlantic coastline, over Port Everglades, full view south and all of the Western sky. You will not get this anywhere else. The indoor ballroom reception space was more than we could ask for. On top of this, the catering (dinner, food & drinks) by the Riverside and the Hotel Planner, Loma, that helped us every step of the way were top notch. Loma was professional, friendly and she ensured 100% that our day was going to execute perfectly and it did! If we could, we would get married at the Riverside again! -
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![Karina]()
Karina Sent on 05/02/2023Beautiful Venue
Riverside was the perfect mix of old Florida charm, downtown nightlife, & the ease & convenience of having everything in one place. We had our ceremony on the beautiful ground floor, patio near the water, cocktail hour on the terrace overlooking the city, and the reception in the air-conditioned ballroom. The food and cake were both delicious and our guests kept complementing us on the beauty of the venue. Riverside was so easy to work with and made the planning process seamless. It was truly the best night ever -
![Monica]()
Monica Sent on 03/31/2023A dream come true
An absolute dream come true. From beginning to end, Loma and her team at The Riverside were the best ever. From our initial tour, to the tasting, rehearsal and everything in between, no detail was overlooked. We loved being able to have everything in one place. The hotel and the ceremony areas are absolutely gorgeous so it was easy to have a beautiful backdrop for our special day. They have the best all inclusive packages, and the team is the best. We were able to have our rehearsal dinner at Wild Sea (in the hotel) which was also amazing. The food was delicious, the cake was the cake of our dreams, and everything was absolutely amazing. Loma's expertise, knowledge and experience are priceless. We will forever be grateful to the team at the Riverside and it will forever hold a special place in our heart. -
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![Laurie]()
Laurie Sent on 01/24/2023The Wedding Venue Of Your Dreams Brought To Life: Riverside Hotel
My husband and I live in Fort Lauderdale. It’s where we met and it’s a city, we both love so we knew we wanted to get married here, but where? We spend most of our weekends and happy hours on Las Olas and one day ventured into one of Riverside Hotel’s restaurants, Boat House. While we enjoyed happy hour, we were admiring the views as its on the water with lush greenery. We had already looked at several venues prior to this and nothing caught our eye, quite like Riverside. We knew we wanted a venue that had beautiful views and encapsulated the history and our love of Fort Lauderdale and realized this was it (this was prior to taking a tour of the place).
Once we had the tour with Loma, we picked our wedding date out the same day. Riverside Hotel, had beautiful places for the ceremony to take place (we chose the terrace on the water), unbelievable 360 degree views of Fort Lauderdale for the cocktail hour and reception on the 8th floor and of course a home for the weekend for many of our guests who were coming in from out of town. With close to 100 of our guests staying at the hotel, we have only received RAVE reviews, not only for the wedding but for the hotel. The guests loved that they were just an uber ride from the airport (no rental car needed), they could walk to numerous restaurants, bars and shops as well as be minutes from the beach.
Planning with Loma over the past year has been a dream. She makes decision making easier and gives honest, solid advice when needed. Her goal is to truly give you a wedding to be talked about for years to come. From having our rehearsal dinner in the private room at Wild Sea (another restaurant in Riverside Hotel), to a prewedding cocktail hour the night before at Preston’s Lounge in the lobby to the day of the wedding, everything and everyone was treated with such elegance and class. The food options were top grade and delicious and we can’t say enough about the beautiful cake that Chef Sabrina created based on a vision we had. Thank you, Riverside, Loma and team for giving us as we like to call it “the wedding of the decade”. We wouldn’t have changed a thing!
We look forward to celebrating anniversaries and bringing our future children to Riverside Hotel one day!
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Athena Sent on 07/13/2022
Perfect Indoor/Outdoor City Venue!
If your gut is leaning towards booking Riverside Hotel for your wedding, do it! After looking at other venues, something kept pulling me back to Riverside. Loma is there for you for every single question you may have (my parents and I had a lot!) and has the most welcome, open and funny personality! We had post wedding blues partly because spending time talking with Loma and the rest of the staff at Riverside about wedding details had come to a close. My in-laws hosted the rehearsal at Wild Sea on Las Olas (part of Riverside collection) and we hosted our Bon Voyage Breakfast on the Skyline Terrace. The service, quality and atmosphere at each event was incredible- you experience the family owned essence of Riverside at each event. Most of our guests were out of town and made a vacation out of our wedding and loved being right on Las Olas. They loved staying at Riverside with the convenience of the water taxi stop, pool and bars and restaurants that are part of the hotel and the kindness of the staff throughout their stay. This is not a hotel where your guests are stuck in four walls during their stay and during your reception. The day of the wedding was truly everything I had envisioned. We had our cocktail hour on the Skyline Terrace and reception in the Himmarshee Ballroom. I asked Loma if we could keep a bar outside and doors open for access to the Terrace and I am so glad we did. Guests who wanted to take in the city and River views, take pictures or smoke a cigar from cocktail hour did just that and it was nice to have an indoor/outdoor setup in Florida! We even led one of our Greek dance lines outside throughout the whole terrace! I am still getting compliments on the food! We chose the duet of roasted chicken breast and pan seared diver scallops with the grits and tasso cream sauce and the grilled 12 oz New York strip steak with Yukon gold hash with slab bacon and house made steak sauce. First of all, the portions were outrageous, you have never seen this much as a wedding entree I promise you. Guests continue to rave about the portion, presentation, perfect temperature and impeccable flavors. Chef Brian even made sure to add the colorful vegetables we loved that were plated at our tasting. The salad was not your usual and the cucumber slices wrapped around the rest of the salad was such an elegant visual touch. The amuse bouche was also out of this world- where else can you choose Cap n' Crunch chicken and waffles as one of your five choices? Guests continued to be thrilled with the food during dessert. We chose red velvet cake/cream cheese filling with fresh raspberries and lemon cake with key lime buttercream. Guests were so impressed with how moist, fresh and flavorful it was. We can't wait to eat our top tier for our anniversary! Chef Sabrina's design was perfect! Special thank you to the whole Riverside team and especially Loma, Aldo and Finn. You will all be a part of our day when we look back on it. Everyone involved in planning and all the guests had nothing but positive words. Loma makes you feel like family and made our day outstanding! The setup was incredible (see pic of me during the reveal), all the food and cake were unlike any other wedding and the atmosphere created by the whole staff is such a huge bonus and makes a big difference in the planning process and outcome of your day; Loma even left us a card and some treats in our suite which was so special. So much thanks to everyone at Riverside Hotel! -
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![Monique]()
Monique Sent on 01/31/2022I love this place so much! I'm so glad I picked them.
As I said in my other review, I had to reschedule my wedding multiple times and each time, Riverside was there for us! I painstakingly planned every detail of my day and wanted it to go as smoothly as possible. Riverside had everything we needed. We had our rehearsal dinner at Wild Sea, one of the multiple restaurants the hotel offers. The atmosphere was perfect. The food was delicious! They even have a pastry chef on staff. Everything you need in one place. My wedding day coordinator canceled on me the night before my wedding. I called Loma (the director of catering and the person who had been helping me schedule my event) and she saved my day! I told her everything I needed and she knew just what to do! I can't rave about this place enough. If you're getting married and you want somewhere beautiful and historic, Riverside is the place to go!Riverside Hotel's reply:
Congrats Mrs. Jay Goldberg,
Thank you for the lovely review and sharing your Love Story with my future Brides & Grooms .. You both are so Amazing and I was so happy to jump in to ensure that your Wedding Day was Special!
Thank you again for your kind words.. Say Hi To Jay and see you soon :)
Loma Grant
954-377-5467
lgrant@riversidehotel.com
New Bride & Groom Of The Riverside Hotel Family!! -
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![Hilary]()
Hilary Sent on 03/02/2021Perfect and magical!
Everything was perfect! Loma did a wonderful job at everything! She reduced my anxiety when planning for the wedding during a global pandemic! I had my fairy tale wedding! Loma is professional and a delight to work with! Loma is like family to my husband and I now! I had my dog at my wedding and she made sure to include him.. everything was perfect... I can’t say it enough!! -
Veronica Sent on 01/28/2021
Best wedding venue! Highly recommend
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Choosing Riverside Hotel was THE BEST decision ever! When we originally booked (Before COVID) we were working with Cathy. During the COVID chaos Loma took over and was a true blessing from the sky! She went above and beyond, they worked so closely with us and were so kind and accommodating! We had to switch our buffet station to a plated meal and let me tell you the food was AMAZING! The food tasting was wonderful, Loma had set up an entire private room for us all decorated. She was so responsive and professional. Despite our guest count changing and us loosing guests due to COVID she was so quick to bounce back and forth and help us with everything. She would answer my calls, emails, texts even super late at night. It stormed the day of our wedding and they had to move our entire cocktail hour inside, they did such an amazing job I had no idea everuthing they had to do and it was just so beautifully decorated that guests had no idea it was a last minute change. Everyone was so sweet and so helpful. We had a BLAST, Loma took care of everything and she even wrote us a card that she left in our suite with champagne, strawberry covered chocolate and roses. Chef Sabrina made us an absolutely GORGEOUS and DELICIOUS CAKE and the Chef was just amazing, everyone enjoyed all the food. The location is AMAZING, and the picture spots inside and around the hotel are stunning. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS VENUE! Thank you to all the staff, thank you so Chef Sabrina and thank you to Loma for EVERYTHING. -
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![Emeline]()
Emeline Sent on 11/15/2020Amazing, thank you for everything, the best. Book now!
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!
Choosing Riverside Hotel was THE BEST decision ever!
When we originally booked (Before COVID) we were working with Cathy.
During the COVID chaos Loma took over and was a true blessing from the sky!
She went above and beyond, they worked so closely with us and were so kind and accommodating!
We had to switch our buffet station to a plated meal and let me tell you the food was AMAZING!
The food tasting was wonderful, Loma had set up an entire private room for us all decorated.
She was so responsive and professional. Despite our guest count changing and us loosing guests due to COVID she was so quick to bounce back and forth and help us with everything. She would answer my calls, emails, texts even super late at night.
It stormed the day of our wedding and they had to move our entire cocktail hour inside, they did such an amazing job I had no idea everuthing they had to do and it was just so beautifully decorated that guests had no idea it was a last minute change.
Everyone was so sweet and so helpful.
We had a BLAST, Loma took care of everything and she even wrote us a card that she left in our suite with champagne, strawberry covered chocolate and roses.
Chef Sabrina made us an absolutely GORGEOUS and DELICIOUS CAKE and the Chef was just amazing, everyone enjoyed all the food.
The location is AMAZING, and the picture spots inside and around the hotel are stunning.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS VENUE!
Thank you to all the staff, thank you so Chef Sabrina and thank you to Loma for EVERYTHING. -
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![Chantel]()
Chantel Sent on 04/20/2020Beautiful Wedding day at Riverside Hotel!
We had our wedding on March 14th and it was better than I could ever imagine. Cathy was there to make sure the day was smooth. She was amazing from the first day we met leading up to the event. She’s was always responsiveness and making sure things went as planned. The Hotel and staff was also very welcoming and helpful in making sure all the guest were happy. The Riverside Hotel is a great location and atmosphere for a wedding or any event. I would highly recommend the Riverside hotel for anyone looking to have an event there.Riverside Hotel's reply:
Thank you Chantel and Will. It was our pleasure to host your wedding in the Wild Sea Oyster Bar restaurant. You were a lovely couple to work with. I wish you both the best of luck and happiness in your future together!
Cathy -
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Erika Sent on 01/01/2020
Best Venue Ever!
If you are looking for an incredible venue for your wedding, look no further. The Riverside Hotel absolutely blew us away, and far exceeded our expectations! Cathy Fox was our coordinator, and she was beyond helpful. She was responsive, and was able to answer all of our questions. She made the whole process so smooth, we are very grateful for all of her help. We had the ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner reception at the hotel. The staff at the hotel was AMAZING, from the front desk, to our server Tami, to the valet and bellhops. The whole weekend we were made to feel like royalty. Tami was personable, friendly and on point all night long. Our cake and cookie wedding favors were made by the incredible pastry chef, Sabrina, and it was by far the best desserts I have ever had. The hotel itself was so beautiful, and you really can’t beat the location in downtown Fort Lauderdale, on the river. We highly recommended the Riverside Hotel! -
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![Kevin]()
Kevin Sent on 10/19/2019Amazing Wedding Experience
My fiance and I tied the knot at this beautiful hotel Oct. 12th. It was such a great experience. We had our ceremony on the 8th floor balcony over looking the river. The staff did an amazing job and the food was absolutely delicious. Would definitely have another event at The Riverside hotel.Riverside Hotel's reply:
:-) thank you Kevin, we appreciate your review. It was truly lovely and we wish you both all the best! -
![Beth]()
Beth Sent on 10/21/2018Perfect wedding day at Riverside Hotel, Fort Lauderdale
Everything was perfect!!! Cathy Fox directed and advised in quiet knowledgeable manner. The food was delicious and set up was smooth and beautiful. The historical hotel was unique on the intercoastal and added to the ambience of the wedding.Riverside Hotel's reply:
Hello Beth, It was such a pleasure working with you on Rachel and William's wedding. I love the lanterns that you used, I'm going to have to make a trip to Pier 1.
It was a perfect day and a perfect start for their life together.
Thank you for choosing us.
Cathy -
Sarah Sent on 07/20/2018My husband and I got married here in May 2018 and it was the perfect day! Our ceremony was held on the back river patio which was absolutely beautiful! We had the reception inside the Himarshee ballroom and it was set up very nicely. The food was great, the cake was DELICIOUS, and all of our guests had so much fun! We planned this as a destination wedding as we live in Philadelphia, PA and had around 120 guests in attendance and I felt like the venue was just right for our group's needs. I cannot say enough good things about the ease of planning the wedding from a distance and how well the actual day of went. Thank you Riverside Hotel for making our wedding just as perfect as we had imagined!
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![almostashupe]()
Jessica Sent on 05/30/2018The Riverside Hotel is a great place to have your wedding. The staff is AMAZING. Jacob helped us plan everything and in the end it was PERFECT. We can't thank him or the banquet staff enough for helping us. Every staff member was courteous and respectful. All our guests had a great stay at the Riverside. -
![Paulina]()
Paulina Sent on 11/09/2011I stayed at Riverside Hotel the night before the wedding with my bridesmaids and that's where we got ready. The staff was amazing and we got upgraded to a suite with no extra charge. Also, my husband and I stayed there two nights after the wedding and everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. The place has beautiful decor, and the rooms are super clean. Great place to stay...:) -
Kari Sent on 02/21/2024
We loved getting married at the Riverside Hotel!
We got married on November 4, 2023 at the Riverside Hotel and had a great overall experience. Loma is the sweetest lady, and truly wants to help your vision come to life. On the day of, the venue staff were so helpful and friendly, and really made us feel special. The patio by the river is a stunning ceremony location, and we held our cocktail hour and dinner/dancing on the 8th floor terrace. Our guests raved about the cocktail hour appetizers, and the food at dinner was really good too! Overall... we had an amazing night. I wish we could re-live it over and over again! -
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