Thinking of going there next Easter. Friends recommended he Waldorf hotel, casa marina. Anyone tried it and have a view?
What are you looking for in a hotel in Key West? In the middle of the action? Off the beaten path? High service? Island atmosphere?
High service, beach, kids (10 and 11 year old sports mad girls) activities.
There are some pretty offensive T-Shirt shops (for families with kids) on upper Duval St. and I am hardly a prude.
I have a friend who rents a house when he visits; I’ll try to get the info.
Don’t know what reservations look like but Southernmost Resort might be an option.
We went for a weekend on the edges of spring break the whole island seemed covered in drunks. Not just teenagers but also adults. Not very child friendly dodging vomit.
I think the Waldorf is the only resort in Key West that meets your criteria, although I’m not sure how their sports program measures up. I believe that it is the only private beach in Key West (generally, the public beaches are kind of nasty due to overcrowding). I’ve never stayed there, though - we rely on pools down there
So true, all over the street where some CS keyed my car. The Waldorf Astoria is top notch.
We stayed there and liked it,The resort is very nice although the rooms are very different throughout the resort so just make sure you check out the room you will be getting
We stayed in a ocean front suite and really liked the room.They offer discounts on their website.I was able to get a great rate there.The staff was very nice.It has a upscale feel but everything in the Keys is low key and casual.
The resort is very family friendly,The beach is nice but most of the key west beaches are rocky and not great for swimming so pack beach shoes .The pool is very nice and there are plenty of activities for the kids.There is a Adult pool also,I loved the location and it was easy to get everywhere.Try and explore the other parts of the keys as they are magical.There are so many fun things to do on the drive down too.We loved feeding the Tarpons and there are so many great places for a casual lunch on the water.Check tripadvisor out for more info.I found so many great ideas there.
Looks like we’re moving away from key west to key largo, islamorado or marathon as the diving is much better up there. Any recommendations for a really nice resort there?
Not impressed with the diving off Key Largo, at least not compared to places like Cozumel, Grand Caymen or St. Lucia. BUT there was this school of Barracudas.
Admittedly, people are comparing it to key west rather than the places you mentioned, but still, everyone on the ScubaBB is pretty positive about diving in the northern keys.
I dove in the Northern Keys in about 1983 and then again in the mid 1990s. It had gone down hill a lot due to slobs who either didn’t know how to dive or didn’t know how to behave, or both. The likelihood that it has gotten better in light of what it takes to rebuild a reef is slim, BUT any day with a tank on your back is better than a day at work. Wish I were there.
The Cheeca Lodge in Key Largo is the place to stay. Great for the family.
Where are you coming from?
Key Largo is a relatively short drive from Miami Airport. Staying in Key Largo if driving saves you about 2 1/2 hours driving each way compared to Key West.
Cheeca is in Islamorada, isn’t it? I stayed there 20 years ago or so. Quite comfortable.
I’ve had my eye on the Island Bay Resort in Tavernier, but have never been to the property http://www.islandbayresort.com/
Oops yes Islamorada.
I have never stayed at the Island Beach Resort but it does look nice.
I love the Keys in general. The minute you hit the 1st Key and can enjoy seeing the beautiful water on both sides the mood changes. And every place is casual. Shorts and flip flops anywhere you want.
Looking at cheeca but some pretty varied reviews on tripadvisor. How would it compare to a ritz Carlton, 4 seasons or Waldorf?
It is a high end resort that was remodeled. The last time I stayed there was 5 years ago and the rooms had been remodeled. I think they converted to a condo hotel.
The room I had was terrific! all high end.
I am a Ritz Platinum member and stay at a lot of Ritz properties. This is Ritz quality(lower end Ritz) especially for the Keys.
The property is also large and isolated. You won’t have to leave the property unless you want to.
+1 on Cheeca
+1 on Island Bay
We just got back from Marathon yesterday but we stay in a funky old dog-friendly place because we take the hairball with us. We love the middle keys.
I love Islamorada. The fishing is great. Check out The Moorings. Top notch.