Ok, we are still narrowing down our anniversary vacation for the fall. I've been looking into Key West. Never been there before, but saw some pretty nice looking hotels online that are located on the beach. What type of activities does Key West have to offer. Along with restaurants. Any good hotel recommendations? Was looking at Hilton online. Looks pretty. Any thoughts??

The only two hotels I can think of that are on a beach of any size are the Reach and the Casa Marina, and I'm not sure either would be very good for a honeymoon. The Casa Marina usually attracts lots of families and the Reach (its sister property) isn't as nice.

The Hilton is on the Gulf but has no beach. It's in a great location and I like its restaurant but the rooms themselves don't always get great reviews, and ships docking in front of it hamper the view. If you'd like to stay on the Gulf, the two places I'd recommend are the Ocean Key Resort, which is just across Mallory Square from the Hilton, and the Hyatt, which is just down the street. Both are on Front Street. There are 3 Hyatt timeshares in Key West, but the only one I'd recommend is Sunset Harbour.

If you'd consider someplace that's not on the water, the Marquesa Hotel probably gets the most favorable reviews of any accommodation in Key West.

One other thing. Fantasy Fest is the latter part of October and if that's when you plan on going, prices will be doubled.

Okay, here's another thought, but more pricey. The cottages at Sunset Key are just an 8 minute ferry ride away from Key West. They're operated by the Hilton and are very private. That might be a wonderful place for a honeymoon.

We just stayed at the Casa Marina and we liked it. Over the weekend there were alot of kids but by Monday morning the hotel was like a ghost town. In the fall, with school vacations over, kids shouldn't be a problem.

Key West is my favorite vacation destination in the continental US. I would really recommend that you look at some of the smaller hotels/B&B's. There are numerous properties with 20-30 rooms, so large enough that you don't feel like you're living in someone's house, but funky enough to feel like you're not in a chain hotel.

You also need to know that Key West doesn't have great beaches. If you're really looking for a beach desination, you should probably look elsewhere. I love hanging out at the docks in Key West, but the beaches are small and/or rocky.

Key West is a town made for wandering. Great architecture, lots of tropical plants. The feel of a Caribbean island without the travel hassles.

There are several small museums, as well as Hemingway's house. Boat trips for snorkeling, sunset cruises, fishing charters.

Lots of great restaurants.

Jea

Thanks for the advice. We aren't looking for laying out on the beach. We enjoy sitting on the balcony from our room enjoying the water and sunsets. Do you think we will need a rental car in Key West? Do the hotels have lounge chairs on the beach just to relax and watch the boaters etc?? I appreciate all the advice, I've never been to Key West. Also, when how far is the airport fromt the hotels?

If you want to watch boats from a balcony, your best bet would be to stay on the Gulf, as the Atlantic doesn't have much boat traffic. I'll stand by my initial suggestions of the Ocean Key Resort and the Hyatt, but I'd advise you to ask for an waterfront room rather than a water view room. The balconys at the Hyatt are very tiny but there are suites that face the water that are larger. We've only stayed at the Ocean Key once, but our room was very nice and had two balconys...one off the bedroom and another off the living area. It was a junior suite and included a full kitchen. Another option is the Galleon, though it's very hard to book. It's a timeshare that rents to non-owners and the units are fully furnished condos. You'd want to ask for a unit overlooking the marina or facing the Gulf rather than one that faces the pool. The Galleon is next door to the Hyatt.

As for lounge chairs on the beach. The Hilton has no beach but it has a bar area that's lively and has lots of chairs for watching the sunset. The Hyatt has a beach the size of a postage stamp but it does have a few lounge chairs on it. The Ocean Key doesn't have a beach, but it does have a popular bar area overlooking the water that has nightly entertainment and is close to the sunset celebration.

Since I've mentioned this many options, I may as well bring up the Pier House, which is the last hotel on the Gulf. Again, you'd want to ask for a room facing the Gulf as many of their rooms overlook the parking lot. It has a nice little beach (topless optional) with lounge chairs. The Galleon has a little beach and a big decked area with lounge chairs all over the place.

A couple of things I meant to add. You definitely don't need a car in Key West if you stay in Old Town, as everything will be within walking distance. Cab fare in from the airport may vary a little depending on whether you get a little "tour" from the cabby. I think it's normally $12.50 for one and $15.00 for two.

Thanks Susan, you've been quite helpful. I was checking out the Wyndam Casa Marina hotel and it looks nice. Located right on the ocean and close to entertainment. We would be going during the early part of November for 5 weekdays. Do you think it'll be pretty quiet at this hotel during that time? How big are the balcony's there?

The Casa Marina is on the Atlantic, which is the "quiet" side of Key West. If you want to sit on a balcony and watch boats, it's not the place to be, because the boats are on the Gulf. On the other hand, if you simply want a balcony overlooking water, it should be fine.

It's not a place I consider to be near "entertainment". In fact, there are very few restaurants nearby. The vast majority of restaurants and tourist activities are nearer the Gulf. I've recommended the Casa Marina to friends who absolutely loved it, but they were primarily interested in the beach/pool area.

Why not do a search of this board for further information? There are lots of different opinions...

Check out the Heron House B & B. It is a gay-friendly place, but lots of heteros. My DH and I loved it--gorgeous rooms with individualized decor, lovely pool, a sunning deck, and shaded balconies. It books fast, so check out their website and see if it is for you. A few short blocks to Duvall Street, Mallory Square, and lots of other stuff. Enjoy!

Oh no, now I'm confused on the location of Casa Marina. According to there website, it states close to the action. Everything is in walking distance. Close to Duvall Street. No need to drive? Is this not true.

Janny, my husband, daughter and I just yesterday returned from Key West and a 5-day stay at the Casa Marina. Husband had a conference there and daughter and I just hung out. It is a pretty resort and staff are extremely interested in your comfort. The man-made beach is pretty and well-maintained and the 2 restaurants are fairly good, although pricey. The Sun-Sun is right on the water and serves lunch and dinner. You can enjoy your meal and drink in your bathing suit and bare feet or in nice clothes. Totally informal. Flager's Restaurant is the nice one there on the property and has good food, although again, it is expensive.

Duval Street is approximately a 20 minute walk away from the Casa Marina through a combination of residential and business neighborhoods. It is not a bad walk, although there are some sections that are rather dark. Nevertheless, we did not feel uncomfortable at any time. A cab ride will cost you $6.00 one-way if you don't want to walk. And cabs are plentiful.

Restaurants we enjoyed were: Conch Republic, Mangia Mangia (my favorite - great Italian and the courtyard is beautiful, private, and comfortable), Latitudes on Sunset Key (a short boat ride away, and fabulous, but too expensive IMHO), and Grand (on Duval right across from the Hard Rock Cafe - ugh). The Grand was great - delicious food and a free bottle of wine, compliments of the concierge at the Casa Marina.

We've never stayed anywhere in Key
West except the Casa Marina, as that is where my husband's conference is held every year, but there are lots of other places to stay which I'm sure are very nice. Do a search on this forum.

Good luck.

The Casa Marina is near Duval, however at the opposite end of old town from the action at Mallory Square... we stayed there for our anniversary in a beautiful suite overlooking the ocean and with a 100 foot beach, we did OK for sunning. walking the length of Duval at a reasonable pace takes 40 minutes... we now prefer staying closer to the action at the Marquesa, Gardens, Ocean Key(Oceanfront)... forget about the beach...instead plan a catamaran day or sunset sail...possibly a day in the dry tortugas, tours of the island on the conch train, casual shopping, drinks at an outdoor patio, museums, and some cuddling...

Janny - the Casa Marina is indeed near Duval, but Duval runs from the Gulf to the Atlantic. All the sunset celebrations and most restaurants and tourist activities are nearer the Gulf. The Bone Island Shuttle has a pretty good map of Key West that includes the location of Casa Marina. Check out the map at boneislandshuttle.com/map.htm. The hub of activity is at the upper left side of the map where the picture of the ship is. Casa Marina is toward the bottom of the page a block or two from Duval.

Thanks. I'll have to check out the map and the other resorts given. Decisons, Decisions?

Janny-I would recommend the Ocean Key Resort.We stayed there in Dec. and loved it. There are large balconies overlooking the Gulf, and also a nice swimming pool overlooking the water. The pier is right there,and there are tables to sit and have a drink or something to eat.There are a lot of room choices, and if they know it is a special occassion, you may get upgraded to a suite like we did. For restaurants, we enjoyed Alices, Ricks Blue Heaven, and Louis Backyard (which is close to Casa Marina.)

I stayed at the Casa Marina over Thanksgiving 2002. The resort is absolutely beautiful but we (a group of 5 rooms) found it really really dirty. I hope you have a better experience.
That said, you MUST go to Louie's Backyard. It is next to the resort and would be my #1 restaurant to spend an anniversary yet. Make a reservation near sunset or watch sunset from the bar while sipping mojitos. Have a great time!

Ok. I'm gonna check out Ocean key resort. Now is the hotel location in walking distance to the activities?

Yes, you are right next to Mallory Square(some of the rooms will overlook Mallory Square, with the ocean behind it.)You are on the gulf side of Duval St. where you can easily walk to stores and restaurants.We also walked to Fort Zachary Taylor Park where there is a decent beach for swimming-you can rent chairs there,and there is a snack bar and changing facilities.