Key Largo or Islamorada- Oceanfront Resort Recommendation Please
 

Heading to the Upper Keys soon for a 4 night trip w/ my husband and our 2 teen girls. Flying into FLL, so we don't want to drive more than about an hour down the Keys.

Any recommendations for an oceanfront resort?

The Marriot Key Largo Bay Resort is almost what we are looking for..except its on the bay.

THANKS!

We usually stay at the Marriot - why do you need to be on the Ocean side??

In Islamorada, both of these are pricey, but very nice. The Cheeca Lodge at
cheeca.com
and next door is the Moorings Village...the disadvantage there is the absence of a restaurant.
mooringsvillage.com

Echoing MiamiBeachMomma's question. Is there a particular reason you want to be on the ocean side rather than the bay side?

Cheeca & Moorings are nice but slightly above our price range. We are going in June and would like to stay in the $200 range per nite.

We were thinking ocean side only because we'd like to spend time on the "beaches", (I hear they are manmade). Wouldn't it be smelly and buggy on the bay?

Should we spend the extra hour in the car and head down to lower keys? I'm not seeing any positive reviews on hotels in the Key Largo/Islamorada area (or else they only have double beds - we'd need 2 queens). Ocean Pointe Suites has great rates and looks pretty, but has awful reviews. Dove Creek doesn't seem to have 2 Queens (only a king w a sofabed or a much larger room which goes for around $350/nite. Mariner's resort also has bad reviews. Also checked out Chesapeake Beach and Islander, but again - just double beds.

There are beaches on the bayside as well as the ocean side. The advantage of the bayside is it is very calm. So if you want to do watersports -its better (well I think so.) The Marriott and the Hilton (both on bayside) in Key Largo have little beaches on the property. The Hilton's beach is larger and the pool is nicer than the Marriott - but the pool is on the other side of the parking lot - which I think is weird.

I cant say that anywhere I have stayed in the Keys is luxurious or really nice (even in Key West where I have paid insane rates.) Although I havent stayed at Cheeca or the Moorings. Its the Keys, its part of the charm of the laid back vibe.

I have never stayed at Hawks Cay, but many of my friends swear by it. They have all kinds of accommodations - from regular hotel rooms to villas.

I've stayed both oceanside and bayside, and I can't recall any difference in bugs or smell. I agree with MiamiBeachMomma that the water on the bayside is generally calmer. Yes, the beaches are generally manmade. The Moorings is very, very nice in a simple, low-key way. I haven't stayed at Hawks Cay (too large for me), but it gets good reviews.

The other thing that makes the bay side nice are the sunsets. You are on the west side of the key and in a perfect spot to enjoy the sunsets.

We have stayed here and enjoyed it.

http://www.lookoutlodge.com/

It is well located and the grounds while small are nice. There is a "beach" next door.