elizabeth

My family consisting of 2 adults and 3 children under the age of 10. We are planning to visit Key West next sping break for 4 nights (2001).

I'm gathering information about hotels and the Hyatt was suggested by the folks at the Marquesa Hotel - who don't accept reservations from folks with young children.

Comments needed......

Also have a recommendation to stay at the Wyndum (spelling?)/Marriott Reach Hotel. Not the Casa Marina becuase the Reach has a nicer beach.

Comments on this too would be GREAT.


Much thanks in advance....

elizabeth..

Actually, the name of the hotel is Hyatt's Key West Resort and Marina.

susan

My husband and I have fallen in love with the Galleon, which is a timeshare that rents to non-owners. (They have a website you can check out) It has fully equipped kitchens and washing machine/dryers. It's in the thick of activity and is next door to the Hyatt Resort on Front Street. I can't remember exactly which Hyatt property the Sunset Harbor is. There's a Hyatt timeshare next door to the Hilton that looks real nice, but the Hyatt also has property that's far away from Old Town, and I wouldn't advise you to stay there. You've got the Wyndham properties mixed up. The Casa Marina is the one with the nice beach, not the Reach. Both of these are - in my estimation - too far away from the sunset activities, restaurants, tourist attractions, etc.

jayne

Elizabeth,
My husband and I recently stayed at the Hyatt Key West Resort and we were very pleased with it. The rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated. The location is great. It's right in Old Town.

CMcDaniel

Hyatt Hotels only has one property on Key West--the Front St property that Elizabeth was inquiring about, Hyatt Key West Resort and Marina. Hyatt Corporation also runs a timeshare operation on Key West, but this is an entirely separate division, not connected in anyway to Hyatt Hotels.

We've stayed at the resort, loved it and had a great time, but were not looking for a beach vacation. The beach is practically non-existent and though I'm not familiar with the other places you mention, it's very unusual to have much beach anywhere in Key West!

The rooms in the resort are very tropical looking--light, bright and airy, tile floors etc and I believe all have at least partial views of the water. Pool area was certainly pretty but again, not something we used. (We live on the beach otherwise, so that just wasn't our focus)

The hotel is very convenient to all the goings on in Old Town, easy walking distance to Mallory Square, Duval St etc. Floridays leaves from Hyatt's dock for sunset cruises or snorkeling trips--do try one of those, even if you end up staying elsewhere! We've done sunset cruises elsewhere but this was really enjoyable as it doesn't take that many people out at once.

This resort has a website if you'd like a preview. http://www.hyatt.com then follow the links.

I want to add, as I always do on notes like this, that my husband is a Hyatt GM. I'm writing only to provide info, and honestly, have no interest in promoting the hotel...not that they need it! gt; It's a small hotel by the way, 120 rooms, and as it does fill up quickly, you are wise to be making your decisions this far out! Good luck and wherever you end up, I'm sure you'll have a super time!

elizabeth

After a bit more research and taking into consideration the current comments. Being cost effective is an objective here.

The Hyatt will cost from $309 to $329 a night. The Wyndham $239 a night and the Galleon $430 a night.

I'm leaning towards the Wyndham now. Comments??????

CMcDaniel

Elizabeth...I just took a look at Hyatt Key West's website. If you are still interested, be sure to click on "slide show" when you get there. The last slide in that series shows their beach very well. Gives you a good idea of what I meant by the size!!

As I'm not familiar with that Wyndham, can't help there, sorry. Usually though, they are very nice hotels. We can stay at Hyatts at no cost, a nice perk, but if we are someplace with no Hyatts, my philosophy has always been to put the money into other aspects of our trip. If you are anything like us, we are only in our rooms long enough to get some sleep and shower!

elizabeth

thanks for info....

The beach would be somewhat important. From what I've found out, the beaches are not crystal white. Which is o.k. since we moved from Texas and are use to that type of sand. You never knew what might float up too. The children are small to where they would just wade in the surf so I'm not too worried about the coral.

The pool(s) would be most important for everyone.

susan

We stayed at the Hyatt a few times before we decided to move next door to the Galleon, and the rooms we got were on the smallish side. With 5 people, you'd definitely need 2 rooms, and at the prices you mention, that could really add up fast. We've been paying about $1300 from Saturday to Saturday at the Galleon.

Julie

We just returned from Key West and stayed at the Hyatt. It was a very nice resort and we'd stay there again.

I'd like to second the recommendation to take a trip on Floridays. We had an amazing time going out to the reef for a morning snorkel trip. There were only six of us on the boat except for the crew.

I don't know if they will be running this promotion next spring, but Hyatt has a great discount if you're a member of AAA. Our cost per night was $169 and the lowest I could get on the website for the same time period was $270 per night.

Another option if you have them is American Airline hotel award certificates that you get when you redeem points for airline tickets. One of the buy one night get one free hotel chains is Hyatt. We used those in Kauai last year and saved a bundle.

susan

Having reread your initial request, Elizabeth, I see that the property you asked about was not the hotel but the Hyatt timeshare. With a family of 5, that sounds like a good suggestion. I have no idea what their prices are, but I'd sure look into it.

Rachel

Hi. I work in Florida as a lifeguard. The Keys are a lot of fun but somewhere you can't really go to the beach at. The Keys you will do more shopping. If you have young kids I would say go to the Keys for a day or two then drive up the coast to somewhere like Miami or somewhere or do to Disney World. E-mail me if you have any more questions about Florida like I said I work there as a lifeguard but I lve in Texas.

Gina

Elizabeth, Rachel's right about the beaches. Key West is wonderful in so many ways--I'm dreaming of the chance to go back--but it's definitely not a top "beach" destination. Smathers Beach, on the way in from the airport, is very polluted. Probably the best beach in town is at Fort Zachary Taylor, out through the Truman Annex complex--I enjoyed an afternoon there, but even that area isn't really the kind of place I'd think of when I think of a good day at the beach. It's *extremely* rocky, both on shore and underwater. Definitely bring beach shoes.

I wouldn't drive all the way up to Disney World, though; I'm sure there are other spots nearby in the Keys with good beaches for day trips. Does anyone else here know the rest of the Keys?

susan

In terms of beaches, the keys are pretty much all the same. Since the keys are coral, all the beaches there are man-made with imported sand. To add insult to injury, in Key West some of the water is polluted, so not all beaches are open. To get the wide, white sandy things most of us covet in good beaches, you probably need to drive all the way up to Miami.