Please recommend room at Ocean Key Resort
 

Hi! After much research my fiance and I have decided to book the Ocean Key Resort for our honeymoon. We are going in February 2004 and we're trying to decide between a junior suite-oceanview or a Deluxe Oceanfront guestroom. Help! We're looking for something with a terrific view that is very romantic. Can anyone suggest which style room is a better fit? They cost the same. Also, if you have a specific room you've stayed in and loved it we'd love to know. Thanks!

I assume you're talking about The Ocean Key Resort in Key West. If so, it's wonderful! Having said that, you do need to be careful which room/suite you get. We got a junior suite with an ocean view and the accommodation itself was wonderful. However, the balcony overlooked an outside bathroom area for the swimming pool! We could see Mallory Square (and that was great), but the closest view was of folks going in and out of the bathroom. If I were you, I'd either get a room or suite with a view that fronts the water, or get something on a high floor.

Unless I'm mistaken all the suites have refrigerators and kitchen areas (ours did), and the guestrooms do not. Good luck! February is a wonderful time to be in Key West.

Thanks for the feedback. I just booked a deluxe oceanfront guestroom which I guess has an unobstructed view of the water and a big marble jacuzzi tub in the middle of the room. I requested a higher floor. The only drawback is this room is 350 sq. feet as opposed to the 600 sq. ft. junior suites. The junior suites just have a regular jacuzzi tub in the bathroom and some have obstructed views (cruise ships). I'd love someone's feedback about which of these two styles is more romantic. I guess I just want reassurance that the deluxe oceanfront guestrooms are REALLY nice because they do cost the same as the junior suites. Thanks!

Having only seen the junior suites, I can just guess the difference between them and the guestrooms. The junior suite we had had a huge living room/kitchen. In the bedroom there was a big jacuzzi. The bathroom was long and narrow...definitely no room for a jacuzzi, and barely enough room for two people to navigate. As I recall, there were balconys off both the bedroom and the living room. In our case, the one in the bedroom was pretty much blocked by foliage and a glimpse of the swimming pool (which was LOUD). And as I've said, the living room was the one with the unfortunate view.

I honestly can't imagine a cruise ship impeding your view, unless it'd be a view of the sunset. The only nearby place that cruise ships dock is in front of the Hilton, so you'd have to be looking out of the side of your room in order to see a ship. It'd be impossible for your view of the Gulf to be blocked by a cruise ship docked at the Hilton. In any event, it's rare for a cruise ship to dock overnight...they nearly always leave before the sunset.

It sounds to me like you've definitely gotten the best view with the room you've booked. The only reason you might prefer a suite would be if you plan on spending enough time there to warrant the extra space.

We stayed in the Jr. Suite on the 3rd floor overlooking Mallory Square to the left and the pool to the right. Susan must have had the unit just below us because I remember there was a building down below and it must have been the restrooms. I got the most gorgeous pics from our balcony (which you can get to from the bedroom. Susan is right, the bathroom is very narrow with a shower and commode at the end. However, the jacuzzi was really cool with a view across the beds to the outside. Just don't use bubble bath cuz the control is on the outer wall and you have to get out to turn it off.

On Christmas morning just before sunrise I woke up and saw a huge cruise ship outside our room (so close I could see the passengers eating breakfast on the top deck). The ship Santa brought us was gone in the afternoon. The ships come and go. In 4 days, that was the only one that docked right in front of us.

Make sure your room is overlooking the pool and Mallory Square and you can't miss. And don't go below the 3rd floor.

The staff is extremely nice. And when you stay there, they send you a $200 hotel certificate to use on your next "Noble House" stay in the gift shop, restaurants, etc., but not for the room. I got one and can't find it, but I think it would expire before your dates. I lucked out and met a woman at the bookstore who received one and gave it to me for our trip. I made her homemade rumballs for Christmas! Not a bad trade... LOL

HAVE FUN!

The description "oceanfront" is truly that, while the "oceanview" rooms all have a view of the water but actually face Mallory Square and the water beyond. The small guest rooms are the second bedroom of the two bedroom suites I have stayed in several times (and I'm not sure if they still have them) and the "junior suites" are basically the dining/living room and master bedroom of the two bedroom suites. Personally, I would prefer an oceanview junior suite to an oceanfront guest room. As long as you're higher than the third floor you'll be fine.

I have to correct myself, we stayed in a one bedroom suite, I don't know if that's the same as a junior suite, or not. Personally, I enjoyed overlooking the pool and Mallory Square. It seems that strictly an ocean view might be boring, but now that I think about it, the suites overlooking the ocean seemed to be quite nice. If you overlook Mallory Square, you'll get a fantastic sunset view. It is gorgeous seeing the sailboats going by all day long. Our suite looked just like the pics on their website, too. Postal gave you some good tips.

You will have a great time at this hotel. The staff is great. I'm not sure what our room was called, there was no living area, just the bed, jacuzzi tub and the long vanity then the shower and comode. The balcony was the best thing...ours overlooked the pool, then the ocean and then Chiristmas Tree Island and the Island next to it with the resort on it. If you laid on the bed with the balcony doors open you can listen to the ocean and it looks like you could step into the ocean if you went off the balcony. Great place for a honeymoon. The restaurant is also really good. One of the best places we ate and we are both chef's. And don't miss the polydactal cats at Hemingways house!

Thank you to everyone for all the great feedback. For anyone else reading these posts, there is a difference between the jr. suite and the one bedroom. As I said before the jr. suites do NOT have a big jacuzzi in the room. They have a regular tub with jacuzzi jets in the bathroom. So, I'm going to stick with the oceanfront guestroom because the privacy of the balcony overlooking just the water appeals to me and the big marble jacuzzi in the room sounds very romantic. The one bedroom suites would also be great but we don't need a kitchen and it would cost more. We're already paying $429 per night - which is steaper than what we'd normally pay for a room but Feb. is peak season and it's our honeymoon so what the heck! :) Thanks again everyone!

Hi Harmonize! I was interested in how your honeymoon went? My husband and I have reservations at Ocean Key Resort in May for our 5th wedding anniversary. We also booked an oceanfront deluxe guestroom. Can you give me some details about the room? What activities were the most fun (i.e. snorkeling, parasailing, etc.)? What about restaurants? Thanks!