Seafarer Resort and Beach

Located on Key Largo, The Seafarer Resort and Beach is a collection of cottage-style rooms with access to a private beach. This stretch of sand with hammocks tied between palm trees is a particular highlight of the hotel, since it lacks other amenities such as a pool, restaurant, or gym.

Situated just off of the busy Overseas Highway that connects each of the islands in the Florida Keys, the hotel has an iconic sign by the road featuring a man dressed in a yellow rain jacket and holding a light. Inside a white gate, there is free parking and a series of one-story buildings housing the office and motel-style rooms.

The office is tiny with yellow walls and an aquarium that doubles as the front desk. The room is a little unkept and cluttered, with travel brochures displayed on a table against one wall and yellow-and-white striped beach towels haphazardly stacked on a book shelf against the other wall.

The best part of the property is the beach, which features tiki huts and lounge chairs. The hotel offers lower rates than nearby properties, but its rooms leave much to be desired.

Located on the southeast end of Key Largo (which is known as the first of the Florida Keys), the Seafarer Resort and Beach is situated along the water's edge. Most guests rent a car when they travel in the Upper and Middle Keys because its the easiest way to get from place to place (taxis are basically nonexistent and restaurants are too spread out to reach by foot). A popular restaurant called The Pilot House is located about two miles northeast of the hotel. The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is located about five miles away.

As is the case with most budget properties, rooms are basic with tiny windows and outdated furniture. The decor is Florida kitschy with predictable floral prints, aging wicker or rattan furniture, and tropical-themed knickknacks. Each room is slightly different, but most bathrooms have shower curtains with an under-the-sea theme, white tiles, and old showerheads. Some rooms have flat-screen TVs, while others have old tube TVs. Some rooms have mini-fridges, while others have kitchenettes with full-size refrigerators and microwaves -- though little to no counter space. Guest rooms are housed in cottage-style, one-story buildings that do not offer much in the way of ocean views.

The Seafarer’s best (and basically only) feature is its location directly on the beach. There are multi-colored Adirondack chairs and wooden lounge chairs, plus a few hammocks hanging between palm trees, and tables shaded by tiki huts and surrounded by plastic chairs. It’s a little crowded with lots of different types of furniture, but has a quirky, tropical vibe. Guests have free use of shared kayaks, but must pay a fee to use single kayaks or the stand-up paddleboards. There’s a dock that stretches out into the shallow water that has an aqua-colored picnic table situated at the end. A free (but fairly basic) breakfast is served daily in a makeshift patio area. Free Wi-Fi is available, but spotty.