Southernmost Beach Resort

This beachfront hotel is housed in charming, Colonial-style pale yellow buildings with white trim surrounded by lovely green grounds. Paths meander past immaculate grassy lawns dotted with palm trees and skirted in lush greenery and colorful flowers and lead directly to the beach. Tall palm trees, beach umbrellas, and blue lounge chairs pepper the stretch of sandy shore, which also offers a sun tanning pier lined with sun chairs.

The hotel has lovely architectural details such as arched doorways, crown molding, and porthole windows. Interiors are doused in soft, neutral colors for a fresh and clean effect; the lobby’s creamy walls and beige checkerboard floors are illuminated by lots of natural light streaming from large windows framed by beige curtains. There are a couple of armchairs for seating and a large dark wood front desk. The Beach Cafe is a casual, open-air space with a slatted pale turquoise ceiling and light yellow walls. The room is filled with wooden tables and blue chairs, with green plants dangling from wooden posts throughout and tropical art on the walls.

The hotel is located right on the beach on the southern end of Key West, the westernmost of the Florida Keys. It's a block from the quieter end of Duval Street, a main artery, and most of its restaurants, shops, and bars are within a 15-minute walk. Key West can feel like a bit of a tourist trap with its tacky bars, hordes of cruise ship passengers, and T-shirt shops, but it’s one of the few Keys that has historic sites to visit. Several attractions are within walking distance including the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory (a two-minute walk), the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum (nine-minute walk), and the Key West Lighthouse (eight-minute walk). The Key West International Airport is a nine-minute drive, while the Florida Keys Marathon Airport can be reached in about an hour and 10 minutes.

The spacious rooms feature elegant, contemporary decor: handsome dark wood furniture, neutral cream and beige shades, navy armchairs, and curtains festooned with white flowers, which lend a subtle and tasteful beachy feel. Large, beige headboards frame beds topped in plush white linens, while large windows fills the spaces with sunlight. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, iPod docks, Nespresso coffeemakers, and bottled water. Many rooms also have French doors that open onto private, furnished balconies (some with gorgeous ocean views), and some have wet bar areas with sinks and blenders. Bathrooms have granite-topped vanities that offer lots of storage space as well as large walk-in rainfall showers and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries.

The hotel has lovely grounds that include a pool surrounded by a spacious sundeck with lounge chairs and umbrellas, as well as a private, man-made sandy beach with umbrellas and loungers. There’s also a pier filled with more sun chairs. Yoga classes are offered on the beach (for a fee), and the grounds also include a croquet course, beach volleyball, bocce ball, and other games. There is a fitness center with a handful of machines including treadmills, ellipticals, and weights, and spa services such as massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures are also offered in-room or on the beach. The hotel has two poolside bars with drinks and a limited lunch menu, as well as a cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The resort charges an obligatory resort fee, which covers the Wi-Fi and certain facilities like the fitness center. Parking also incurs an additional fee.