A Key West hotel review and comparison is important to help with research when choosing where to stay so that you can get the most enjoyment for your money. Key West hotels can be expensive depending on the time of year so it’s best to research and plan your trip early to get the best deals.
Visiting Key West for vacation is amazing and there is much more to see and do than wait in line for a photo op at the Southernmost Point.
We just got back from an epic trip (last month) and had the chance to stay at 4 different hotels (2 nights each) so we can compare the benefits and drawbacks of each place to help you plan your next Key West vacation.
Spoiler alert: We still loved them all, but there are some things to consider when choosing where to stay. The hotels we are comparing are the Hyatt Centric, The Reach Resort, Casa Marina, and the budget Blue Marlin Motel.
Key West Hotel Review and Comparison
First, let me say that we have stayed at many hotels and bed and breakfasts throughout the Old and New Town areas of Key West. We prefer the Old Town area because of the ease of walking or renting a cart, bike, etc to get around all of the areas that we love. Also, parking is sometimes hard to find so it is best to stay in the middle of all of the action.
Compared to other cities with luxury prices (and rooms), Key West’s rooms that we’ve experienced sometimes have a retro feel and the exorbitant prices can seem extreme. However, you are paying for location and being in the middle of all of the action and fun.
Also, the Old Town Key West area is very compact so accomodation space is at a premium, especially during busy times. It just depends how important it is to you to be within walking distance from all of the main activities.
That is not to say that some of the hotel rooms aren’t luxurious, but if you read TripAdvisor reviews and see a lot of complaints on a certain property it is usually because someone feels they paid too much for what they got room-wise (sometimes rates can be upwards of 800.00$ a night!).
*Don’t forget to check out why we think Key West is also a Beatuiful Winter Trip Destination
Going with realistic expectations is important and we have not stayed anywhere there that was unacceptable in Key West (even budget hotels)!
We had four rooms at each of the four hotels that we are reviewing so there were several chances to see the pros and cons of rooms at each location.
1. Hyatt Centric Key West
The location of this hotel is perfect! It is in Old Town very near Mallory Square and Duvall Street on the Gulf Side. There are many things to do in the area as well as boat tours from the adjacent marina.
Hyatt Centric Key West Hotel Review and Comparison:
- The Grounds –
The grounds are amazing at the Hyatt centric. It’s a very compact hotel, but the use of space makes it feel luxurious. Although there is no real beach here, there is a small area with steps to go into the into the water (pictured above) that you can snorkel right off the dock.
Brookstone makes a great waterproof phone case that is easy to use for snorkeling pics and videos. There are also JetSki rentals and boat tours adjacent to the hotel. There’s plenty of chairs (and hammock chairs) to lounge in, multiple turtle santuary habitats to view, as well as resident birds to talk to.
- The Rooms–
The rooms at the Hyatt centric stand out because they were just perfect. They are spacious and well-appointed. We had a room on the third floor with a wraparound balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. There was also a second balcony that overlooks the pool area. The room was well equipped, and even had a seating area with a comfortable sofa and chairs. Bathrobes and slippers were also provided for our use during the stay. Other members of our group had rooms with balconies overlooking the turtle ponds and their rooms also were beautiful with seating areas.
- Check-in Experience–
The check and experience was great. There was no wait at the front desk. Our rooms were ready early and one of our rooms was upgraded to an ocean suite with a wraparound balcony so we were super excited.
- The Staff–
The staff at the Hyatt centric went out of their way to make sure that all of our rooms were ready and to upgrade us in one of the rooms. Everyone we encountered was professional, and went out of their way to make our stay at the hotel great.
- On-site Dining and Bar-
We had breakfast at the restaurant overlooking the water on the patio which was amazing. The food was great. We also had appetizers and drinks at the bar next to the pool. The Key Lime Colada was perfect!
- Other things to keep in mind–
The snorkeling here was great and we saw more wildlife here than any other hotel. Every morning there were stingrays, fish, a manatee, and nurse shark that we saw either from our balcony or while snorkeling! We also loved that the lights from the dock stayed on all night which brought some really big tarpons and other fish that were fun to watch.
Also, there is a Spa at Hyatt Centric that looked beautiful, but we did not get to try it (next time!).
Would we stay again at Hyatt Centric Key West?
Of course! This hotel is one of my favorites. The grounds, the rooms, and the staff here make Hyatt centric a great place to stay if we have Hyatt points to use (or the budget). It is also near Mallory Square in right in the middle of everything! The sunsets from the Hyatt Centric Key West are also amazing.
What We Didn’t Love:
The only negative for this hotel is that the price point during special events or busy times is pretty high. We have a trip planned for New Years weekend and if we weren’t using Hyatt points (35000/night) then the room would be above 1000$ per nignt for that weekend.
2. Casa Marina Key West Curio Colleciton (Hilton)
Casa Marina Update: They are currently closed and undergoing a full renovation!!! They will reopen in September with final renovations to be done in December. See the beautiful plans for Casa Marina here! We will post updated pics after our December trip of the revamped resort!
We love staying at Casa Marina and really feel like we are staying in paradise while drinking a fruity pineapple cocktail at one of the two pools in the resort. It is also on the quiet side, yet still a short walk to many activities.
Casa Marina Key West Hotel Review and Comparison:
- The Grounds –
The grounds of Casa Marina are beautiful. I would say it’s the most beautiful hotel of the four as far as the grounds go. There are two pools, a family pool, and an adult pool as well as a beach with chairs that you can relax on the Atlantic. There’s also a fire pit with chairs for seating at night. Note: The beach at Casa Marina has beach chairs and they are nice to relax in, but there is usually a lot of seaweed in the water (at least when we’ve been there) so it is hard to snorkel from the beach.
There are also awesome sand sculptures near the beach (and a class!) and some similar sculptures to The Reach Resort grounds sculptures in front of the Casa Marina lobby.
- The Rooms–
Some of the rooms at Casa Marina are not as luxurious as some resorts. They can have a retro-feel. The historic buildings don’t seem to have been updated recently, but we found the rooms nice and well-stocked (we are also not picky when using points). Some of the furniture was a bit worn in the seating area. If we were paying upwards of 500$ per night I would probably concur with some of the Tripadvisor reviews. We stayed on points at 95,000 points per night for a standard room and were upgraded to a Lanai. The grounds and service at Casa Marina more than make up for older rooms!
- Check-in Experience–
The check and experience at Casa Marina was great. Patrick at the front desk took care of us and is very helpful. Our room was ready early and Patrick made sure that we were upgraded to a Lanai King room. We were more than happy.
- The Staff–
The staff at Casa Marina are amazing. We have had no problems with any staff. They always go out of their way to help and make sure things are perfect.
Besides Patrick at the front desk, we especially loved the pool staff, who always made sure that we had towels and our space was set up perfectly. Food delivery at the pool is quick and the pineapple drink cart attendants were amazing as well.
Like The Reach, the pool attendants also bring frozen treats around to cool things off while you are lounging at the pool on hot days.
- On-site Dining and Bar-
The restaurants and bars at Casa Marina that we tried were the breakfast patio area in the morning and the cafe near the beach. The breakfast was pricey, but with the 30$ Diamond credit from Hilton it makes it a little better. You can’t put a price on the amazing view from the patio area at breakfast!
- Other things to keep in mind–
The seaweed has been not great here during all of the times we have visited so it is not easy to snorkel from the beach. However, the chairs and bar service are great if you just want to lounge on the beach and enjoy the view.
Would we stay again at Casa Marina Key West?
Absolutely! I always try to stay at Casa Marina at least two nights when we visit Key West. We do usually stay on points when staying here. We really love Casa Marina!
What We Didn’t Love:
The less than perfect things about this hotel are the previously mentioned worn rooms and the price point. However, the positives outweigh the negatives by a mile here and it is one of our favorites!
Blue Marlin Motel Key West Review and Comparison:
3. Blue Marlin Motel Key West
The blue marlin resort is a cute little budget motel with a retro feel on the southside of Old Town on Simonton Street near near the Atlantic side of Duval Street. It’s just a short walk to the famous Southernmost Point buoy from here.
- The Grounds –
The grounds are not much, but you have a parking lot outside of the rooms which is convenient. There’s a free breakfast served buffet-style near the pool. The pool area was more than adequate and we enjoyed a day there. There’s also a food truck nearby outside the parking lot that had great coffee each morning.
- The Rooms–
The rooms at the blue marlin were much better than I thought they would be. I thought that because it was a budget hotel that they would look more like a cheap motel, but they were recently redone and we loved them. There was a little seating area, fridge and microwave, and nice decor. We had a room with 2 queen beds and they were comfortable.
- Check-in Experience–
The check and experience was quick and efficient. They seem really rule- oriented there and wanted the info of each person in the rooms.
- The Staff–
The staff that we encountered was limited to the front desk, but she was efficient and friendly
- Other things to keep in mind–
The location of this hotel is nice because it is on the more quiet end of the Duvall corridor, yet it is still close to many attractions.
Would we stay again at Blue Marlin Motel Key West?
Of course, we wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again. The Blue Marline Motel is the most inexpensive and it’s still in a great area close to everything! Also, there’s a free parking spot included with the room so even though we didn’t have a car, we could park our electric cart there without having to look for parking.
What We Didn’t Love:
The only negative for this hotel is that it is basic without onsite dining, but the price point makes up for it and it’s proximity to so many restaurants and bars nearby.
4. The Reach Resort Key West (Hilton)
The resort is on the Atlantic side which is a bit more quiet, but close to many activities in Key West including the Southernmost Point, the Key West Lighthouse, Hemingway House, and Bamaha Village. This hotel can get pricey both if paying with money or Hilton points, but it is a great property to use any reward nights that you may have.
The Reach Key West Hotel Review and Comparison:
- The Grounds –
The grounds at the Reach Resort are beautiful. There is a pool and funky sculptures everywhere (some look so life-like) with outdoor games (giant chess) and seating on the great lawn. The pier area was also a favorite spot to walk out and look at the fish swimming by. The beach here is really nice and we snorkeled right from the beach each day. We also ordered food and drinks to be delivered to our beach chairs and it was nice to not have to get up and just relax and enjoy that amazing view.
- The Rooms–
The rooms at the Reach Resort are nice and tropical. We stayed on points (95,000 points per night) and if I were paying money for this hotel I would not be as happy with the rooms. We paid for an upgrade to a beach view balcony, but I had to squint and look through the trees to even see the beach so I felt that it was not worth paying for the upgrade.
- Check-in Experience–
Our checking experience was also not the greatest at The Reach Resort. Our room was not ready until after check-in time and they were just not the friendliest at the front desk. To be fair, they were really crowded and another traveler was being loud and rude in his displeasure at his room not being ready so that may have added to the experience.
- The Staff–
The staff were overwhelmed in the front lobby and the pool chair attendants were also not the friendliest. The rest of the restaurant, bar, and pool staff were great though! Also, like Casa Marina they brought around free frozen pops at different times on the beach and at the pool which was a welcome treat.
- On-site Dining and Bar-
We at breakfast at the restaurant on the patio overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and it was pricey, but good! Staying on Hilton points and diamond status will get you a 30$ (for 2) per day credit back on food purchases charged to your room so it makes it a little more reasonable. The view is amazing though! The food we ordered on the beach was also really good and being able to enjoy the view was priceless!
- Other things to keep in mind–
The snorkeling here was nice and the pier is a great spot to watch wildlife in the shallow water. Some days there is more seaweed than others, but they try to keep it clear. There were also activities going on at the resort like exercise classes so definitely find out what the schedule is if you visit.
Would we stay again at The Reach Resort Key West?
I definitely would, but only if I had Hilton points or reward nights to use. The points price was 95000/night, but I have seen it double that aso I would choose somewhere elese if the rates were that high. I did enjoy the beach and the grounds as well as the bar there but the check and experience and the staff there were subpar. if I were paying full-price, I would stay at another option.
What We Didn’t Love:
The negatives was the previously mentioned check-in experience and the non-points price point as well as the so not-worth-it ocean view balcony upgrade. However, the hotel is beautiful and we had a great time!
Bottom Line on the Key West Hotel Comparison Review:
If your future vacation plans involve a trip to Key West’s Old Town area, you really can’t go wrong with any of the hotels we reviewed. Hopefully our experiences will help you make a great choice for your next trip so you know what to expect.
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Also, if you are flying into Key West check out our new guide with travel packing tips to fly with carry-on luggage only!
Are You Ready to Visit Key West for Fun and Adventure?
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We also have a guide with great ideas on the best Florida Keys camping spots to visit.