Best places to vacation in florida keys

Just like the cast of characters you’ll encounter here, no two Keys—or their hotels—are exactly alike.

Sammy Todd Dyess

Drive south from Miami and you’ll discover an intriguing collection of islands strung together like a shell necklace. Each Florida Key has its own personality, so whether you lean more rugged, refined, or raucous, there is one to match your mood. 

First up, Key Largo: Sure, it’s littered with kitsch, but don’t let that dissuade you. Turn off the main highway and you’ll find some terrific spots for relaxing by, in, and under the water. Or cruise down to more sophisticated Islamorada, where fine dining and purple-hued sunsets compete for your attention, along with a host of resorts. Further south, Duck Key beckons families with its summer-camp vibe. Then, keep heading all the way south to Key West to discover legendary characters, a fierce independent streak, and festive fun. Just like the islands themselves, you’ll discover a variety of hotels and resorts along the way, from sprawling and intimate to laidback and luxurious; it’s all here in America’s Caribbean. Here, the best places to stay in the Florida Keys.

Read our Key West travel guide here.

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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  Opal Key Resort & Marina

  Opal Key Resort & Marina Arrow

  $$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021

  Steps from Mallory Square and a block from Duval Street, Opal Key feels like the headquarters of happiness (with water views to boot). The rooms and suites epitomize coastal elegance with soft colors, patterned carpets, and chic furnishings, but the real fun is experienced outside the room. There is all-day dining, a pool with major party vibes, and a Sunset Deck with views of the nightly sunset celebration on the pier.

• Bungalows Key Largo

  Bungalows Key Largo Arrow

  $$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2022

  There are times in life when it’s great to be an adult, and Bungalows Key Largo is one of those reasons. Its 12 waterfront acres are a veritable surf and sand playground, but this adults-only resort means your mid-afternoon nap won’t be interrupted by mini meltdowns. Bungalows Key Largo was the hottest thing to hit the Keys in 2019, only to be devastated by a fire three months after opening. Like a phoenix, this resort rose from the ashes and is humming along. It’s an all-inclusive, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get the rowdy bunch here. This is for couples who like to play as much as they like to party, and with plentiful water sports, yoga sessions, and a spa, there’s always something to do.

• Curio Collection by Hilton

  Baker’s Cay Resort Key Largo, Curio Collection by Hilton Arrow

  $$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

  Open since February 2019 in Key Largo, Baker’s Cay Resort has been a hit with Traveler readers from the jump. It spans 15 tropical acres that were once a pineapple plantation tucked away off the busy Overseas Highway. The resort has 200 rooms but manages to maintain a boutique and intimate feel with winding nature trails throughout leading to quiet beaches. Rooms—including lavish suites with views of Florida Bay—have handcrafted wood furnishings, custom tile work in the bathrooms, and hardwood floors. There are several options for on-site dining that include poolside tacos, a mobile food truck, and Caribbean-Creole cuisine with bay views at the more upscale (but still Florida Keys casual) Calusa restaurant. Other amenities include a kids’ camp, two swimming pools with a waterfall grotto, and hammocks everywhere. Seaplane rides, scuba diving, and fishing charters all can be arranged. The resort is pet-friendly, too, with beachside tiki huts for dogs and even pet lifejackets on offer. Kayaking and paddleboarding are included in the resort fee.

• Little Palm Island Resort & Spa

  Little Palm Island Resort & Spa Arrow

  $$$ | Hot List 2021 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022

  Dream of the world’s top tropical private island resorts, and immediately places like Maldives, the South Pacific, and the BVIs come to mind. The continental U.S.? Not so much. But it turns out that a close-to-home private island retreat is once again thriving on an isle off the Florida Keys: the small but mighty Little Palm Island. This hideaway had been catering to the travel elite since 1988, but was ravaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Spinning tragedy into opportunity, the resort embarked on a complete rebuild and redesign that took nearly three years to complete. By summer 2020, a rejuvenated Little Palm Island was ready for its close up, debuting a seductive tropical aesthetic and a timeless beachy elegance. Combined with the island’s natural setting, castaway vibe, new programming, and new amenities, it finally feels on par with the world’s best far-flung private islands. Little Palm Island 2.0 proves that sometimes a sequel is even better than the original.

• Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort

  Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort Arrow

  $$

  Take the conveniences of a hotel and blend them with the privacy and space of an Airbnb, and you’ll get a taste of Tranquility Bay. Guest rooms are nestled within houses, making it feel like you’re staying in your own beach home rather than a hotel (and help you avoid that awkward small talk in the hallway). Even the interiors scream “beach house,” from the curvy white wooden headboards and wicker furnishings to the bright Adirondack chairs on the porches. When you are ready to share space with other guests, head to one of the three pools or TJ’s Tiki Bar, the go-to spot for lunch and sunset cocktails.

• The Moorings Village

  The Moorings Village Arrow

  $$ | Gold List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019

  While some travelers live for the joy of meeting fellow jetsetters when they go anywhere, others prefer to exist in seclusion. Guests of The Moorings Village fall into that latter category. Though it’s located on an 18-acre stretch of waterfront land, the resort only has eight private villas, which truly makes it feel like you’ve got the place to yourself. (Not to mention the added privacy provided by more than 800 coconut palms, which works out to about 42.1 trees per villa.) With in-room perks like ocean views, porches with hammocks, king-size beds covered in pillows, and TVs with Amazon Fire Sticks, it feels as it the owners are going out of their way to devise ways to make you never want to leave. Throw in a private beach, complimentary bicycles, and on-site kayaks, and The Moorings Village really is the next-best option to owning your own oceanfront Keys villa.

• Isla Bella Beach Resort

  Isla Bella Beach Resort Arrow

  $$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021

  We’ll forgive you for wondering if this is Marathon or the Mediterranean. The whitewashed, Greek-inspired architecture and the eye-catching blue and white interiors set a sophisticated tone at this family-friendly resort. It is the total package with nearly a mile-long private beach, five pools, a marina, waterfront restaurants, and a large spa—not to mention European-style elegance without the sticker shock or long flight. You also can’t beat the location: Situated on Knights Key in Marathon, midway between Miami and Key West, it’s the perfect home base for exploring the Keys.

• Cheeca Lodge & Spa

  Cheeca Lodge & Spa Arrow

  $$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

  Rebuilt and reimagined after the most recent hurricane season, Islamorada’s Cheeca Lodge has been a beloved resort since 1946. With the longest pier in the Keys, a stretch of sandy beach, three pools, a spa, and almost countless activities, there is no shortage of ways to spend a sunny day here. That’s why the resort tends to draw a more active crowd. If you’re hoping to just pull up a lounge chair and sip something fruity with a little umbrella in it, you might want to look elsewhere.

• Jeff Herron

  Reefhouse Resort & Marina Arrow

  Readers' Choice Awards 2018

  Reefhouse Resort & Marina’s beachy location—not to mention its 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event venues—makes it a popular destination for weddings and meetings. It’s also a paradise for underwater adventurers, with its own basin and dive shop and close proximity (about a five-minute drive) to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The rooms are fresh and bright with a chic nautical flair; many have balconies, and those with bay front views are the ones to book. There’s also a spa with a comprehensive treatment menu.

• Scott Baker

  Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection Arrow

  $$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

  This member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection is a welcome sight after driving past an almost endless string of fast food outlets and tacky shops on the Overseas Highway in Key Largo. The gleaming lobby feels more cosmopolitan than tropical with nary a seashell or palm leaf in sight. It’s definitely a nice departure from the typical decor you’ll find in the Keys. This is a full-service resort with a spa that shouldn’t be missed and four restaurants and bars, each offering a different experience. Locally-sourced fine dining spot La Marea is even becoming a culinary destination in its own right.

• Hawks Cay Resort

  Hawks Cay Resort Arrow

  $$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

  Just when you thought you’d crossed all of the bridges connecting the Keys, you’ll turn off the highway and onto another one, which serves as a grand entrance to Hawks Cay. Surrounded by water, this polished Floridian resort looks and feels like a true island getaway. Rooms are fresh and sophisticated, with hardwood floors, comfortable beds, and beach cottage-style furnishings and accents. Above all, this a place for families, with excellent kids’ programming and an opportunity for people of all ages to interact with dolphins in their natural habitat. 

• Greg Ceo Photography 

  The Reach Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton Arrow

  $$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020

  The Reach offers the best of both worlds, with easy access to Duval Street and beachfront property. It is a little less rollicking than some other Key West hotels, but the mood here matches the decor: bright and upbeat. The rooms have a contemporary coastal appeal with a soothing blue-and-white palette interspersed with pops of color (we see you, hibiscus-toned chair), while the Tide to Table dining experience is perfect for intimate or special occasions. There aren’t too many on-site amenities for young children, but you’ll be within walking distance of more Key West hot spots than you can possibly hit in one trip.

• Casa Morada

  Casa Morada Arrow

  $$

  Is this the Keys or the Caribbean? The lines are blurred at this evocative hotel that conjures barefoot island living to a tee. Nightly rates include snorkeling gear, bikes for exploring Islamorada’s bike paths, and stand-up paddleboards—and there’s free yoga three days a week. You can also access the resort’s tiny but pretty private island via a footbridge from the “mainland” where the suites are located. There’s a freshwater pool on the island, as well as a hidden cabana and a pavilion where you can scope for passing manatees and dolphins and watch the sunset.

• Islander Resort

  Islander Resort Arrow

  Islamorada is one of the most popular Keys (with good reason), and the Islander Resort is in the heart of it all. It has a prime location right on the water but it’s also close to to the many restaurants and attractions that define the destination. If you’re looking for posh, look elsewhere; but if you want comfortable accommodations that won’t soak you, the Islander fits the bill. It’s why you’ll find everyone from couples to families with young kids here. 

Eco-conscious 1 Hotel is gloriously beautiful, beachfront, and gives you very little reason to leave.

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