LOWER KEYS OFFER LUXURY VACATIONS ON PRIVATE ISLANDS
FLORIDA KEYS — Visitors to the Florida Keys can choose from a wealth of accommodations options. For the ultimate in luxury vacations, eclipsing the elegance of a suite in a fine resort or historic bed-and-breakfast, it’s even possible to book a private island.
Lovers of luxury seeking a vacation experience unlike any other can choose from among several lush, palm-shaded private islands offered for rent. Island accommodations might feature large tropical estate homes, smaller hideaways furnished with antiques and Caribbean flair or beach houses with water’s-edge hammocks and sunbathing decks.
The private island getaways dot the chain of islands from the Middle Keys to Key West, and offer amenities including fishing and dive boats, personal watercraft, optional private chefs and on-site managers to see to guests’ every need. The islands are accessible only by boat.
In the Lower Keys, Coupon Key is a 14-acre island located just minutes offshore at mile marker 27 oceanside. It offers a 4,000-square-foot, fully furnished, air-conditioned house incorporating nine bedrooms, four baths, a dining room and full kitchen, rooftop bar, wraparound deck and a 250-foot Atlantic Ocean dock.
A personal chef or catering can be arranged, and the house can be stocked with groceries at the guests’ request. Activities available to guests include swimming and snorkeling the crystalline waters surrounding the island. Deep-sea or flats fishing charters can be arranged, as can dive trips, sailing and boat rentals, and massages or hair and nail services. Satellite television, a barbecue grill and a billiard room add to the entertainment options.
Transportation is provided to and from the island from Coupon Key's private mainland dock, and transportation between the island and the Key West or Marathon airports can be arranged. Guests are welcome to bring their own boats and dock at the island during their stay. For more information, visit couponkey.com.
Complete seclusion is the objective at Little Palm Island, a private resort island located off Little Torch Key that offers suites in thatched-roof villas. The extra-spacious bungalow suites and grand suites offer guests a king-size bed draped in netting, verandahs with ocean views and — in the most high-end accommodations — private outdoor showers and whirlpool tubs.
Little Palm guests also can luxuriate at the island’s sybaritic SpaTerre. Health and beauty treatments include ancient Indonesian rituals, offered at both the indoor spa facility and the seaside Palapa Point pavilion.
The island also features a lagoon-style pool, meditative Zen garden and Great Room library. Oversized hammocks within the trees and lounge chairs tucked into the sand complete the experience.
In fact, Little Palm Island is so exotic that film producers used it as a set for the filming of “PT-109,” starring Cliff Robertson portraying Lt. John F. Kennedy's naval heroics in the South Pacific.
At the island’s fine restaurant, award-winning cuisine is created by chef Luis Pons and his staff. Unique offerings include black bean risotto and freshly prepared original seafood dishes. Oceanside banquets, dockside dining and picnics on the sand are some of the many dining experiences awaiting guests at this oasis. For more information visit littlepalmisland.com.
Melody Key (formerly known as Money Key) features a 3,500-square-foot home composed of two octagonal structures linked together by airy screened verandahs that bring the total size to approximately 5,000 square feet. Amenities include a wet bar atop a 300-gallon saltwater aquarium and master suite whirlpool tub. The five-bedroom structure is located one mile off Summerland Key on the Atlantic side of the island, and features wraparound balconies and a widow’s walk. Other amenities include a CD stereo player, satellite television, VCR and bedroom air-conditioning units. Electricity is provided through solar panels and a backup generator; fresh water is derived from a cistern.
The property’s attractions include a hammock, chickee hut, swim platform, small beach, shaded picnic table and grills, and resident peacocks. Weekly rentals include the use of a 17-foot motorized skiff, paddleboat, kayaks and water toys. For a fee, guests can even arrange for the services of a chef or masseuse, or a limousine service.
For more information, visit melodykey.com.
For additional information on the Florida Keys and the island chain’s lodging options, call 1-800-FLA-KEYS (800-352-5397) or explore this Web site.
Views from a private island, like this view off Little Palm Island, are unrivaled, any time of the day. (Photos courtesy of Little Palm Island)
Approaching Little Palm Island, one of the world's most exclusive getaways, on a private ferry.
Dining in seclusion each night is not only luxurious, but romantic.
Weekly rentals of Melody Key, formerly known as Money Key, include the use of a 17-foot motorized skiff, paddleboat, kayaks and water toys. (Photos courtesy of Melody Key Florida)
The residence on Melody Key total approximately 5,000 square feet of open verandahs; the home is both the largest and newest on any offshore island in the Florida Keys.