Florida Keys Unveil New and Enhanced Accommodations for Travelers

FLORIDA KEYS — Accommodations options in the Florida Keys, like the island chain itself, are rich in atmosphere and appeal. From late 2014 through 2016, eight new properties — comprising just over 1,000 rooms — have opened or are planning to open from Key Largo to Key West. In addition, a number of meticulously renovated lodgings are welcoming visitors.

Each one joins existing accommodations in showcasing aspects of the Keys' character, culture and historic influences.

The new properties begin at the head of the island chain in Key Largo with the elegant Playa Largo Resort & Spa, the latest hotel to join Marriott's Autograph Collection, set to open in early 2016. The 14.5-acre waterfront resort features 144 luxury rooms and suites, 10 private bungalows and a three-bedroom beach house ideal for private or corporate events.
Amenities include a private marina, multiple bars and gourmet restaurants, full-service spa and fitness offerings, a wide range of watersports, wedding and conference facilities including a ballroom and bayside event lawn, a secluded white sand beach and much more.

In Islamorada, four leading lodgings — Postcard Inn Beach Resort at Holiday Isle, La Siesta Resort, Pelican Cove Resort and Marina and the Islamorada Resort — now comprise the Islamorada Resort Company and are receiving significant enhancements.
The first of the group of properties to complete renovations was Pelican Cove Resort and Marina, which reopened in early 2015. All of its 63 waterfront guestrooms and suites were redecorated with a contemporary coastal design and upgraded with modern amenities. In addition to enhancements to the meeting areas, pool and restaurant, Pelican Cove now offers a variety of programs including yoga, sunset paddleboarding, sunrise oil painting and a macramé beading class.
Particularly notable is the relaunch of the Islamorada Resort as Amara Cay Resort, an upscale boutique hotel. Property renovations included increasing the number of rooms and suites to 110, updating outdoor amenities and creating an Italian-style eatery. Guests can anticipate daily food and beverage experiences and an available Mercedes-Benz shuttle to Islamorada's most popular locales.

Also in Islamorada, after a yearlong multimillion-dollar renovation, the Islander Resort has joined the expanding collection of Guy Harvey Outpost Resorts. Renovations include upgrades and added amenities throughout both the main 114-unit oceanside property and the 25-unit bayside marina townhouse compound. The small collection of Guy Harvey Outpost resorts and lodges showcases Harvey's marine wildlife art, scientific research and conservation advocacy.

Vacationers should be able to spot the Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club with ease: it incorporates the famed Faro Blanco Lighthouse, a Middle Keys landmark since the 1950s.
With the lighthouse as its "beacon," the Marathon property features an upscale 125-room Hyatt Place hotel with two pools, a fitness center, meeting space and a waterfront restaurant and outdoor bar called Lighthouse Grill. Boaters can enjoy a 74-slip state-of-the art marina capable of handling vessels up to 100 feet long.

Another Middle Keys property seeing renovations over the next several months is Banana Bay Resort and Marina. Situated on 10 acres, the resort features 59 newly renovated deluxe guestrooms, a remodeled lobby and a restored pool area. All renovations are slated for completion by fall 2015.

At the southernmost tip of the Keys island chain is eclectic, artistic Key West — and travelers now are welcomed at the island's entrance by the Keys Collection, a trio of newly built properties located on North Roosevelt Blvd.
The first among them, The Gates Hotel, debuted its initial building in spring 2015 and plans to open the second building in spring 2016. The new 245-room hotel blends refined luxury, minimalist design, artwork, food and music into a chic and comfortable lodging experience.
Highlights include the Rum Row bar, two large swimming pools with cabanas and daybeds, a restaurant featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner, fitness and business centers, and a distinctive atmosphere reminiscent of "old Key West."
The second Keys Collection property, the Fairfield Inn and Suites, opened its doors in May 2015 with 133 rooms including 17 suites. Amenities include poolside cabanas, business and fitness centers, and daily complimentary breakfast.

Slated to open early 2016, the Hilton Garden Inn is to complete the trio of Keys Collection properties. The hotel is to have 141 new rooms, some featuring balconies. The property's on-site amenities include an outdoor resort-style swimming pool with poolside service, a restaurant open daily for breakfast and a lobby bar. Guests also will have access to 24-hour business and fitness centers.

Guests who want to stay in Key West's Historic Seaport district can check into The Marker Waterfront Resort, a 2-acre luxury property that debuted in December 2014.
The 96-room resort combines a modern and timeless aesthetic with the free spirit and tropical nature of the Key West community. Guests can relax and swim at multiple swimming pools surrounded by lush landscaping, complete with poolside cocktail service, or savor Cali-Mex-inspired cuisine at the on-site Cero Bodega.

Not far away in Old Town Key West the property formerly known as the Southern Cross Hotel was purchased in early 2015 and has been transformed and rebranded into the Saint Hotel Key West. The historic two-story building features 37 renovated guest rooms and six suites. Offerings include a large landscaped pool, cabana area, sprawling lobby bar and a balcony overlooking Duval Street that can accommodate up to 75 people.

In addition, three other Old Town properties have been purchased and are slated for improvements in the coming year.
Two of them, Ocean Breeze Inn and Southwinds Motel, have been combined into one entity that now operates as the Southwinds Motel. The 32-room budget-friendly property has undergone renovations and upgrades to its appearance including landscaping, painting and enhancements to all guestrooms.
The third property, formerly known as the Spindrift Motel, is to be transformed into H2O Suites, a luxury accommodation featuring 22 one-bedroom suites. Plans call for 11 of the suites to have private plunge pools, while the resort also will feature a rooftop swimming pool for all its guests. The new property is set to open in summer 2016.

Appealing as they are, these are only a handful of the Keys properties debuting enhancements or opening. Others include Islamorada's renovated Smuggler's Cove Resort and Marina, Marathon's new Courtyard by Marriott, the renovated Tranquility Bay Beach House Resort and Captain Pip's Marina & Hideaway. Several Key West properties have been or will be renovated including the Doubletree Grand Key Resort, Crowne Plaza Key West La Concha, Olivia by Duval and La Te Da Hotel.

The 125-mile Florida Keys island chain offers a rich natural environment, flourishing creative community, balmy subtropical climate and a friendly laidback vibe that seems worlds away from everyday cares. These new and revitalized properties — with their diverse designs, amenities, prices and locations — will add their own unique flavors to the intriguing mix as they welcome visitors eager to experience and explore the Keys.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS

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