During the COVID-19 quarantine, hotels in Key West were ordered to close during the third week of March as a safety precaution to visitors. On June 1, 2020, Ocean Key Resort & Spa opened its doors, offering a luxurious oceanfront experience between Key West Harbor and Mallory Square.
Of all hotels in Key West, Ocean Key is located in the most ideal spot, along the Sunset Pier on Duval Street. Guestrooms and suites overlook the pristine waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel’s waterfront pool and location allow you to customize your Key West vacation, whether you want to take advantage of the city’s nightlife and live music or relax by the water with a drink in hand.
Upon arrival at the valet, guests are greeted with a welcome cocktail from a small bar in the hotels’ lobby adjacent to the retail shop, offering a variety of island apparel and accessories. From there, guests make their way to their rooms which are incredibly spacious with pastel-colored walls, dark woods and coastal decor. Each room offers an expansive balcony, overlooking sailboats and the Sunset Pier. The bathrooms have a jacuzzi tub and double sinks, in addition to a walk-in shower.
The pier originated in the late 1830s shortly after Key West was founded, serving multiple uses during the Civil War, Spanish American War and specifically, when Henry Flagler’s railroad failed in the 1930s. Prior to the damage caused by Hurricane Irma, the Sunset Pier was the oldest continuously used structure in the Florida Keys. The pier reopened this spring after being renovated and is home to a popular restaurant, serving casual beach bites and live music nightly.
Days at Ocean Key can be action-packed or relaxing. Guests can enjoy the view from their balcony or the pool bar, or opt for a fun excursion via jet ski. Barefoot Billy’s watersports offers a 90-minute jet ski tour of the island along the pristine waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. The helpful guides stop along the way to point out notable attractions including Mallory Square, the Southernmost Point, historic Key West Bight, and Sunset Key.
After bathing in the sun all day or enjoying a relaxing facial at the hotel’s SpaTerre, guests typically gather at the hotel’s AAA Four-Diamond Award restaurant – Hot Tin Roof to watch the sun go down. The restaurant was named after a Tenessee Williams play, as he lived in Key West. There’s an indoor dining room with large windows facing the pier and a wrap-around deck for meals al fresco. Be sure to order a traditional Daiquiri with Papa Pilar rum, which is local to Key West, while you wait for your table. It’s worth it to snag a spot on the patio during sunset. Menu highlights include Spicy Tuna Tacos with avocado and sriracha aioli, traditional paella made with Valencia rice, saffron, lobster, mussels, clams, shrimp, chorizo, peas, peppers and Scallop Risotto, a cheezy combination of tasso ham, fresno chile and mascarpone.
If you’d rather take in the sunset view on the water, Fury Key West offers a scenic catamaran tour called Commotion on the Ocean, which includes live music, a buffet of island-inspired appetizers and unlimited drinks. By the time you exit the boat, you’re ready to take on Key West’s nightlife!
