The Gardens Hotel

Stepping onto the brick walkway to enter the gloriously shaded Gardens Hotel puts the hustle and bustle of Key West at your back. The brick pathways surrounding the hotel wind through rare orchids, black bamboo, and many palm varieties, with original artwork at every turn. There's even a small lagoon, live tortoises, and koi. The hotel is comprised of five buildings, all of which are historic. The main building is surrounded by a wraparound porch that makes for an exceedingly pleasant perch, except, all the rooms come with their own verandas. The carriage house is part of the original mansion, which was built in 1800. Inside, natural light pours onto hardwood floors, while the fresh flowers and original artwork continue throughout the lobby, sitting room, wine bar, and music room. Crown molding and brocade curtains combine with palm leaf ceiling fans and hand-painted tables, extending the air of relaxed luxury that starts with the free glass of wine or Champagne offered at check-in. The parking is self serve, but it's cramped -- there are only 17 spaces for 22 rooms (the Master Suite gets its own space guaranteed). The lack of an on-site restaurant is made up by the hotel's proximity to bars and restaurants. Between the self-serve wine bar, the live music offerings, and the predominance of couples, there's a wonderfully chill vibe. Note that children under 16 are not allowed.

There's just one road that leads into Key West, which makes getting around by car difficult; for leisure travelers, it's ideal to be in a walkable location close to sights. The Gardens Hotel's position, right at the center of Historic Old Town, is just such a locale. Situated off Duval Street, a mere 10-minute walk due west will catch a sunset at Mallory Square. A walk along this stretch includes the Bourbon Bar (three minutes away on foot), Rick's Bar (a 10-minute walk), and the Sunset Pier (13 minutes walking). Other nearby attractions include the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum (three minutes on foot away), the Audubon House and Tropical Gardens (12 minutes on foot), and the classic photo opp at the Southernmost Tip (a 14-minute walk). And for the die-hard beachgoers, it's an 18 minute-walk to the pristine sands at the Fort Zachary Taylor state park. The airport is just 12 minutes away.

Guest rooms are tastefully decorated with Bahamian-style plantation furnishings -- think: palm leaf ceiling fans, wicker chairs, and seashells on display. All have comfortably furnished verandas or balconies, made more private by the Gardens' dense vegetation. The beds are fitted with premium, organic linens and memory foam, Tempur-Pedic mattresses. The cottage rooms, including the Eyebrow Cottage, feel more contemporary, particularly in the kitchens with their stainless appliances and sleek cabinet hardware. Kitchens include burners, microwaves, toaster ovens, and a full range of cutlery, dishes, and cooking utensils. The in-room climate control and ceiling fans make it easy to keep the room temperature just right, a plus in Key West's tropical climate. Many thoughtful extras are included -- flat-screen TVs, safes, Keurig coffeemakers, robes, irons and ironing boards, and hairdryers. The spacious marble bathrooms in the Cottage and Master Suite have showers with rainfall showerheads and some also have separate tubs or jetted tubs. But guests have complained of small bathrooms in other room categories.  

The property's main highlight is right in the name -- the gardens. This tropical oasis creates a buffer, not only between the property and Duval Street revelers, but between guests themselves. Planted over a 40-year period by a former owner, the winding pathways, tropical vegetation and fountains have been updated with works by local artists and a heated outdoor pool, so no matter where one sits, there's some degree of privacy. The greenery shields rooms with a pool view from outside noise, while pool itself is stunning. All guests are welcome at the main pool, where sunscreen is provided by the loungers, and a small bar serves tapas. There's also a table with iced teas and infused waters that change daily. Cottage guests have their own separate pool, but it's small and doesn't offer these amenities. Although the property lacks a full restaurant, a free daily breakfast is served in the hotel's dining room and guests can also enjoy it in a brick-paved courtyard. The hotel's self-serve wine bar includes a wide variety of labels. Gardens Hotel also offers a lending library (complete with feline companion), and Wi-Fi is free throughout. There's a public computer and printer available for guests' use but no fitness facilities. The property is dedicated to adults, and children under 16 are not allowed. Some rooms do allow small dogs under 20 pounds for an additional fee, but they're not permitted in the room when the guest isn't there.