Sunset Key Cottages

Sister property of Margaritaville Key West Resort and Marina, the 40-room Sunset Key Cottages is set on a small residential Key West island that's only accessible by boat. (The hotel runs a free ferry service between the island and Key West around the clock; the ride takes only seven minutes.) The intimate island resort has a laid-back-but-upscale atmosphere, with pristine, classic-Key-West main buildings (including an airy fine-dining destination restaurant with an outdoor terrace); a large lagoon pool with whirlpools, and beachy cottages dotting its 27 acres. The grounds are meticulously landscaped with grassy lawns, palm trees, and other tropical vegetation. Interiors are beachy but chic, consisting of elegant wooden furniture, an ocean-inspired palette of blue, white, and beige, and wainscoting throughout.

The resort’s calm beach, zero-entry pool, and free afternoon ice cream make it an especially great haven for families with young children. However, Sunset Key Cottages is also a great honeymoon spot in the Florida Keys. Tiki torches and wrought-iron lanterns give the grounds a romantic, intimate atmosphere in the evening, and the convenience of having the private-island feel along with the Key West action just a seven-minute boat ride away is great for newlyweds who want to experience the best of both worlds.

Rates are some of the highest in the area, and some find the resort overpriced -- especially after the resort fee is added to the room rate -- but Sunset Key Cottages Key West offers a unique private-island experience in the Keys, and most guests are happy to pay up the extra money for it.

Despite the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma in the region in September 2017, the damage sustained by Sunset Key Cottages was minimal, and the resort was up and running shortly after the storm.

Sunset Key Cottages is located on Sunset Key, an exclusive island off Key West that is only accessible by boat. There are no businesses on the key, only upscale residences, a couple of docks, and lovely beaches. The hotel runs a free, seven-minute boat transfer service between the island and Key West 24 hours per day. The boats land at sister property Margaritaville Key West Resort and Marina, where guests traveling by car can also park their vehicles for a fee. From there, guests can walk to a number of attractions, including the Key West Shipwreck Museum, Mallory Square (where the famous Sunset Celebration takes place), Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, and Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum -- all within a 15-minute walk of Margaritaville. Duval Street and its art galleries, shops, restaurants and nightlife is just a two-minute walk away, as is the famous Sloppy Joe’s Bar, supposedly Hemingway’s favorite.

Key West is the westernmost of the Florida Keys and is definitely the most convenient in terms of nightlife, diving, shops, restaurants, and decent beaches -- all within a few blocks. It can feel like a bit of a tourist trap with its tacky bars, hordes of cruise ship passengers, and T-shirt shops, but it’s one of the few keys that has historic sites to visit.

There is a total of 40 cottages on the island, all featuring between one and four bedrooms. Decor in most units could be described as "quintessential beach house chic," with sand-colored tile floors, white shiplap walls, wicker furniture, and teal and sea-blue accents aplenty: bathroom tiles, slatted doors, monogrammed throw pillows, area rugs, and iridescent kitchen backsplashes. The air-conditioned cottages are upscale but comfortable and home-like; guests might feel like they're staying at a wealthy family member's well-loved beach house. Although most units are in good shape, some guests have reported seeing wear and tear in the oldest cottages.

Ranging in size between 904 and 2,500 square feet, Sunset Key guest cottages offer tons of space, both indoors and outdoors. All provide spacious living rooms featuring sofa beds and fully equipped kitchens -- complete with refrigerators, microwaves, stovetops, coffeemakers, and toasters -- plus wraparound terraces outfitted with Adirondack chairs. Cottages are spread over the island, and views vary. Many are set in the gardens surrounding the saltwater pool and have views of the tropical landscape, but there are a few units in each room category with at least partial ocean views. Luxury Three-Bedroom Cottages and Four-Bedroom Cottages are the only ones offering full ocean views.

In general, there is a full bathroom for every bedroom, but some units have an additional half-bath. Their design and decor style vary, but most have granite counters and walk-in showers. Robes and toiletries are provided in all units.

Prospective guests with mobility issues should keep in mind that some three- and all four-bedroom cottages are two floors.

Dining options on the island are limited but great and include a seafood restaurant that has become a destination unto itself, and a casual poolside eatery and cocktail bar.

Open for all three meals, the oceanfront Latitudes restaurant has a seasonal, seafood-focused menu and a reservations-required policy for lunch and dinner (plus a dress code for dinner). The fine-dining eatery has unobstructed panoramic ocean views (and an outdoor dining terrace to maximize them) and provides food and drink service to hotel beachgoers. It is popular among locals, guests, and non-guests alike.

Flippers pool bar serves cocktails and grilled fare on a terraced patio with ceiling fans and a flat-screen TV. Breakfast baskets of freshly baked pastries and fruit are delivered to the cottages every morning free of charge.

The hotel runs a free 24-hour ferry service to Key West for those wanting to explore the local restaurants and bars.

Sunset Key Cottages has a gorgeous private beach with palapa-shaded loungers and hammocks, a beach hut for towels and portable sun shelters, and a roped-off area for wading and swimming. If the Gulf of Mexico water is too cold (or its ocean floor too rocky, which has been reported), guests could head to the heated saltwater pool tucked away in the gardens. Surrounded by grassy lawns, palm trees, tropical ferns, and flowering plants, the pool has a winding shape with shallow sections and a zero-entry edge. A rock waterfall separates the main pool from one of the two whirlpools, and lounge chairs and daybeds line the brick and stone pool deck.

The roomy, 24-hour fitness center has modern workout machines with individual TVs, plus yoga mats, free weights, medicine balls, and exercise balls. Towels, cold water, and fruit are right by the door. There are also a half-basketball court and two tennis courts; private lessons available. The spa offers body treatments and salon services in a pleasant space with big windows overlooking the garden. In keeping with the resort's exclusive but laid-back island vibe, the Spa at Sunset Key adds 25 minutes to every treatment so that guests may fully unwind. They could spend this time lounging in their treatment room's totally secluded, landscaped back patio or making use of the amenities in the private in-room bathroom.

A daily resort fee is added to all room rates to cover things like Wi-Fi, use of pool and beach chairs, nightly turndown service, afternoon ice cream, rum tastings, and breakfast basket delivery to cottages every morning.

The hotel also offers services such as grocery shopping ahead of guests’ arrival, and self- and valet parking (both for a fee) at sister property Margaritaville in Key West.