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Best hotel in the Keys? help

Old 05-07-2004, 12:52 PM
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Default Best hotel in the Keys? help

Help!

We just learned our boat racing friends from the UK will be coming to Florida in early June. They called and asked us to come spend 3-4 days with them and go snorkeling, scuba diving and relaxing on the beach. They haven't made any reservations yet -- just told us to, "Find something in the Keys".

I'm so excited, but I've never been to the Keys and have no clue what to search for. If anyone here knows where we'd have the most fun, I would appreciate any tips. Thanks!!!!

Also -- between the two couples, we will have five kids tagging along - all five are between the ages of 6 and 11. So a hotel with kids activities or baby-sitters would be really cool too
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Old 05-07-2004, 01:28 PM
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Here ya go. Pick one of these four and you won't go wrong.

www.hawkscay.com/ Real nice, a pool and a natural pool. For the kids, there are dolphins in their own pool.

www.keylargoresort.com/ On the bay side, nice kiddy pool next to the adult pool. Close to John Pennicamp state park.

www.littlepalmisland.com/ Never been there, I hear it's the nicest place (and most expensive) in the keys.

www.cheeca.rockresorts.com/ Super nice Rock resort. A bit on the pricey side, right on the ocean.
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Old 05-07-2004, 01:44 PM
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No kids are allowed at Little Palm Island.....
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Old 05-07-2004, 02:38 PM
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Isn't there a race down there about that time???

Where are the race people staying???
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Old 05-07-2004, 04:28 PM
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Thanks Ron! I'll check those out!


Marc,

I wish there was a race!!!! We've been trying to get our friends to come back to the states for years, and we've suggested meeting them at boat races, but I don't think his wife is too keen on that idea. When he raced on the UIM circuit, I don't think she went to any of those races.

This trip is her idea - she is coming over to visit with her sister in Florida for a few days, then spending the remainder of their vacation with us.

They want me to plan this trip out, which is odd since the first time they came over I rented a 3 bedroom condo in Havasu that was absolutely HORRID! LOL!

When they came over for our wedding 12 years ago, they went on our honeymoon too - and we stayed in a "rustic" cabin along the Grand Canyon and went on a rafting trip The cabin wasnt as romantic as I had hoped. But I didn't mind them hanging out with us at all - they are really a blast! (when we can understand what they are saying ...lol)

A few years later they paid us back by getting married in Cancun picking a low budget hotel for us to stay in The entire grey colored high-rise hotel had big black polka-dots painted on it - I knew we were in trouble right away!

This time I want to opt for something a little bit nicer, and reverse this trend
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Old 05-07-2004, 06:31 PM
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www.keywestinfo.com
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Old 05-07-2004, 07:58 PM
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Ive been to cheeca lodge and hawks cay. both are great. Cheeca is more secluded, hawks is more of an inclusive resort. depends on what theyre looking for.
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Old 05-07-2004, 11:29 PM
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You wanted a boat race?

JUNE 11, 12, 13 Fountain Powerboats
Super Boat International's
Grand Prix
Marathon, FL
www.superboat.com

Cheeca Lodge and especially Hawks Cay are close by. Honestly, if you have kids, Hawks Cay would be hard to beat. Scuba boats leave right from the marina in the complex.
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Old 05-09-2004, 11:32 AM
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Thanks again Ron!

Hawkes Cay looks awesome and they have so much for the kids to do - they'd be in heaven!

I'm sending a few of these links to England and will let our friends check them out first (thank God for the Internet). I hope they pick Hawkes Cay. But since they have 3 kids, their price for a four night stay for five people + water activities is going to be $$$$$.

The Westin may be more in line with the $$$ we all had planned for. They have a beach & water sports too, so we'll have a great time there too!

Thanks so much for this help - I wouldn't have known what to do otherwise.


Sad news - we leave 4 days before the Marathon races start. So once again, I will miss seeing Florida offshore racing.

I was at Sanibel Island back in 1992 when a race was happening at Ft Myers, but we were there for a magazine boat test --- we were busy all weekend at Sanibel and missed everything! But we did drive over there for a quick look - I rememeber pulling up alongside the Gentry Eagle in our 18' racer....I've never felt so dwarfed!

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Old 05-09-2004, 01:08 PM
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Don't go solely on the rates on the internet......call Hawks Cay and/or Cheeca direct because they may be going into their summer rates soon and you can keep checking.
If you want to do Key West as a day trip, Hawks Cay (actually located on Duck Key about 7 miles east of Marathon), is approx. an hour away, depending on traffic and Key Largo would add another hour.

Ron is right.....for kids and variety of activities, Hawks Cay has it all.
And CAVelocity is also correct....no kids for Little Palm Island.....but if the adults can get a sitter......dinner and the boat ride to it is as special as you can get here.
Pat, Marathon
(p.s...... I wish I was LostinBoston...I miss it)
 

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