The 12 Best Hotels in Key West

"You're in for a special stay at this historic hotel on the National Register of Historic Places, just a block off Duval Street. The vibe is old Key West to the max—in the best way imaginable—including a tropical interior courtyard where a patio overlooks the pool and butterflies flit. Well-appointed rooms are housed in separate Key West style cottages and sister hostel, Marquesa 414, lies across the street and up half a block in a newer building. There are a total of 44 rooms between the two (called Marquesa Hotel collectively), three pools, and the illustrious Café Marquesa, often cited as Key West’s top restaurant. Standout dishes like the yellowtail snapper over key west shrimp creole and creamy yellow grits and the grilled swordfish piccata are every bit the heavenly seafood experience travelers covet in an oceanfront destination while the doughy, sugar-dusted beignets are true dessert divinity (and superlative to any we’ve sampled in New Orleans.) Overall, Marquesa shines for its true sense of place, zero kitsch, foodie-forward approach, and historic charm presented in an updated way." - Paul Rubio, Nancy DePalma