July 2017 Review/Photo of the Month

Another month has come and gone, and with it we’ve received a number of excellent reviews and fun photos from our guests from their adventures in Key West. Each month we select one of these memorable guest reviews and/or photos to win a $100 cash card.

Our July 2017 winner is The Bakewell Family who stayed with us at :: LA BONNE VIE :: and submitted an excellent 5-star review and shared fun photos of their vacation in Key West!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love seeing photos of our guests enjoying their vacations and receiving feedback about the properties they stayed in and the service they received.

For our future guests, send us your photos/video of your time on vacation and/or submit a memorable review for your stay to be automatically entered in our Monthly contest, for a chance to win a $100 cash card.

Neighborhoods of Key West

The Southernmost City of the U.S. is a 2 by 4-mile island, which features distinct neighborhoods that offer their own unique personalities and charm. While the island is very small, where you stay during your time here plays a huge role in shaping your Key West experience.  Knowing more about the various neighborhoods on the island will help you to choose the best fit for your family or group.  Read on to get a feel for which Key West neighborhood is right for you.

 

Historic Old Town

Old Town Key West is the heart of the island and is widely considered by visitors to be the most desirable neighborhood. The world famous Duval Street runs right through the center of Old Town. Here, you’ll find many of Key West’s top restaurants and attractions. If you want to experience what it’s like to really live in the “Conch Republic”, Old Town is where you’ll want to be.

Recommended for groups and families who want to be close to the vivacious nightlife, bars, restaurants and attractions of Key West. Groups looking to ride scooters, bike or walk as their main mode of transportation are perfect for Old Town, as parking is often limited. Enjoy being near the best restaurants, close to beautiful historic architecture and the Historic Seaport.

 

Truman Annex

Truman Annex is an exclusive gated community on the ocean and in the heart of Old Town. President Harry Truman spent his winters here at his home, famously known as “The Little White House” and often joked about relocating America’s Capital to Key West. In Truman Annex, you’ll find impeccably maintained grounds, white picket fences alongside quiet streets and sidewalks. It’s a quieter part of Old Town, but still within walking distance to Duval Street and many downtown restaurants and attractions. Truman Annex is appealing for both its Key West charm and modern comforts. Just out the gate towards the ocean is Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, featuring one of the nicest beaches on the island.

Recommended for groups and families that want to spend a week or longer in a vacation home that is close to Duval Street, yet “away from it all”. Truman Annex is a desirable quiet residence where you are just a couple minutes from Duval Street, the center of downtown, and the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration. However, if you’re a group coming to Key West for the party atmosphere, this may not be the best location for you. This neighborhood closely monitors noise and security issues in order to keep the community nice and quiet for residents.

 

Smathers Beach

Even though Key West is an island, a common misconception is that there is plenty of beachfront property. In reality, there are not many beachfront properties in Key West, as much of the beachfront land is either public beach, Navy land, or hotels. The primary beachfront property in Key West is located near Smathers Beach. Smathers Beach is one of four beaches in Key West, and is located on the north Atlantic Ocean side of the island. The Smathers Beach neighborhood is home to the Key West International Airport, as well as a handful of restaurants and attractions. The accommodations in this area include multiple hotel options, private homes, condos and apartment complexes. The majority of our properties in this neighborhood are located at The 1800 Atlantic Condominium Complex and at The Key West Beach Club.

 

The 1800 Atlantic Condominium Complex is an upscale private community featuring picturesque balcony views, modern amenities and is located within a short bike or Uber ride to many favorite Key West sites. The residence offers a Resort-Style Community Pool, an oversized Jacuzzi, a cabana with restrooms, picnic tables and BBQ grills. When you stay at 1800 Atlantic you have direct beach access and are steps away from Smathers Beach which is located around the corner.

The Key West Beach Club is a quiet residential condominium complex located right on the Atlantic Ocean. This property offers two pools, a fitness center and incredible ocean views. It is in a great location, perfect for biking or walking to town and to restaurants.

Recommended for groups and families who love the beach, sun, value great views, and dig modern amenities. This quiet tropical paradise is perfect for R&R, in a great location that avoids downtown noise. You will only be a short bike or Uber ride from all the action of Old Town.

 

Casa Marina/Casa East

The Casa Marina neighborhood is the southern area of the island running along the Atlantic Ocean. This neighborhood is close to Old Town, but is not technically considered “Old Town” by those who apply that definition strictly. This unique area is laidback, quiet, and beautiful. At Casa Marina, you will enjoy exclusivity – a quiet residential feel with generally larger homes. They often feature more spacious properties than in Old Town. Dog lovers will also love this area for the “Dog Beach” and for the popular community dog park.

Recommended for groups and families looking for a quiet residential neighborhood with spacious homes on typically larger lots all located just a quick bike ride or walk to Higgs beach / White Street Pier and a short Uber ride to Duval.

 

MidTown/New Town

MidTown/New Town is a neighborhood primarily known as home to many locals, although you will find plenty of shopping centers, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. Several canals allow access to open water, something you won’t find – except at the marinas – in any other part of Key West. Over the years, homeowners have updated and renovated these sometimes larger Mid-Century homes which are now upscale villas featuring private pools, larger lots, and private gardens. 20 minutes in a scooter or car gets you to the heart of Old Town.

Recommended for groups and families who have a boat and desire canal access. Great for those interested in homes that can be a little larger offering ample parking, larger properties and are away from the busy streets of Old Town. Not recommended for those looking to stick strictly to walking, as many of the homes in these areas require a car ride to get downtown.

 

Stock Island

Stock Island is located just outside the entrance to Key West and is what you may consider a ‘suburb’ of the main island. It is quickly growing with residential areas and commercial businesses, including many fishing and water adventure companies. Many of our rentals in this neighborhood have the perk of being near the water, whether that is on a canal or with a view of the Gulf or Ocean.

Sunset Marina is private condo complex is about 5 miles from Old Town directly on the Florida Bay. This gated community has a large community pool, a clubhouse and boat slips. All of these two and three-bedroom condos feature balconies with direct water views. The condos are available for monthly rental, many with their own boat slips. If you are renting for a month or more, and don’t mind a 10-minute Uber ride or 20-minute bike ride into town, this quiet, gated, waterfront community is the right place for you.

Recommended for nautical focused groups who have a boat and want to rent a slip. Sunset Marina is great for fishing enthusiasts, couples and families who like peace and quiet, boating, and amazing sunset views from your own private balcony.

The Key West Golf Club sits right at the entrance to Key West. This planned gated community offers 24-hour security, with tropical town homes and private residences surrounding an 18-hole 6500-yard Rees Jones golf course. Enjoy one of the largest resort-style pools in Key West and a fitness room. The Key West Golf Club area has an inviting, polished, suburb vibe.

Recommended for groups and families seeking a quiet neighborhood and don’t mind being a 10-15 minute drive or Uber ride from Old Town. This area is ideal for golf enthusiasts and vacationers who enjoy the quiet and local feeling of a less commercialized area.

May 2017 Review/Photo of the Month

It’s that time of the month again, where we reveal our Review/Photo of the Month winner. Each month we select a memorable guest review or photo to win a $100 cash card. We received some really great reviews and photo submissions this month, but we can only choose one winner.

Our May 2017 winner is Kyle Carter, who stayed with us at :: THE SMILING IBIS :: and submitted a stellar 5-star review for his stay! See his review below:

In our industry, there is no better compliment than receiving a 5-star review. We’re thrilled to hear that Kyle and his group received the full Last Key Realty guest treatment, and we look forward to their return!

For our future guests, send us a photo/video of your time on vacation and/or submit your memorable review for your stay to be entered for a chance to win a $100 cash card. You may be our June winner…

Benefits of Choosing a Last Key Vacation Rental

Choosing where to stay is an important part of the vacation planning process.  It sets the stage for the whole vacation. While many travelers immediately think of staying in a hotel, others have discovered the benefits of choosing a Last Key Vacation Rental.  Here are a few of the benefits:

 

  • Ability to cook meals at home – Each Last Key Vacation Rental comes with a fully-equipped kitchen. Although eating out is a highlight of most vacations, it can get expensive.  You’ll actually save money by stocking the fridge with groceries and making a few meals at home.

 

 

  • More Privacy – Enjoy an entire home all to yourself! Our vacation rentals offer a much more intimate setting than you’ll find at any hotel or BnB.  Private features such as porches, balconies, and pools can really make a big difference.

 

 

  • Pets Welcome – A family vacation is not complete without every member of the family. A large portion of the homes in our inventory allow Pets, so bring your furry friends with you to paradise!

 

 

  • Luxurious Amenities – All of our rental homes come equipped with a washer and dryer, towels and linens, flat screen TVs and high speed WiFi throughout.  And a majority of our properties also have a Pool and/or Jacuzzi for guests to enjoy.

 

 

  • More Space – For those traveling with large groups, space is an important factor. Most hotel rooms can only accommodate a few people.  This is not the case for our rental homes, we have homes that can house up to 16 people under one roof!

 

 

  • Enjoy comforts of home – They call it a ‘home away from home’ for a reason. Each of our rental properties has been meticulously decorated in a way that makes you feel like you’re relaxing at home… on an island.

 

 

  • Unrivaled Guest Services – Missing a Front desk staff? Our Guest Services Coordinators outshine any Front desk staff around. They meet our guests at their home upon arrival and are on call 24-7 to address all guest needs. We also have a full-time Concierge Service to set up bike rentals, fishing charters, excursions, etc.

 

 

Experience the benefits of staying at a Last Key Vacation Rental for yourself by emailing us at rentals@lastkeyrealty.com or call our Office at (305) 292-6266 to speak to one of our reservationists!

April 2017 Review/Photo of the Month

Each month we receive so many great reviews and fun photos from our guests. We select our favorite review and/or photo for that month and give away a $100 cash card to the guest with the winning submission. This month, like every month, it was difficult choosing only one winner.

Drum roll please…

Our April 2017 Review/Photo of the Month is the Steiner Family, who were guests of ours at :: THE ROYAL COMPOUND :: for a month. They submitted a glowing five-star review for their stay and also shared some awesome photos of themselves enjoying the vacation home. Thank you Steiner Family!

What an awesome review! We’re so happy to know that these guests were taken care of by their Guest Services Coordinator, Amanda, and that they had an enjoyable month-long stay.

 

 

From the photos below, you can see that the Family had a wonderful birthday celebration during their month in Key West, and really enjoyed spending time together in the pool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seeing these fantastic moments of our guests’ vacations reminds us just how lucky we are to be doing what we do and to live in such a magical place!

Future guests are encouraged to share their fun photos/videos of their vacation and/or submit a memorable review for their stay to be automatically entered in the monthly contest and for a chance to win a $100 cash card. You could be our May winner…

March 2017 Review/Photo of the Month

Each month we select a memorable guest review or photo to win a $100 cash card. We received so many wonderful guest reviews and photos this month that it made for a tough decision. We have chose the Szymanski Family who stayed with us at :: PILAR’S SECRET :: as the March 2017 Review/Photo of the Month winner. They submitted an excellent 5-star review for their stay, and some great photos of everyone enjoying the home and their time in Key West. Thanks for sharing, and thanks to every guest that participated!

Here is their terrific 5-star review:

Guest Review

And here’s some fun photos of the whole group enjoying their Vacation Rental, a guys fishing trip, and exploring the island:

 

What a compliment to receive such a flattering review about one of our homes and the service that was received from our staff. Also, seeing these amazing moments of our guests’ vacations just reminds us how lucky we are to be doing what we do and to live in such a magical place.

For our future guests, send us your fun photos of your time on vacation and/or submit your memorable review for your stay to be automatically entered for a chance to win a $100 cash card. You could be next month’s winner…

February 2017 Review/Photo of the Month

In an effort to increase guest engagement, we have set up a Monthly contest to reward the most memorable review and/or photo submitted to us during the Month. The Monthly winner of our “Review/Photo of the Month” receives a $100 cash card courtesy of Last Key Realty.

Our February 2017 Review/Photo of the Month winner is Renee Lovejoy! Renee stayed with us at :: LA BONNE VIE :: and shared some delightful photos of her group enjoying the condo and their Key West Vacation. Thanks for sharing!

Nice catch! Looks like they had a successful Fishing Trip…

In addition to sharing these awesome photos with us, Renee also submitted an outstanding 5-star review of her experience staying in a Last Key Vacation Rental.

Seeing these moments of our guests enjoying their vacation and to receive such a flattering review reminds us just how lucky we are to be doing what we do and to live in such a magical place.

For future guests, send us your memorable photo or video of your time on vacation and submit a memorable 5-star review of your stay at a Last Key Realty Rental Home to be automatically entered for a chance to win a $100 cash card. You could be our March winner!

Best things to do in Key West

Key West is a very unique place with an abundance of things to do for everyone, regardless of age. Just like any popular travel destination, there are certain things that you must experience during your time in Key West. We’ve compiled a short list of the best things to do in Key West.

Spend a day at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park – This place rocks! Arguably the nicest Beach on the island, Fort Zach is a great mix of sandy shores and shaded woods, plus you have the Fort itself. Spend a day of your Key West Vacation soaking up the sun, relaxing on the beach, swimming in the Gulf, having a picnic, or touring the Fort at America’s Southernmost State Park. Our Truman Annex Properties are located right around the corner.

Tour The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum – Feeling like a tourist? Then you’ll absolutely want to take this guided tour of the famous writer’s Key West Home during the 1930’s. Now occupied by over forty cats, this historic mansion is nestled in the heart of Old Town. Today, the estate still remains the single largest residential property on the island of Key West.

Catch a Sunset at Mallory Square – For the most breathtaking sunset you’ve ever seen, gather your group and head down to Mallory Square and catch a sunset. Aside from the stunning views, there are also lots of street vendors and entertaining street performances. Definitely a Key West must!

Take a photo at the Most Southern Point – If you haven’t already, SAY CHEESE at the Most Southern Point of the United States! It doesn’t count as a Key West Vacation unless you take this photo…

Get out on the water – Whether it be by boat, by paddle board, or by kayak, one of the best things to do in Key West is enjoy the beautiful waters. Hang out at a sandbar, explore the mangroves, catch yourself some fresh dinner, or just sit back, relax, and enjoy the amazing scenery.

Tour The Harry S. Truman Little White House – If you’re a History Buff, then this is definitely a must do! See where President Harry S. Truman spent 175 days of his presidency from 1946 – 1952. It not only served as Truman’s “Winter White House”, but five other Presidents have also stayed here. Other presidents included William Howard Taft, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. Located on Front St. in the Truman Annex, tours are offered every 15 to 20 minutes throughout the day.

Make a trip to Fort Jefferson & Dry Tortugas National Park – Clear a day on your schedule to make the 70 mile trip out to Fort Jefferson & The Dry Tortugas. Relax on the shores of this secluded beach or snorkel in the surrounding crystal clear waters. After snorkeling, get your knowledge on, by taking a tour of the Fort. Experts will share some exciting stories and the remarkable history of Fort Jefferson.

Stay in a Last Key Realty Home – We’re not your ordinary Vacation Rental Company. We meet you at the property upon arrival and get your vacation started the right way. Have a problem? Just give us a call and we’ll have it solved in no time! When you stay in a Last Key Realty Home, you are getting more than just a Vacation Rental, you’re getting a complete Key West Vacation experience!!!

During your next Key West visit, find some time in between eating at the many wonderful restaurants on the island and taking part in Duval Street shenanigans to check out the best things to do in Key West.

Last Key Realty Boat Slip Rentals

Key West has some of the most beautiful waters on earth. People travel from ALL over the world to experience the crystal clear waters of America’s most southern point. There is nothing like cruising the Gulf of Mexico looking for a sandbar hangout, or sliding across the Atlantic Ocean on your way to an adventurous diving or fishing excursion. Being that it is almost essential to have a boat in Key West, we offer convenient Boat Slip Rentals. Not only can you rent a Home for yourself to stay, but you can also rent a Slip for your boat to stay.

Our four Boat Slips are available for Weekly rental at Sunset Marina, located on Stock Island. Here are the individual details of each Slip:

Marlin 7 – 40 ft. Boat Slip. Maximum boat size: 45 ft. long, 12 ft. wide. 6 ft. draft depth.

Marlin 8 – 30 ft. Boat Slip. Maximum boat size: 35 ft. long, 14 ft. wide. 6 ft. draft depth.

Grouper 9 – 40 ft. Boat Slip. Maximum boat size: 45 ft. long, 15 ft. wide. 6 ft. draft depth. Located at the end of the dock.

Grouper 10 – 40 ft. Boat Slip. Maximum boat size: 45 ft. long, 15 ft. wide. 6 ft. draft depth. Located at the end of the dock.

All Slips include a storage dock box, fish cleaning station, a 30 amp power source, water supply and full Guest Services of Last Key Realty. Also located at the Sunset Marina is the Marina Store and ride-up Gas Station. Rest assured in knowing that your Boat is in a safe and secure location during your time in Key West. Sunset Marina regulations require these slip rentals not be used for liveaboards, but we’d be happy to accommodate your stay at one of our luxury Vacation Rentals. Also, trailer storage can be accommodated at an additional cost. Please inquire for details.

While in Key West, getting out on the water is a must. Enjoy the peaceful aquatic scenery, catch yourself some dinner, or take the family snorkeling. There is so much to experience in the surrounding waters of Key West. Let your Boat experience Paradise too!

If you are going to bring your boat with you to Key West or rent one while you’re here, consider a convenient Last Key Realty Boat Slip Rental. For more information, call our Office at (305) 292-6266.

January 2017 Review/Photo of the Month

At Last Key Realty, we pride ourselves on the service we provide to our guests. We like to personally engage every guest by asking them to submit a review of their stay. We also encourage our guests to share with us photos of their group enjoying Key West and their Vacation Rental. As an incentive to guests for participating, we have launched a Monthly contest.

Each month we select a memorable guest review or photo to win a $100 cash card. Our January 2017 winner is the Watzich Family, that stayed with us at :: HAVANA HOUSE :: and shared two fun photos of the whole family enjoying the home’s pool and patio area. They also submitted an awesome 5-star review of their experience in Key West at :: HAVANA HOUSE :: and the service they received from Amanda, the Guest Services Coordinator for this Home. Thank you for sharing Watzich Family!

 

 

Seeing these amazing moments of our guests enjoying their vacation and receiving such a flattering review reminds us how lucky we are to be doing what we do and to live in such a magical place.

For future guests, send us a photo or video of your time on vacation and submit a memorable review of your stay at a Last Key Realty Rental Home to be entered for a chance to win a $100 cash card. Who knows, you could be next month’s winner?