Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys
Eat, Stay, Play
by Jen Pinkston
DESTINATION:
Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys
OCCASION:
When we realized that our kids would be with their grandparents for a few nights, we decided to take a last minute trip, just the two of us. After we booked the trip, we realized that we hadn’t been on a trip just the two of us in almost 5 years!
WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS HOTEL?
I have a friend who visited over twelve years ago and still talks about it to this day. I’ll often pick a location because of the hotel or resort, rather than the other way around, and Little Palm Island was no exception.
HOW DO YOU GET THERE?
From Austin, we connected through Dallas to get to Key West, Florida. Key West is just a 30 minute drive to the marina where you are then taken to the private island by boat. From Miami, it is a 2-hour drive. You can also arrive by seaplane.
DESCRIBE YOUR ROOM:
While I’m not sure words can do this beach-front bungalow justice, I will try. There are 30 bungalows on the island. Our suite includes a front deck that looks out over the ocean, complete with an outdoor bathtub and a gas fire pit that is lit every night around 8p.
Inside the bungalow there is a cozy sitting area that is connected to a bedroom by a bathroom. The bed is a giant four poster canopy bed that is so high, there is a step stool to help you up and down. Although the room is surrounded by wood shutters that you can open and close at will, the room stays dark and moody because of all of the flora and fauna on the island.
One of the highlights is the outdoor shower off of the bathroom.
DESCRIBE THE HOTEL:
Little Palm Island bills itself as America’s only private island resort and it lives up to the hype. There were so many moments where I could have convinced myself that I was the only person on the island. Something as simple as floating in a pool feels amplified by the beautiful cabanas, the stately palms blowing in the breeze, and the tranquility of it all. So many times we remarked to each other, “It’s so quiet!” It’s truly a retreat and a great place to reset.
There are docks on either side of the island that you can walk out on. Day or night you can sit and view fish swimming right underneath you. There was a school of Tarpon on our last night that was mesmerizing.
HOW WAS THE FOOD ON THE PROPERTY?
We ate every meal on the island and tried to work our way through most of the menu, which is large enough to provide variety and options, but small enough that you know everything is fresh.
Our first night there, we ate right on the beach, just steps from the water at sunset. I doubt I’ll ever forget that meal, that view, or that key lime pie.
Breakfast was spectacular. Highly recommend the crab cake benedict. My husband is still talking about the french toast.
Every meal can be taken in the dining room or in your room. You can also have lunch by the pool.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE SHOULD KNOW?
During our short three days there we came to know most of the staff by name. They were warm and very knowledgeable about the island and surrounding areas. When our Uber back to the airport canceled on us at the last minute, the gentleman at the check-out desk made a phone call and someone was there in minutes to pick us up.
One of our favorite parts of the trip was taking out the Boston Whaler for the afternoon and getting to explore around the keys. It really is unlike any other place I’ve been and I can’t imagine there’s another place quite like Little Palm Island. 10/10 recommend.
