Coconut Palms Villa

Coconut Palms of Key West books privately owned condos inside 1800 Atlantic, a beachfront condominium resort on Atlantic Boulevard at the quiet end of the island. More than 35 units are available through them, which means you are choosing an actual home rather than a room, and every one of them comes with its own owner’s taste in furniture and its own view.

Most of the condos are two bedroom suites running around 1,375 square feet, with a few three bedroom layouts in the mix, and most sleep up to six. Expect a full kitchen, a washer and dryer, and a long balcony behind sliding glass doors. Some units look out over the water and others over the resort’s tropical garden, so ask which you are getting when you inquire.

The grounds are the reason people keep coming back. There is a heated Olympic size pool sitting right on the sand, a twenty person hot tub, three lighted tennis courts including one clay court with a pro shop, a racquetball court, a basketball court, his and hers saunas, an exercise equipment room, a library, a botanical garden and barbecue shelters under the palms. The resort has its own private beach area of roughly 400 feet directly beside Smathers Beach, plus 24 hour security, elevators and an assigned stall in the gated parking garage with overflow parking for a second vehicle.

You are a few minutes from Smathers Beach, the White Street Pier and the airport, and a short ride up the island from Duval Street, which is close enough for dinner and far enough to sleep. Minimum stays run three nights from May through mid December and four nights in the winter season. Check in is at 4:00 pm and check out is at 10:00 am. No pets and no smoking, per condo association rules, and no boats, trailers or campers in the garage. Bookings go through the inquiry form on their site and a property manager follows up.