Old Town / Mallory Square

Opal Key Resort and Marina

★★★★★

Opal Key Resort and Marina has the kind of address most Key West hotels would love: 245 Front Street, next door to Mallory Square and a block from Duval, on the harbor where the sunset celebration happens every evening. Travelers who knew it in earlier lives as a Westin and later a Margaritaville resort will find it rebranded and redesigned by Opal Collection, a Florida resort group, which relaunched it as Opal Key in 2021. The 178 rooms and suites are calm and natural-toned, with rich woods and private balconies; the best look over the harbor and marina toward Sunset Key. A central pool is ringed by native plants and trees, and every afternoon the staff hand out complimentary frozen drinks and fruit popsicles, a small touch guests remember. The 37-slip marina handles yachts from small cruisers to superyachts and gives easy access to watersports, fishing and sailing, and Bistro 245 serves breakfast through dinner overlooking the water. The location is the point: the Key West Aquarium, the Custom House and the Truman Little White House are minutes away, Duval's bars are around the corner, and the boat to Sunset Key Cottages leaves from the resort's dock. The trade-offs: there is no beach on site; the harbor end of town is busy when cruise ships are in; parking is limited and paid; and rooms facing the square can catch evening noise. But for a central, polished, water-view base, especially for couples and first-timers who want to walk to sunset, it is an excellent choice.

Opal Collection operates several Florida resorts and has a second Key West property, The Capitana, on the quieter eastern side of the island; Opal Key is the downtown flagship. The rebrand brought a softer, more natural design and a focus on the marina and harbor views, and the property has kept its waterfront terraces and its role as the dock for the Sunset Key launch, which gives guests a front-row view of the island's comings and goings.

Choosing a room: harbor- and marina-view rooms with balconies are the ones to book, especially for sunset; garden-view rooms are cheaper and quieter. If you are sensitive to noise, ask to be away from the Mallory Square side on busy evenings. Boaters can arrange daily or overnight dockage in the marina. There is no beach, so plan beach time at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, a short walk or bike ride away, or take a day pass at a beach resort. The free afternoon frozen drinks by the pool are a nice ritual between a morning of sightseeing and the walk next door to the sunset, and the waterfront bistro is convenient for an early breakfast before a boat trip.

Who it suits: couples, first-time visitors and anyone arriving by boat. Families will appreciate the pool and the short walk to the Aquarium and Shipwreck Treasure Museum, though the resort is more grown-up than playful. Pair a stay with sunset at Mallory Square next door, dinner on Duval, and a day on the water from the marina or the seaport.