All the prior reviews are right on. This inn is something of an anomaly. My girlfriend and I stayed here while attending a Mustang rally at Holiday Isle last weekend . This place is a rare gem. Their private oceanside beach is just outside your bedroom sliding glass door. Unlike larger inns on the beach, there are few if any guests out in the beach area, so it has the feel of a private home on the ocean. The inn is completely renovated, ground up, with new attractive and comfortable furnishings. Don't let the exterior photo fool you. In Monroe County, you can't build anything that doesn't look retro. We didn't miss the pool. We preferred a private and quiet beach outside our bedroom to a poolside beerfest.
The staff and management could not have been more accomodating. Talking to them, we learned the story behind this inn. The new owner neglected to oversee the renovation by his minority partner who went overboard with the design and furnishings. Egyptian cotton linens. Completely equipped kitchen, with all appliances including dedicated tea brewer and assortment of fine teas (my girlfriend loved that). Housekeeping was absolutely first rate. One would not expect that this (Islamorada) market would support this type of product at the prevailing rates. What they created, completely by accident, is a great inn with a niche market, properly targetted toward couples looking for private comfortable oceanside accomodations for a romantic vacation or weekend for two. Between its size and the helpfulness of the staff, it has the feel of a B&B.
Any squawks? Only one. Some guests might find the air conditioner too close to the bed. I didn't mind the white noise, but some may want to inquire about a room with reversed layout. Otherwise, we could not find a single flaw. When we return again to Islamorada, we won't even bother to conside staying at any other inn (Cheeca included). This is as close as you can get to a private house on the ocean in the keys without breaking the bank. This place is a rare gem.

We picked Ocean Dawn because it is brand new and wanted to see what it offered. The suite we stayed in was beautiful and it had a spectacular view of the ocean. Very private and the personal service was very nice. Everything was very clean and brand new. The private beach just steps away from the hotel was very relaxing. We played tennis on the red clay court which was great.
Perfect for a romantic getaway.

My wife and I enjoyed the personal attention we received from the owner (Mark) and the newly renovated suites were beautiful. We both enjoy playing tennis and the new clay court was just steps from our room. The beach front is beautiful, very quiet and private. We recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a romantic, relaxing get away. A true treasure in the keys! We are planning to go back and meet our extended family there for a reunion during the holidays.

A friend and I decided to head to the Keys to do some diving and just relax for the weekend. This small, vintage 2-story motel type property has been completely remodeled in a very tasteful and quite upscale way – think marble, large tile and flat-screen TVs. There are only 8 suites, all of which look directly onto the beach. Ours had a well-equipped kitchen and a private patio. First floor rooms have sliding doors that open directly onto the beach. The rooms are large, very clean and you could see the ocean from our bed. The large beach is very secluded and has fantastic white powder sand which beckons even beach-wary travelers such as myself, surrounded by tiki torches in the evening. A large tiki hut sits off to the side of the beach which provides shade and patio tables. There is no restaurant on site but the property has great BBQ grills for guests’ use. There is also a tennis court on property and a pool will evidently be built shortly. This is not the hotel for those looking for wild, on-site bars and 24-hour room service but it’s perfect for a quiet beach getaway. Having a large, private beach was a huge plus. Of course all the attractions of Islamorada are just a walk or short drive off property. The owner, Mark, was very jovial and extremely helpful. This is a great find for those looking to avoid the large resorts and “spring-break” style hotels.