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Island Bay Resort: Traveler Reviews

92530 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, Key Largo, FL 33070
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Hotel amenities
Island Bay Resort
Ranked #1 of 4 hotels in Tavernier
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319 reviews from our community

Traveler rating
    275
    36
    8
    0
    0
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Families
20
 
Couples
226
 
Solo
8
 
Business
0
 
Rating summary
  • Sleep Quality
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Location
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Rooms
    5 of 5 stars
  • Service
    5 of 5 stars
  • Value
    4.5 of 5 stars
  • Cleanliness
    5 of 5 stars
Date Rating
NW Indiana, United States
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Ultra-Relaxing!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 4, 2012

W just had a wonderful stay at Island Bay Resort over Thanksgiving. A very comfortable room (we traveled with two young kids, so we had connecting rooms 9 & 10 which worked out perfectly). A short stroll down to the private beach was heavenly, as were watching the beautiful sunsets each night! Mike and Carol are wonderful hosts, always willing to help with suggestions of any kind. We also enjoyed taking one of their kayaks out to explore the bay. Overall, just a wonderful experience at a wonderful place!

Room Tip: The lower the room number, the closer to the beach. However, the higher room numbers are larger roo...
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  • Stayed November 2012, traveled with family
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
Ask KatieC74 about Island Bay Resort
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
London, England
Top Contributor
131 reviews 131 reviews
123 hotel reviews
Reviews in 120 cities Reviews in 120 cities
102 helpful votes 102 helpful votes
“Perfect peace”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 4, 2012

There are huge resorts you can stay in on the Keys, and at the other and better end of the spectrum there is tiny and beautiful Island Bay Resort.
It's simple really, nine or so little cottage rooms with little kitchens, very nicely furnished and all with sitting out/eating al-fresco space. At the end a lovely little private beach complete with pet cats and iguanas and from time-to-time a passing egret. Kayaks you can use for free. Loads of loungers and easy chairs.
We were only there two nights, so the first night we stocked up at the market down the road, and ate out. But that was it, after that we didn't stir out of the grounds until we had to check out.
The owners were friendly and helpful when we checked in, and then left us to our own devices unless we approached them with a question or request. Great.
It was November, but the sun shone and the water was warm enough for a quick swim (me) or a long snorkle (other half).
Loved it.

Room Tip: Our room was at the end right by the beach - good place to be (but only one like that).
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  • Stayed November 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Ask RedHeadPeter about Island Bay Resort
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Fayetteville, Tennessee
1 review
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“A little slice of paradise!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 26, 2012

We took a chance at this resort after seeing the reviews and are SO glad we did. We prefer to stay in smaller, unique hotels and this was one of the best we have found. The rooms are spotless, the grounds well manicured, and the personal service is superior. Several reviewers cited road noise as an issue, but we did not find it distracting at all. We explored the Keys on day trips and by day's end we were looking forward to heading back to watch the gorgeous sunset and enjoy the peace and tranquility of Island Bay. This is exactly what we were looking for - - total relaxation in a little slice of paradise! We're already making plans for next year.

Room Tip: lower number rooms are a bit farther from the highway, thus quieter
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  • Stayed November 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
Ask ChicksRUs about Island Bay Resort
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
York PA
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
8 hotel reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“Unique and comfortable”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 22, 2012

Spent a few days here this month and we all wished we could stay longer. Well-appointed rooms, thoughtfully decorated. So many clever touches both in the rooms and on the grounds. Lots of great seating areas to enjoy the quiet setting and the gorgeous bay views. This is not the place for someone looking for big hotel amenities or nightlife. We found it perfectly charming and hope to return

Room Tip: We were travelling with another couple and rented both parts of a cottage. The smaller of the two r...
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  • Stayed November 2012, traveled with friends
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Ask QueenMumSW1 about Island Bay Resort
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
cheshire uk
Top Contributor
78 reviews 78 reviews
35 hotel reviews
Reviews in 46 cities Reviews in 46 cities
85 helpful votes 85 helpful votes
“Property immaculate, an oasis on a busy highway”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed November 22, 2012

We loved the little cottage which like the rest of the property is absolutely faultless in terms of it's maintenance a d it's very friendly owner/managers. The whole place is a world away from the busy brash highway and large impersonal resorts and the sunset facing dock is a magical spot to sit with a drink prepared yourself in your own little kitchen. We choose this resort as a break from large resort style hotels with elevators long corridors etc as stayed here in the middle of a 10 night trip which included that type of hotel and eating out every night in restaurants. The idea of cooking for ourselves in our own deck was great, but remember to buy your charcoal as it's not available at the resort which is a little bit inconvenient.
I hate having to bring attention to the major negative for us about the resort because it's something totally out of the owners control- the road noise from the highway which runs literally feet from the deck area of our cottage.
We stayed in coral reef no 9 which is the nearest to the road and therefore gets the most road noise and really impacted on our plans to eat our own BBQ outside. We did eat out there but just the once we had to eat out as we had to shout to make our selves heard to each other. It was like sitting on the shoulder of a freeway and not relaxing for us. I would say if you have a choice pick the lowest number available as it went much quieter the nearer the water you got. On the beach you don't hear anything and it's lovely there. The noise kept us awake at night too, but the owners did everything they could to help resolve, even offering us the chance to leave without penalty which was generous. The only other negative for us was that the water clarity and weed in the bay, again not controllable by the owners. I must say that this was not restricted to just this property , I was dissapointed in general with the water in the keys , even in the state parks the water was the same a bit muddy looking and weedy, not inviting at all. As a previous reviewer said more like a duck pond or river, when you are used to clear sparkling sea that you find in med it was quite a shock.

Room Tip: As near the water as possible to avoid road noise
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  • Stayed November 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Ask cheshirecaz59 about Island Bay Resort
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Additional Information about Island Bay Resort

Also Known As:
Island Bay Hotel Tavernier
Island Bay Hotel
Island Bay Tavernier
Island Bay Resort Key Largo/Tavernier
Address: 92530 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, Key Largo, FL 33070
Phone Number:
Region: United States > Florida > Florida Keys > Key Largo > Tavernier
Amenities:
Beach Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Kitchenette Suites Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
#1 Romantic Hotels in Tavernier
#1 Family Hotels in Tavernier
#1 On the Beach Hotels in Tavernier
#1 Onsen Hotels in Tavernier
Price Range: $$
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
Island Bay Resort provides you with a total "Florida Keys experience." Our hotel is centrally located between Key Largo and Islamorada and just two hours from Key West. Enjoying your Florida vacation is easy. Swimming, snorkeling, boating and beach sunbathing can all be enjoyed from our resort’s beaches. ... more   less 

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