I had been wanting to stay at this property since I saw it featured in Netflix’s series Bloodline. When the opportunity arose in July, we were happy to find ourselves in the area in June & called to learn Lodges North & South were newly available. The property IS lovely & the cottages are as quaint & luxurious as can be imagined. Very comfortable beds, towels, sheets, porches, lovely pink or blue shutters, manicured grounds & friendly staff. Our cottage was a bit small, even for 2 people for a few nights… but still lovely. The MAJOR PROBLEM… was the beach itself. We booked this property to enjoy the Central Keys, knowing the Moorings was one of the few properties that had any white sand & turquoise water. However because of their location, the keys are being hit HARD with HORRIBLE sargassum (seaweed). If you’re not familiar with what’s happening, google it, search and ASK. When Sargassum is present, it’s a horrible stench, and makes the water and beach uninhabitable. The hotel staff works very hard to clean it up, but even the large properties in Cancun & the Caribbean can’t keep up with this problem. It was horrible during our stay. Even in the best of circumstances, the ocean here & throughout IslaMorada seems more like a lake with a lot grass & murky colors. It was cool to look for Lobsters… but most people rent a boat or book a Sandbar trip to get to the beautiful water I wanted and hoped would be outside our door. I don’t believe the beautiful water it is ever accessible from shore (but I could be wrong). The Moorings owner & his team were ultimately very helpful & responsive to our needs & the problems we encountered during our stay. The property itself is beautiful! Just be Sargassum isn’t affecting the region before you visit.…
If you are going to Islamorada and seeking a lovely, private, quiet location, do not hesitate to stay here. We just returned from a 3 night stay (about the perfect amount of time). We were traveling with one of our children (14) and while I would say this is mostly for couples, it was fine for an older child. Our villa/cottage was Orchid and it was perfect for us. Good views of the beach from the front porch and stocked with every amenity you could need (including a W/D and Tide Pods). We loved having a small kitchen and stopped by the Publix down the road for some groceries (there is no food or beverage service on site). The front office staff (especially Lindsey) was great at helping us book dinner reservations (would highly recommend the Beach Cafe at Morada Bay - casual dining - amazing setting and Chef Michael's) both within walking distance. We also enjoyed a fishing charter and did a kayak trip out of Robbie's Marina. Unfortunately it was too windy for snorkeling. They are in the process of building a brand new pool so there was some construction noise that we were warned about ahead of time and the management felt so badly that they we were adequately "compensated" us for any inconvenience. Moorings guests currently have pool privileges next door at Cheeca - a very quick walk - and the new pool is expected to be complete some time in May. Fitness facility at the Moorings was top notch. We basically had the beach to ourselves, including reserved beach chairs. Kayaks, paddle boards, hammocks and bikes at your disposal. Lovely palm trees so plenty of shade. Check out the beer garden at Florida Keys Brewing around the corner. If you are looking to rest and recharge, this is the place to do it and we would definitely stay here again if we return to the area.…
We had a wonderful stay at The Moorings. A beautiful cottage with a stunning view of the white beach and, beyond, the blue sea. We spent our days on the beach, with a lot af space just for us, and reading on the porch. The staff was very accomodating and helpful. Our only problem was construction noise one day from the new pool currently being built, but that was swiftly and generously compensated. A few ideas on how this beautiful resort could be further improved: perhaps a bread basket being delivered to the cottage in the morning. Access to drinking water at the pool. One or two small jettys from the beach to get to deeper water (the bottom is auite shallow and a bit muddy close to the beach). We would very much like to return to The Moorings!
There's nothing we could imagine to improve on our entirely too short stay here. Everything and everyone was fantastic. Quiet and private, with a stunning beachfront on which the view of the water is rivaled by the beautiful palms throwing dappled sun across the sand. The cottage was immaculate and spacious. The staff, from housekeeping to the front desk were unobtrusive yet always available. I had arranged several "surprises" for my wife and thanks to Baye everything was flawless and easy to arrange. What a place; what a team!
There’s a dilemma when writing about your favorite vacation destination: by writing about something, can you ruin it? My wife and I stayed at The Moorings for a week, to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. It was the perfect spot for us to do as little or as much as we wanted to do. The landscaping is lush and maintained on a daily basis by a dedicated crew. We had the honeymoon cottage, which has a lovely view of the ocean, about 50 yards from the beach. Very quiet at night. We slept 9-10 hours every night, which we never do back home. Service by the folks in reception is responsive and pleasant. They delivered the New York Times to our cottage every morning. Across the road is a wonderful place, the Morada Bay Beach Cafe, to have dinner and watch the sunset. We recommend driving south about 15 minutes to Habanos for a Cuban sandwich, rice and black beans, and of course key lime pie. Islamorada is an interesting island with a variety if textures. There are very few chain restaurants or retail stores. The Moorings is a perfect place for a couple to get away and reconnect.…
My husband and I visited The Moorings last week and couldn’t have had a more enjoyable stay. The beach was stunning so peaceful and relaxing. The weather was windy but it was nice to lay on the beach and read a book in one of the beach hammocks with the breeze. One of the days we were there we noticed there was some build up of seaweed on the beach with the wind at its high speeds coming off the ocean, this seaweed was to be expected. We drove around to some of the local spots on the island and saw that it was showing up everywhere, seemed par for the course that it would be on The Moorings Beach too. However, The staff was on the beach all day picking up the large amounts of seaweed making sure we had unobstructed views of the ocean and could get into the water. By the end of the week seaweed was all cleared. All part of the ‘island life’ we cherish so much when visiting. Great experience. Great people. Highly recommend.…
We prepaid $6000 and were not able to use the beach or swim because of six feet of seaweed thatThe ownership was aware that they were experiencing a severe problem with seaweed (about six feet deep at the edge of the beach). It was impossible to enter the water for the three days we were there. If the owner hadn't admitted to me that he should have notified us about the seaweed, I would say that it was an act of nature. But, not only did he know about the severity of the seaweed, he complained to me about how big a problem it was to him. We were not made aware. We prepaid $6,000 with the main goal of being able to sit on the beach and swim. We could not do either. No concession was offered to us. I think we should have been given a choice.
It certainly is a beautiful piece of property. From the details, you can tell the quality: the sheets are soft, the toiletry is high end, the towels are soft, and the service is great. That beach is just so very peaceful. It is the type of place you wanna be if you don’t want a pool party every night, just you and the beach. However, (there are two of us and we were in the south lodge), all the issues previously said in another review are true- the bed is old, we had a king size bed in the south lodge, but it is clearly old, very soft and not supportive around lower back. The bathroom is very small, there is no pic online. But if you sit on the toilet your elbow can easily touch the sink. You can definitely hear your neighbors. But we really didn’t mind having neighbors, we met both groups and even went out to dinner with one of the couples! we had a great time. There is no restaurant or spa onsite, but all the recommended locations were great. There is a great little brewery right around the corner, we were there 4 out of the 7 nights! We look forward to coming back when all the remodeling is done next year!! …
This was as close to heaven as One can get. There isn’t much more to write about the beauty of this place that hasn’t been said in all the previous the reviews, however, the staff is worth noting. I had planned a surprise vow renewal on the beach at the Moorings since February of last year. Emily was fabulous. She and all the other ladies helped me with everything right down to the very last minutes of the surprise. Without them it never would have been a success. Nothing is overlooked here. Thank you ladies. You are amazing. Can’t wait to see you all again next fall
This resort is nothing short of paradise on earth! It is the most beautiful and peaceful place we have ever visited + the staff make you feel very special, as if you are a friend or neighbor. The private beach makes you feel as if you are living in a postcard! I pray we have many more opportunities to return + make memories for years to come!
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