Key West High Season - are they high?

[BeamerBikes]

Anyone with recent experience on Key West?  I've been looking at rates and floored how expensive lodging has gotten.  

Casa Marina rooms are regularly starting at $1k/night. I thought it was expensive, but worth it at 500/night a few years back.  Now that seems to be the going rate for even the airport area hotels. Not looking to turn this into a crank about how expensive it is.

I check out the Great Loop boaters group, and there's reports that island is almost too busy. Service is suffering, but folks are still forking over money hand over fist.

Curious, is the island actually this packed? Is it super crunched to find industry workers, and service is suffering?  Little from column A and B? 

 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

The island has had these prices since the beginning of COVID and it's not likely to change.

There's no such thing as 'low season' in KW anymore.  

I spend a considerable amount of time there and in the last two years, it's always packed.  Always.

Being a local without considerable income is difficult when you have $4k rents for 2br/2bath houses.  For $2k, you can get a guesthouse studio that doesn't even have a full-size fridge and just a microwave oven.

The silver lining is for those who own property and have seen their values skyrocket.  If you choose to sell, a house in KW is only sitting for 5-7 days before closing.  All cash.  It's wild.

[BeamerBikes]

Good for them finding clientele to pay it. I probably I'm not alone getting priced out for vacation spots. I enjoyed Casa Marina for the relative quiet but ease of access to Duval. 

As the song goes though, if you don't have any money, keep your broke ass home. This is more the case of comfort spending at these rates. Also doesn't help I took the ferry from Ft. Meyers on my last trip, and the Florida crowd was full effect. 

I dont mind dropping coin, but its a hard value proposition if it's packed and the service is poor. 

Aside, I don't know how folks can responsibly afford those rates. Lots of folks yolo'ing?  It'd be interested in the demographics if tipping rate is affected by higher rates. 

[menaughty]

OMG! Ft. Lauderdale & Key West has been on my list but whenever I go to expedia to check hotels. Goshh!! So expensive! 

Edited February 10, 2022 by menaughty

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

20 hours ago, BeamerBikes said:

Good for them finding clientele to pay it. I probably I'm not alone getting priced out for vacation spots. I enjoyed Casa Marina for the relative quiet but ease of access to Duval. 

As the song goes though, if you don't have any money, keep your broke ass home. This is more the case of comfort spending at these rates. Also doesn't help I took the ferry from Ft. Meyers on my last trip, and the Florida crowd was full effect. 

I dont mind dropping coin, but its a hard value proposition if it's packed and the service is poor. 

Aside, I don't know how folks can responsibly afford those rates. Lots of folks yolo'ing?  It'd be interested in the demographics if tipping rate is affected by higher rates. 

A lot of folks saved money during COVID, leaving them somewhat flush with cash and are now wanting to spend it.  

The demographic of a KW tourist has changed drastically in the 20 years I've been a semi-resident on the island.  What was once a gay mecca is now squarely becoming a Southern version of Panama City Beach.  Pulling back on the cruise ships have helped ease the packed feeling, but it's still busy.  Service standard is laid back (as always), but never what I would consider sloppy or bad.  KW just moves at its own pace.

Young people aren't KW's demographic anymore.  They go to Miami.

A lot of my most favorite 'little' spots in FL are now overrun.  Anna Maria/Bradenton was a nice place to get some peace and quiet with stunning beaches, but that's gone.  Parts of St Pete still have charm.  I like Destin, but the PCB crowd is edging into it and it's all becoming one big Hooters.

[+ tassojunior]

I use Hotels Tonight for FLL a lot in high peak season (now). For upcoming spring break forget it. For Key West free night certs or use points. I've gotten to like the Clearwater area and Sarasota most for combination of best beaches, rates. (Anna Maria was an expensive let down at Marriott Waterline Marina.) 

[BeamerBikes]

2 hours ago, Benjamin_Nicholas said:

.... What was once a gay mecca is now squarely becoming a Southern version of Panama City Beach.  ....

Young people aren't KW's demographic anymore.  They go to Miami.

A lot of my most favorite 'little' spots in FL are now overrun.  Anna Maria/Bradenton was a nice place to get some peace and quiet with stunning beaches, but that's gone.  Parts of St Pete still have charm.  I like Destin, but the PCB crowd is edging into it and it's all becoming one big Hooters.

Yeah, I'm out of my 20s&30s now, but it seems the gay meccas, much like the urban gay bars are fading. 

The PCB crowd was definitely what I felt on the ferry.  Once on island, I stayed at a rental in Old Town. After that, I was and still am prepared to drop 10-15k for a monthly rental to escape northern winters.  Just insane to me that 10k can go just for a week of lodging!  

Yeah on service, I don't mind move at the speed of the south when its less crowded.  Just different vibe when it's packed and also slow.  

But yeah, cute little resort towns once gay meccas are now overrun. Ptown to me felt like Key West but with overtone of Puritan keep it discrete vibe. It'd be interesting to see if there's any new up and coming locations. 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

2 hours ago, tassojunior said:

(Anna Maria was an expensive let down at Marriott Waterline Marina.) 

Ah, that's the problem.  You don't go for a hotel in Anna Maria.  You take a house.

The hotels there are a little backwater.

[+ tassojunior]

3 hours ago, Benjamin_Nicholas said:

Ah, that's the problem.  You don't go for a hotel in Anna Maria.  You take a house.

The hotels there are a little backwater.

 Yes, a house in the north end coast would be nice. Marriott's Waterline Marina is $1000/night when you can get it. But it's in Holmes Beach which is a dump. Bradenton Beach is worse. That 1% north end portion should have another name because the rest of AM Island is not what people expect. 

My friends and I favor Clearwater/ Sand Key/ Dunedin / Sarasota for best beaches/ lowest cost. And both Sand Key and Sarasota have a Columbia Restaurant branch which makes it nicer. Clearwater sand and water is amazing.

[ashaddams]

We have been going to Key West for over 9 years now and we are both in our late 30's.  That being said... I do agree with the previous sentiments about the age and crowd.  In the best way possible: KW seems like a playground for EVERY walk of life, so you get lots of (LOTS OF) different kinds of people.. esp straight people.  Which is fine, of course.  But the Duval Corner with 801, Burbon Street, Aqua, Saloon One, etc... something so wonderful about a gay corner with drag queens and gogo boys!

Yes, it is expensive. But if you can, save up! it's so fun.  (And a tip: you can book a hotel or airbnb or something and do DAY PASSES to Island House.)

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I feel like the gay makeup of Key West is now 60+ and mostly white. I've never seen less diversity on the island as I have right now. 
 

It's gotten so overpriced that young guys want nothing to do with it.  They want the energy of Miami.  Key West is like a retirement home to them. 

For me, the island has been a good investment, but I could imagine coming here as a tourist and expecting a mecca city. 

[ICTJOCK]

Always love visiting Key West,   always wanted to make it an annual event,   then COVID and the hurricane down there,  thus it has been several years since I've been.     Have really missed it.      This thread has been helpful,   but I'm not surprised in the increase in prices.     I have a friend who goes every year and he gives me a report.   He was there in June.     Still hope to return soon.