Key West Guest Houses?
Feb 15, 2008, 4:20 am
#16
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Sorry but the post not only requested a gay guest house but included this qualification - Quality - We travel a lot and typically stay at upscale places. Looking for a good quality room. Willing to pay.. In no way would I ever describe the Island House as being UPSCALE or offering GOOD QUALITY ROOMS.
As for the late night activities, I too have stayed at many gay hotels and guest houses that have not included sexcapades. If that is what someone is looking for great, but not me.
As for the late night activities, I too have stayed at many gay hotels and guest houses that have not included sexcapades. If that is what someone is looking for great, but not me.
Feb 15, 2008, 8:24 am
#17
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This thread has been a good discussion of Key West Guest Houses - as with most gay resorts - it is very important to have an idea of the "vibe" of the place since it can make or break the trip.
Feb 15, 2008, 9:06 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 319
Aeneastwin Stands Tall
Island House is a quality, upscale gay male resort. I recently stayed in one of their deluxe rooms and thought it comparable to a room at any of the top luxury hotels.
In my view the posters criticizing Island House are being precious and are applying a Kathie Lee Gifford taste level to an exceptional resort, i.e., you can do a vacation their way and be in nic nac heaven but you won't have any fun.
For those interested on the 411 at Island House or any other gay male resort, go to tripadvisor.com. I think the reviews and photos will confirm what I have been saying.
In my view the posters criticizing Island House are being precious and are applying a Kathie Lee Gifford taste level to an exceptional resort, i.e., you can do a vacation their way and be in nic nac heaven but you won't have any fun.
For those interested on the 411 at Island House or any other gay male resort, go to tripadvisor.com. I think the reviews and photos will confirm what I have been saying.
Feb 15, 2008, 12:10 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2003
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If you look at other gay resort cities like Palm Springs you will find the same differing opinions on resorts there too. I know some people consider the Mirage/Vista Grande to be a wonderful upscale place to stay
but I personally would not let my dog stay there! As for tripadvisor.com comments about the Island House...we all know that ALL reviews on tripadvisor.com need to be taken with a grain of salt since they can be posted by anyone including the establishments owners.
Last edited by christianj; Feb 15, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Feb 16, 2008, 9:27 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,657
Hi - I stayed at the Gardens Hotel, the last itme I was in Key West.
Comfortably located away from Duval, but close enough to everything.
Not necesarily gay, but comfortably luxe, the concierge in the office is a cute guy from San Diego and will tell you where to go / what to do.
THe innkeeper was helpful.
I had a great time. When I was there, an RSVP cruise called port to Key West. It was crazy...
http://www.gardenshotel.com/
Comfortably located away from Duval, but close enough to everything.
Not necesarily gay, but comfortably luxe, the concierge in the office is a cute guy from San Diego and will tell you where to go / what to do.
THe innkeeper was helpful.
I had a great time. When I was there, an RSVP cruise called port to Key West. It was crazy...
http://www.gardenshotel.com/
Feb 18, 2008, 6:27 pm
#21
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Leave it up to the gay-sector of FT to get .....y at the drop of a feathered hat... Couth up a little, will ya? 
All the suggestions have been good ones. Sure, Island House isn't The Peninsula or a Four Seasons, but it's one of the best GAY GUESTHOUSES that EYW has to offer. If you want something more spiffy, I suggest you stay at the Setai in Miami and take your private jet onto the Keys for a day excursion.
*rolls eyes*
My vote remains for Island House: It's clean, comfortable and really one of the few all-gay places to stay that's truly all-inclusive. A total resort.
BN
All the suggestions have been good ones. Sure, Island House isn't The Peninsula or a Four Seasons, but it's one of the best GAY GUESTHOUSES that EYW has to offer. If you want something more spiffy, I suggest you stay at the Setai in Miami and take your private jet onto the Keys for a day excursion.
*rolls eyes*
My vote remains for Island House: It's clean, comfortable and really one of the few all-gay places to stay that's truly all-inclusive. A total resort.
BN
Feb 19, 2008, 9:54 am
#22
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 319
Vindicated At Last!
Thank you, BenjaminNicholas, for your post.
Honestly, I feel like a gay Sir Thomas More in "A Man for All Seasons"!
Hopefully, my courageous stand will be suitably rewarded during my next visit to Island House (especially in the video room)!
Love and Laughter to All.
Honestly, I feel like a gay Sir Thomas More in "A Man for All Seasons"!
Hopefully, my courageous stand will be suitably rewarded during my next visit to Island House (especially in the video room)!
Love and Laughter to All.
Feb 21, 2008, 9:17 am
#23
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How about the Light House Court and the smaller Big Ruby ? No mention of these 2 places at all.
The Light House Court has 50 or 60 some rooms, the Big Ruby about 15 top ( more luxurious, older crowd, small pool and sun bathe area )
The Light House Court has 50 or 60 some rooms, the Big Ruby about 15 top ( more luxurious, older crowd, small pool and sun bathe area )
Feb 21, 2008, 11:31 am
#25
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Did Big Rubys years ago when the Equator was fully booked during a week we want to go. Overall okay but back then they allowed women in which might bother some people. Nudity due to this was also limited. Not sure if it is currently male exclusive or not. The location was nice being so near Duval but we ended up back at the Equator on our next trip.
Feb 23, 2008, 1:33 am
#26
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Feb 25, 2008, 12:12 pm
#27
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Key West Guesthouses
Island House - it's pretty good. Food is not great but the atmosphere is friendly and it's as much party as you would like. I like the place and find that I can be as quiet or as friendly as I feel like, so that's good.
Oasis - I have had great times there. Very low key. Friendly crowd. I definitely recommend it.
Big Ruby's - Not so much. Found the place the staff to be careless and the rooms not so clean. It might have just been a bad week but I also found the other guests cliquish, not that I wanted to engage much but a little snobbier than the environment and their looks would indicate.
Oasis - I have had great times there. Very low key. Friendly crowd. I definitely recommend it.
Big Ruby's - Not so much. Found the place the staff to be careless and the rooms not so clean. It might have just been a bad week but I also found the other guests cliquish, not that I wanted to engage much but a little snobbier than the environment and their looks would indicate.
Feb 26, 2008, 11:54 am
#28
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I was wrong...
Just getting back from nearly a week stay at Island House, it's apparent that my former statements on the property have changed... a lot.
I'm going to do a total wrap-up on my blog in the next few days, I will say that IH is no longer fun, intimate or well-kept. Sad to see that the property is in desperate need of renovation: Paint is peeling, gym is decrepit, cleanliness as a whole around the resort is low, phones in room don't work and the housekeeping crew only replaces towels and never actually cleans the room.
My whole experience this trip was just tacky. I wanted to spend as little time there as possible. The crowd of people has definitely turned as well, making the entire atmosphere (morning, noon and night) one of a low-brow bathhouse. Getting cruised by a naked guy needing to lose about 80 lbs while eating dinner isn't my idea of either sexy or erotic. Many of the guests while I was there seemed to lack that little thing I like to call tact.
Cross Island House off the list of decent places to stay in Key West. From the looks of it, I'd now recommend Coconut House or any other place on Fleming Street that's been better taken care of.
BN
I'm going to do a total wrap-up on my blog in the next few days, I will say that IH is no longer fun, intimate or well-kept. Sad to see that the property is in desperate need of renovation: Paint is peeling, gym is decrepit, cleanliness as a whole around the resort is low, phones in room don't work and the housekeeping crew only replaces towels and never actually cleans the room.
My whole experience this trip was just tacky. I wanted to spend as little time there as possible. The crowd of people has definitely turned as well, making the entire atmosphere (morning, noon and night) one of a low-brow bathhouse. Getting cruised by a naked guy needing to lose about 80 lbs while eating dinner isn't my idea of either sexy or erotic. Many of the guests while I was there seemed to lack that little thing I like to call tact.
Cross Island House off the list of decent places to stay in Key West. From the looks of it, I'd now recommend Coconut House or any other place on Fleming Street that's been better taken care of.
BN
Feb 26, 2008, 2:02 pm
#29
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Figure I should give an update to my original post...
First, thanks to everyone for your insight. I appreciate those of you who stuck to the specifics I asked in the post, as well as those of you who offered your opinions on just about everything else.
We decided to book at Alexander Guest House, as we felt it was our best bet at getting a higher-end, spacious room. Although Island House seems like fun, there were a large number of reviews here on FT and on Tripadvisor which hinted that they property is not up to the quality that it once was. Rather than take the chance, we figured we would be more comfortable across the street at Alexander (at a price which was significantly less to boot). We figure we could always grab a day pass to IH if we feel the need to have some additional fun...
Thanks, again, for everyones' advice.
First, thanks to everyone for your insight. I appreciate those of you who stuck to the specifics I asked in the post, as well as those of you who offered your opinions on just about everything else.
We decided to book at Alexander Guest House, as we felt it was our best bet at getting a higher-end, spacious room. Although Island House seems like fun, there were a large number of reviews here on FT and on Tripadvisor which hinted that they property is not up to the quality that it once was. Rather than take the chance, we figured we would be more comfortable across the street at Alexander (at a price which was significantly less to boot). We figure we could always grab a day pass to IH if we feel the need to have some additional fun...
Thanks, again, for everyones' advice.
Feb 26, 2008, 3:31 pm
#30
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I did the Equator resort twice about a year or two ago. I loved the location, and the crowd there was very mixed but great. It was alot more than an 'extended stay bath house with a bed" in my opinion. I actually made several friends each visit and keep in touch, blah blah. The quality of the rooms, beds, linens, etc is probably close to that of a Hilton Garden Inn, just for a frame of reference. But, this was a year or so ago...