Smuggler's Cove
Islamorada Hotels
Smuggler's Cove is located in Islamorada (pronounced EYE-lah-more-ah-dah) which is the sportsfishing capital of the world. You can tell by the huge size of the boats around here, and the volume of boating expeditions going out daily!
The motel is in essence a double height row of very simple rooms up against the marina where the boats dock. Windows look out over the boats, and a balcony runs the length of the front of the motel so you can walk along and get to a stairs down. Facing the water, the restaurant is on the right. The restaurant is a sea shanty down-home spot where the locals hang out, but it's on the expensive side for such a casual place.
Here's a view out our second floor window.
Here's a boat and pelican found by the hotel.
The picture below is provided by the motel. It looks glitzy, but really the motel part is the building left of center, and that's it. Further left in that photo is the small restaurant. The building to the right that's lit up was not open when we were there and appears to be a small tiki bar.
This isn't a place to go and hang out. It's a functional bed and bath to get sleep in before you go out fishing the next day. The room was not very clean and in fact when we went (in January) they had a space heater set up in the room that didn't work very well, to try to keep it warm. The view of the boats was great ... but that is all there is to see. The restaurant wasn't that appealing. The dock itself was nice to walk down and take pictures of pelicans and a few anhingas.
PRICE RANGE:
Around $100/night in 2004
HOTEL INFORMATION:
Smugglers Cove Resort & Marina
Mile Marker 85.5
85500 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, Florida Keys 33036
Corporate Website for Smuggler's Cove Islamorada
Florida Keys 1998 Travelogue
Florida Keys 2003 Travelogue
Main Page on Florida Keys Hotels