Introduction

Key West has a genuine guesthouse tradition alongside historic Flagler-era hotels and standard chains. We checked eight properties below — two well-known historic hotels turned out to have rebranded to different chains years ago, with the old names still widely circulating.

Curry Mansion Inn

Built in 1869 by Florida's first self-made millionaire and rebuilt by his son as a Georgian Revival mansion in 1901, operating as an inn since

• *Check-in/out:

• Check-in from 4pm (contactless, entry code emailed ahead of arrival); checkout time shows a real conflict — the official homepage states 10am, while third-party aggregators commonly show 11am. We're going with the official site's figure, but confirm directly if it affects your plans.

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• About 3-3.9 miles, roughly 10-14 minutes.

• *Good to know:

• Free on-site parking and pet-friendly, per the official site. Rates fluctuate widely by season (roughly $200-500+/night per aggregators) — not officially published, so treat as a rough range.

The Gardens Hotel

Once the largest private residential estate in Old Town Key West, now a boutique hotel one block from Duval Street.

• *Check-in/out:

• Commonly reported as check-in 4-7:30pm/checkout 11am, though not independently confirmed on the official site.

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• 3.7 miles, confirmed directly on the official site.

• *Good to know:

• Welcomes children 16 and older only. Uncovered self-parking runs around $30/night with in/out privileges (aggregator-sourced); a metered city lot across the street is a backup option.

Marquesa Hotel

A historic boutique guesthouse anchored by an 1884 building that survived Key West's catastrophic 1886 fire, reopened as a hotel in 1988 and expanded over subsequent decades.

• *Check-in/out:

• Check-in commonly reported as 3pm; checkout 11am, confirmed directly on the official policies page, with tiered late-departure fees (free until noon space permitting, half-day rate 12-3pm, full-day rate after 3pm).

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• About 2.6 miles, roughly 10-15 minutes.

• *Good to know:

• Self-parking $40+tax/day; no pets of any kind; minimum age 14; fully smoke-free; a mandatory daily amenity fee of $50+tax covers wifi, a welcome cocktail, and fitness center access — an easily missed cost worth budgeting for.

Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton

Opened in 1920, commissioned by Henry Flagler as the terminus resort of his railway, with the largest private beach in Key West. Worth a rebrand flag: it's frequently still called "Casa Marina, A Waldorf Astoria Resort," but currently operates under Hilton's Curio Collection brand instead.

• *Check-in/out:

• 4pm/11am, confirmed directly on the official site.

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• Under 3 miles, per the official site (one aggregator specifies 2.25 miles) — paid airport transportation can be arranged in advance through the resort's VIP team.

• *Good to know:

• Self-parking (across the street) and valet both carry a fee, roughly $45-50/night per aggregators. Pets under 25 lbs welcome with a daily cleaning fee; pets can't be left unattended in-room.

Ocean Key Resort & Spa

A waterfront resort at the foot of Duval Street adjacent to Mallory Square, with an oceanfront pool and sunset pier.

• *Check-in/out:

• 4pm (guaranteed)/11am, confirmed directly on the official FAQ.

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• Roughly 3-4 miles, about 10-15 minutes; the official FAQ confirms no complimentary airport shuttle, though the concierge can arrange private transportation for a fee.

• *Good to know:

• Valet-only parking (no self-park option), fee subject to change; the garage has a 6'4" height clearance limit, so taller vehicles need off-site parking arranged separately. Pets aren't permitted except service animals.

La Concha Key West, Autograph Collection

Opened in 1926 with a then-rare electric elevator, recognized by Historic Hotels of America since

1991. Worth another rebrand flag: it's often still called "Crowne Plaza La Concha," but completed a conversion to Marriott's Autograph Collection in December

• *Check-in/out:

• 4pm/11am, confirmed directly on the official FAQ.

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• About 3.9 miles, confirmed directly on the official site — no airport shuttle offered; expect roughly $20 one-way for a rideshare.

• *Good to know:

• Self-parking $45/night, valet $55/night. Dogs only, max 20 lbs, one per room, $150 non-refundable fee plus $20/night.

Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa

A standard chain waterfront resort near Duval Street and Mallory Square.

• *Check-in/out:

• Commonly reported as 4pm/11am, though Hyatt's own site blocked independent verification during this research — treat as likely accurate but not officially confirmed.

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• Roughly 3.2-4 miles, about 15 minutes.

• *Good to know:

• Pets allowed (1 dog up to 50 lbs, or 2 dogs up to 75 lbs combined), $150 fee for stays under 6 nights or $300 for longer stays, barred from pool/beach/restaurant areas. Self-parking runs $40+/night.

Seashell Motel & Key West Hostel

A genuine budget option offering both hostel dorm beds and private motel rooms, a few blocks from the beach and Duval Street.

• *Check-in/out:

• Check-in 3:30pm, confirmed directly on the official site; checkout time isn't stated there, though aggregators consistently show 11am.

• *Distance from EYW airport:

• About 3 miles, roughly 10 minutes (aggregator-sourced).

• *Good to know:

• The official site currently still lists active hostel dorm rooms (all-male, all-female, and mixed, 10 beds each, shared bath), though some unverified third-party chatter suggests a possible conversion to private suites — call (305) 296-5719 to confirm current dorm availability before booking. No pets except service animals in motel rooms; no alcohol on property; quiet hours after 7pm; free limited on-site parking plus free street parking.

Practical Tips

• Double-check any source calling Casa Marina "Waldorf Astoria" or La Concha "Crowne Plaza" — both rebranded to different chains.

• Curry Mansion Inn, The Gardens Hotel, and Marquesa Hotel are the three strongest picks for Key West's genuine historic guesthouse tradition.

• Seashell Motel & Key West Hostel is the clearest budget option, offering both dorm and private-room formats — confirm current dorm availability directly given some unverified chatter about a possible conversion.

• Key West International Airport (EYW) sits right in town, a few miles from every property on this list — see our travel guide's "Nearest Airport" section for current carriers.

Sources and Verification Notes

Each property's operating status, address, and history were checked against its own official site and cross-checked against Yelp or TripAdvisor. Casa Marina's and La Concha's brand conversions were each independently confirmed against press coverage before being noted. Check-in/out times and airport distances were checked directly against each property's own site where stated; where a property didn't publish a detail (Hyatt Centric's times, several properties' exact checkout times), we flagged it as aggregator-sourced rather than presenting it as confirmed fact.