Steve (DOS) and I made a quick and fairly impromptu trip to Key West the week before Labor Day. My brother Andy, his partner Art, daughter Angie, husband Drew, and friend Pam were already going to Key West, and were staying at a condo Andy and Art had reserved for a couple weeks, while the others were staying for just a few days. Angie and Drew were staying at the Galleon condo next door to the Hyatt Centric in Key West, while Pam was staying at the Hyatt.
We were surprised Pam was staying at the Hyatt as it’s normally $600 – $1000 a night, but as she was only staying 3 nights and said the price was quite reasonable, Steve DOS and I decided to do some checking on the Hyatt for ourselves. We discovered the hotel was indeed quite reasonably priced for the week before Labor Day when they were going (i.e. $250 a night or so vs the normal $600 – $1000 a night) and we decided to invite ourselves! We did ask Andy and Art if they minded if we went along, and promised to give everyone their space, but we could meet for dinners or drinks, one or more nights if they so desired.
As it turns out, we met everyone for lunches, drinks and dinners every day, and we all had a wonderful time. More on that in a movement.
We’ve always wanted to stay at this Hyatt property, but it’s normally so expensive, we’ve only stopped by it while on a cruise port; I guess this is a slow time of the year, which indeed it was, but in a great way for us! At first I thought we would do a road trip to Key West in our Tesla, and spend one night in Miami, which would break up the long 7 hour drive from Orlando. Steve DOS did a quick bit of research, however, and found a couple of flights on Allegiant Air from Orlando (Sanford Airport) that worked into our four day trip, and at only an hour’s flight each way, it sure beats the long drive! Plus it’s a cheap roundtrip flight, and it departs from Orlando Sanford Airport (SFB Airport, not MCO Airport). SFB Airport is closer to our home, and is much easier and quicker to fly from compared to Orlando’s mega MCO Airport.
We flew out of SFB on Sunday afternoon, and arrived at Key West around 5pm. The flight was on an Airbus 319, and was only half full. Steve (DOS) and I had an exit row window seat with the whole row to ourselves, which were the best seats we could get, considering Allegiant does not offer First Class. 🤣 Amazingly, this is the first flight we’ve taken this year! Considering we both used to travel every week for work (myself as a Field Engineer for 911 Public Safety, and DOS as a Pilot), it felt quite strange flying again! We last flew a year ago on our trip to Australia and New Zealand.
As we didn’t have our car with us and didn’t need a rental car for tiny and compact Key West, (plus we’d save $40 a day for parking fees) we took a cab to the hotel, which was a short ride and $30 including a nice tip as we had a couple checked bags and 2 carry-on bags, plus personal items.
We checked into the Hyatt Centric which has one of the best locations in Key West; a quiet area on the water, yet just a couple blocks from Mallory Square and Duval Street, with many restaurants, shops and bars only a block away. We had a nice room in the third (of three buildings), on the third floor, overlooking the water, and small public beach area. The resort is gorgeous and is considered a boutique resort Hyatt with only 120 rooms in the 3 buildings. The pool area is a bit small, but has a nice pool bar serving food and drinks in the afternoon hours, where we usually had lunch.
The property is beautifully landscaped and also has a small private beach near the pool (not the one we can view from our room) as well as on the far side of the property, with lots of lounge chairs scattered throughout the property.
During our stay we saw a couple Iguanas roaming the property, and there was a turtle fountain area too.
Our room was large and quite comfortable for the two of us for our four night stay. We had a “partial ocean view” room, but as our room was at the end of the hall, we had quite a nice view of the water and adjacent public beach.
The hotel also has a Four Flamingos Restaurant (same name as the one in Orlando’s Hyatt Grand Cypress, designed by Celebrity Chef Richard Blais, whom we met recently when we dined there at Grand Cypress. Unlike the Hyatt Grand Cypress, however, which has a primarily seafood menu, the menu at the Key West location is more varied in selection, probably because it’s the only onsite restaurant. Also the Four Flamingos in Key West is also open for breakfast, where we ate each morning, with views overlooking the water. There is outdoor seating as well, although it was still a bit hot for us, so we sat inside each day in air conditioned comfort. The staff here, as at Hyatt Cypress Creek in Orlando is outstanding! We met several people in the Key West property (including the General Manager) who formerly worked at the Cypress Creek property, and vise-versa, so we all felt a familiar bond with each other, which was friendly and welcoming.
The photo below is of us and Celebrity Chef Richard Blais, whose we met at the Four Flamingos at Cypress Creek in Orlando recently on our stay there. Mr. Blais also visits the location in Key West regularly and was there recently, but not during our visit.
Anyway, after quickly getting settled into our room at the Hyatt Centric, we met Angie, Drew, and Pam next door at the large condo Andy and Art had rented for a couple weeks; The Galleon.
The five of us then had dinner nearby at a fancy “Coastal Italian Fine Dining” restaurant called the Belmar. As we arrived shortly after 5:30pm, it was not busy at first, and we were seated at a nice corner window table overlooking the water. Angie, Drew, and Pam had come down to Key West a day earlier than we did (on Saturday), while Andy and Art were supposed to come on Saturday as well.
Unfortunately Andy and Art didn’t make it to Key West until later Sunday night, about 3 hours after we arrived. The five of us went ahead and had dinner without Andy and Art, and during the meal Angie asked DOS and myself if we wanted to join the others in “blackening their eye”, which she had to explain to us what she meant. As it turns out, Art had a bad fall in the Atlanta Airport the previous day, while flying down from Virginia. It was so bad that Art was held overnight in a nearby hospital, while Andy stayed the night there with him. We saw photos of poor Art, and both his eyes were black and blue, and Angie decided we would join him with “black eyes” for moral support. While we were eating, Angie and Pam helped decorate our black eyes with makeup she had, and of course we got a few weird looks from other diners, and had to explain to our waiter what we were doing!🤣
When Andy and Art arrived to their Key West condo around 8:30pm, the five of us met them at the condo, with our black eyes proudly on display.
DOS and I stayed for a while and had a glass of vino while we caught up with details of their ordeal in Atlanta, the hospital and flight down to Key West. We had an early first night as everyone was tired, and headed back to the Hyatt next door around 10pm.
During our remaining three days in Key West, we walked around town (yes I walked around town quite well actually!) and my knee felt so much better now that it’s been five weeks since my knee replacement. We walked down by the port of Key West one day when the Royal Caribbean ship the Jewel of the Seas was in port. Even with the one ship in town, the downtown area was not overly busy in this off season, and nights were relatively quiet as well.
We all had some fun lunches by the Hyatt Centric’s pool bar each day, and with the exception of a few typical afternoon Florida thunderstorms, we had generally good early September weather.
by in the background.
We had a nice dinner each night with our group of family and friends, and one night we went to the A & B Lobster House, conveniently located within walking distance of our hotel and their condo. The food and service were great, and our covered outdoor deck seating area overlooking the water and marina was wonderful.
We did get some periodic lightning decorations in the sky, but fortunately it was from a distance and no major thunderstorms while we dined that night. Drew even treated the table to some fancy caviar for a shared appetizer course!
Steve DOS and I also had some of the biggest shrimp appetizers we’ve ever had! They were more like small lobsters! Really fun night out, and definitely a dinner with a view!
We had some nice dinners the other couple nights, all within walking distance, although one night Drew rented a golf cart to help Art get around the three blocks to one of the restaurants on Duval Street, named the Grand Cafe.
After dinner, Drew gave us a drive around tour of Key West by night in the golf cart, including a stop at Publix so we all could get some food and drink to bring back to the hotel/condo.
On our last night, we had a wonderful dinner at Hot Tin Roof Restaurant, which was right up the street from our hotel, and overlooking the marina and port of Key West. This was a great meal and evening out to finish up our trip!
By Thursday evening, it was time to head home, after a wonderful four night stay in Key West. We Uber’d back to the airport, which cost about the same price as the taxi did when we arrived into Key West. The flight on Allegiant was quick, as was the luggage delivery to the baggage carousel upon arrival. Like the flight down to Key West, our return flight to Orlando was about 1/2 empty, and once again DOS and I had the emergency exit row to ourselves.
We Uber’d home, and both DOS and I agreed we are so glad we flew to Key West instead of driving. We hope to go back again to Key West perhaps next year as we’re pretty filled up with trips for the rest of the year. Welcome Home!