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Cheeca Lodge is Magical!
Quinault, WA
My husband and I treated ourselves to a four-night stay at Cheeca, and our stay was truly magical. Upon arrival,
we were very impressed with the beautifully maintained grounds. Tropical flowers, towering palm trees and gorgeous
greenery everywhere. We stayed in the George Bush Suite, which was really amazing, not to mention over-the-top
luxurious. The entire suite is filled with mementos of George H.W. Bush's life -- photos of him with several other
presidents and their wives, and many with his son, George W. There's a really neat photo of him with an enormous
bonefish he caught while fishing in Islamorada. There's even a large piece of the Berlin wall, framed and hung on
the kitchen wall. The former president stays at Cheeca a lot, so it's a nice tribute to him. Fabulous jacuzzi tub,
screened oceanfront balcony, plasma tv; all the amenities you can imagine. It was fabulous!
We spent a lot of time at the pool, where the food and service were excellent. Everyone at Cheeca seems to enjoy
working there and it shows in their enthusiasm. The sandy beach was lovely, and the spa is incredible with its
private cabanas. The property has some lovely waterfalls and bridges, it's fun just to walk around and explore.
We were amazed to see giant bonefish and tarpon swimming around in the saltwater snorkeling lagoon. Awesome! And
there's so many different places to hang out, you never feel cramped or crowded. The Tiki Bar is a great place to
hang out and enjoy the beachside scenery. The courtyard and lobby areas are very inviting; a great place to relax
and talk. We really enjoyed our stay and we will be back!
Fabulous Stay at the Cheeca!
Hartford, Kentucky
My husband and I stayed at the Cheeca Lodge Jan. 22-25, 2008. The resort and grounds were immaculate. We stayed in
a resort view room overlooking the water feature and water fall. It was beautiful, especially at night with tiki
lights. The room was recently renovated with top quality furniture, fabrics, flat screen tv etc. It was lovely. We
can't say enough about the resort. We enjoyed the golf course, beach, fishing pier, tennis courts, and pools. Our
only regret was not getting to stay longer. We will definitely return to the Cheeca!
Also, there are lots of wonderful restaurants in Islamorada. We enjoyed Lazy Days and Islamorada Fish Company for
dinner. For breakfast, the Islamorada Bakery is a definite place to eat.
Loved Cheeca!!
Newcastle U.K.
We had read mixed reviews on Cheeca, but I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. This is the best hotel I have
ever stayed in, in the most stunning location. We found all staff helpful and pleasant. We drove down from
Orlando and it was another world in the Keys. I had a smile on my face for days, just looking around me!
Our room was in the main lodge and was refurbished. Everything was top class; beautiful, stylish decor and
bathroom. My son found being able to watch the plasma TV from the bath a real bonus! The ocean is gorgeous
and we watched fish, sharks, rays and turtles from the pier. You can see all of this snorkeling from the shore
in the warmest sea I have ever been in.
Some days on the beach , it felt like we were the only ones there, absolute peace and seclusion.
The resort fee was worth it for the kayaks, water, DVDs, tiki huts etc. Prices were quite high, but for the
snorkeling tour, it was worth it to step on and off the boat at the hotel. Food in the hotel was OK, but there
are a numbers of restaurants nearby, walking distance. We would recommend Kayo for excellent Japanese and
service and Lorelei to enjoy the sunset over the bay with live, laid back music and great sea food.
All in all, I would say you get what you pay for and we loved it for its stylish, laid back charm. We can't
wait to go back.
So relaxing - loved Cheeca Lodge!
Coastal Georgia
My husband and I just returned from a 4 night stay at Cheeca Lodge on Sunday. We booked a Deluxe Ocean
View room in the Main Building - these are the renovated rooms and they are lovely and tropical. The bed
was VERY comfortable and the seemingly endless ocean view soothing. We were looking for a casually elegant
getaway and that is exactly what we got with Cheeca. We kicked back, put on shorts or sundress, sandals
hung out at the bar with Matty and JJ - ordered Rum and Diet Cokes, beer, etc. - thanks guys for taking
such good care of us!
The food was fine - Breakfast buffet had a good selection of fruit and cereal as well as an omelet station.
Lunch menu was nice, too - I don't know why so many complaints from other people on this website about the
food at this resort...and here's the deal with service issues - just be nice to people and they will be nice
back to you....as I say, kill em' with kindness! I promise, you'll have a much better time...
As many have said previously, if you are looking for the 4 Seasons - just go elsewhere - if you want to come
down to the FL Keys and chill for a few days, enjoy the pleasant ocean breezes, snorkel and dive or jet ski -
this is your place!
We also enjoyed several meals off property:
Island Grill - very much - try the conch or mussels
Lazy Days
Lorelei - the beach at sunset with drinks and appetizers - way cool - loved their smoked fish dip
Morada - on the beach at sunset - great dinner
Spa was also wonderful and well staffed. Enjoyed a facial and deep tissue massage - very professional.
We look forward to a return visit at some point in the not too distant future!
Cheeca is a Relaxation Mecca mixed with Family Fun
Chicago, Illinois
My friends and I chose Cheeca for a girl's weekend getaway and we got exactly that! What a beautiful
resort. The rooms were luxurious and spacious. The best is that the balcony was screened in to keep away
those pesky mosquitoes. We took advantage of all the resort had to offer including the spa services. I
recommend the Sunset to Sunrise massage, each of us that had it were so relaxed we fell asleep. Now that
is relaxed! The staff is very attentive and is willing to go the extra mile to make your stay not just good
but top notch. There were lots of families there but the resort has so much space that if you want a kid free
space it is easy to find it. The resort has put a lot of work into its upgrades and the money is well worth it.
You get what you pay for and if Luxury and service are what you are looking for Cheeca is the resort for you.
One of my favorites
Kentucky
The Cheeca Lodge is a great place to get away and relax. Islamorada is a wonderful area for fishing and
lives at a much slower pace than Miami or Key West which are about equidistant in opposite directions. The
service at the Cheeca is flawless and accommodations are beautiful either facing the Ocean or in a tropical
garden setting.
We Loved the Cheeca Lodge
Philadelphia, PA
We were very hesitant about staying at the Cheeca Lodge after reading a lot of the reviews online. We even thought
about switching to another resort. We are so glad we didn't! The resort and the staff are just wonderful! We had a
fabulous time! We would have to look long and hard to find one fault with Cheeca Lodge. From the minute we
registered to the minute we left, the staff could not have been more pleasant and helpful. When we got there we
were told our room was in one of the buildings a little further away from the pool. My husband asked if they
could move us to a renovated room in the main building. Within minutes, we were moved.
The room was spacious, and clean. The beds were made up every day and we were asked if we wanted turn down service
every night. The grounds are absolutely magnificent! Every day we were there (5 nights) there were gardeners
working on the grounds keeping the plants nicely shaped. The pool was always clean and well kept. We never had
a problem getting a lounge chair (the hotel was full as it was Father's Day weekend). The pool staff was always
there to help move a lounge chair, umbrella etc. When we ordered lunch at the pool, our order was taken by
courteous staff members and the food was brought out as promptly as possible.
The resort fee that so many people complain about was well worth it. It included Internet Service every day,
bottled water, kayaks, fishing equipment etc. Camp Cheeca was great! Our seven year old had a blast! They
took him swimming and fishing and they did Arts and Crafts, played on the jungle gym etc. He wanted to go back
every day! It seemed like he had more fun there than he does at camp on cruise ships.
Ignore all the negative reviews. Cheeca Lodge is well worth it and we will definitely go back there again!
Hated to leave the Cheeca!
Elburn, IL
We stayed at the Cheeca Lodge and Spa for a week and did not want to leave! The rooms were beautiful, the
staff friendly and the location beautiful. We had twin 1 1/2 year olds with us and they loved it too. The
pool was warm (important with little kids) and the food and service was excellent. Islamorada is a beautiful
location - you will forget you are in the U.S. It was so quiet and peaceful and we will definitely return
again.
Family of Four Loved Cheeca
Swampscott, MA
Our family of four, including 2 teenagers ages 12 and 15, just returned from a 3-night stay at the Cheeca
Lodge. As a faithful reader of this website, I was a little nervous about some of the recent negative reviews
that have been posted. However, I knew from the moment that we first pulled up to the main entrance and
received a warm greeting from the bellman, that we were in for a wonderful stay. I have to admit that our
stay at Cheeca was nothing less than fabulous.
As many of the other reviewers have posted, the grounds of the Cheeca lodge are simply beautiful. We stayed
in a renovated resort view room with 2 queen-sized beds. While not palatial in size, the room was very
comfortable for 4 people. We had dinner the first evening in the Curt Gowdy lounge and ordered several
lunches while at the beach. Although the service is not what I would expect at a 5-star restaurant, I felt
that all of the wait staff did a commendable job. We were on vacation and were in relaxation mode. If it took
10-15 minutes to get a lunch order, I did not find that unreasonable.
We played tennis, went fishing off the pier, used the kayaks, bikes and the fitness room. We never had to
wait to use any of these resort amenities.
Although the pool was crowded, we chose to sun on the beach. We never had trouble finding a tiki hut or
shade.
We took a 2 hour snorkeling trip from the resort pier with Rob and Khullen who provided us with a wonderful
afternoon. We made some great memories at Cheeca and we would not hesitate to return.
Great stay at Cheeca
Michigan
My husband and I just returned from a three night trip to the Cheeca Resort to celebrate our 10 year
anniversary. I was concerned because of the many bad reviews that seemed to be popping up recently about
Cheeca; especially customer service. I wanted to write this review to let everyone know about our great experience
at Cheeca! We stayed in a renovated deluxe one bedroom suite with a resort view. Check-in was quick. Our room was
beautiful, modern and clean. We had a view of the tennis courts and of the beautiful palm trees on the property.
This was by far the nicest room we have ever stayed in. We had no issues with housekeeping. The room was always
clean when we returned. We also had turndown service which was nice. The resort was not very busy when we were
there....it was nice to kind of have the place to ourselves. Since the kids stayed home we were able to enjoy
the adult pool. Theresa was the spa butler for the day (at the adult pool) and although we did not rent a cabana
she was waiting on us hand and foot. She brought us drinks from the bar and we even ordered lunch and ate it
poolside. Although we did not eat dinner on the resort, we did have breakfast and room service. Both were without
issues and prompt enough for a hotel. The mimosas were pricey but what the heck...you're on vacation. There were
plenty of things to do (fishing, water sports, sunset cruise, tennis, golf) or you could choose to do nothing at
all. We mostly did nothing but enjoy the beautiful view and the pina coladas. Overall the resort was great and
we would definitely go back...with the kids next time!
Excellent Stay at the Cheeca
Boston
My husband and I spent six days at Cheeca in November and we absolutely loved it. I am so glad that we ignored
the negative reviews on this site.
Accommodations: We stayed in a recently renovated resort view one bedroom suite. I highly recommend a suite for
people looking for a little more space. It was also great to have a fully equipped kitchen to prepare lunch and
breakfast. The only thing missing were paper towels and napkins so remember to bring your own. There are plenty
of places to pick up groceries in the area.
Beach and Pools: While not the Caribbean, the beach was very nice. Plenty of beach chairs to go around. We sat
at the kids' pool and found it quite relaxing. But, we were there in the off-season so you may have a different
experience during the busier months. I stopped by the adult pool and it was quite tranquil. If you don't want
to rent a cabana, you can find a chair and some shade.
Yoga, Pilates: We are fitness buffs and loved these classes. I asked the resort to email me a schedule in
advance so we could plan what we wanted to do.
Tennis: We played tennis most days and took some lessons with the pro, Dave Butterfield. He was outstanding. I
highly recommend taking lessons from him. He also offers a daily one hour clinic at 9:00 a.m. He splits the hour
with drills and live ball play. He's a leftie and great to hit around with...
Food: We ate dinner twice at the more casual restaurant and the food was very good. If you are not up for a
$30 entree, don't forget that you can ask for the bar menu which was burgers and pizzas on it.
Service: I was concerned that the service would be lousy based on some of the reviews on this site. But, I have
to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The staff was very accommodating. We did not have a single bad experience
with the staff, from check-in, to the wait staff at the pool and restaurants, to the fitness instructors, to the
spa, etc.....Our room was cleaned every day at a reasonable time with one exception (and when we called they sent
someone right over and then called back to make sure we were satisfied). One thing we noticed is that the
concierges couldn't have been more than 22 years old. But, I am happy to report that they offered some solid
choices for restaurants. If we were in NYC trying to book a sold out show or get into a hot restaurant, we'd
want a more seasoned concierge. But, I don't really think you need such service in Islamorada.
Check out: We looked carefully at our bill at check out and did not find a single mistake on it.
Value: Overall, I think we got what we paid for on this trip. The suite was considerably more expensive than a
room but worth it.
Expedia
Tropical Paradise
Bloomingburg, NY
My wife and I stayed a week at this hotel in Nov'08. When we first drove up, we were not impressed with the
entrance from the main road. However all of that changed once we drove thru the security gate to the property.
This hotel was a magnificent tropical paradise with beautiful landscaping, palm tress and lighted lagoons. Our
room (which was not one of the more expensive ones) was also extremely impressive, clean and well maintained by
the staff and we loved the private screened in balcony. The food was good and the prices were reasonable. We also
enjoyed the hot tubs that were beautifully landscaped and hidden in various locations on the property. We had a
terrific relaxing week and would recommend this hotel to everyone.
We will be going back!!!
Richmond, VA
This is our third year in a row of vacationing at the Cheeca, and on the way home my kids were already
talking about going again next year! No other place could be this kid friendly and pamper adults the way
they do it. Just a beautiful place.
Hotels.com
Very Good Hotel
The hotel is very nice, staff is very, very friendly and helpful. The grounds are delightful and have many
things to do and see. They are well maintained and spacious. There are many "extras" included in the
room package that make the stay there entertaining. The restaurants are nicely located with great views and very
good food, a bit pricey, but not unusual for hotel food. The only negative was the condition of the elevator and
the kitchen area. The door on the elevator stuck and had to be pulled or pushed manually to completely close or
open. The refrigerator freezer in the room looks as if it had not been defrosted in ages. Just not what one would
expect in a hotel like this. Otherwise, the place was great!
Worth The Price
Although a little expensive for Islamorada, the hotel is worth the price. There was a "kids club" so
we could go snorkeling, diving, and relax without worrying about entertaining our daughter for a few hours. The
grounds are well-kept and our suite was clean and convenient. We are from South Florida and go down to Islamorada
often and we won't stay anywhere else from now on.
Beautiful and Peaceful!!!!
Gorgeous room, beautifully decorated, clean, great location!! The grounds are so pretty and peaceful that
you can just wander around and get lost and not care!!!
Far exceeded our expectations!
The hotel grounds are breath taking! The staff was very nice and helpful. There are so many tropical and romantic
nooks on the grounds that we felt like we were the only people there. The tiki torches were lit at night all
around the grounds, it was very pretty. The food at the restaurants was wonderful but pricey. The drinks were
very pricey too, but there are plenty of places to go out in town for drinks that were less expensive. The room
that we booked first was clean but for the money we were expecting it to be nicer. We upgraded our room and were
very happy we did. The difference was incredible from the resort style room to the deluxe room. We just left and
we can't wait to go back!
Extremely Outstanding Resort
I can't say enough about the Cheeca Resort. It was the best place we have ever stayed. It was so beautifully
landscaped and maintained. The room suite was huge, pristine and luxurious and had the most comfortable bed,
two TVs, DVD players and full kitchen to meet all our needs. Everything is an easy walk yet has secluded spots
like romantic hot tubs with waterfalls, well-screened with palms so it feels so private and we had it all to
ourselves! We only stayed two days but wanted to stay longer. Also, we never left the compound. They have a
lovely pool, beach with lots of lounges, a tiki bar and great restaurants. They even have a long pier and
several boat trips available right there on the beach. We went snorkeling and it was wonderful. The staff was
also friendly, courteous and helpful. The price from hotels.com made it affordable luxury for us!! We will
definitely return and recommend them to others.
Others
- Islaaaaahmorada!
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 04/26/07
As a short break from the kids and cold NE weather, my wife and I decided to spend 4 days at the
Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada. We couldn't have been more pleased with our experience....our room was
luxurious (we stayed in main lodge), the food delicious/service impeccable (we had breakfast,
lunch and dinner at the resort), sports programs ...
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-reviews-397483-prod-hotel-mid-21-action-read-ratings_and_reviews-i
Hotel Review – – Posted Aug 01, 2006
47 year old male with a luxury budget, traveling for leisure
Cheeca Lodge is an outstanding property for the discriminating traveler. It offers superb service from all
staff, a remarkable restaurant, a beautiful location, and exquisite accommodations combine to make it an
ideal retreat away from the rush of everyday life. Luxury does not come cheap, as Cheeca is at the high end
of the cost scale, but value is in the eye of the beholder, and I will not stay any place else when my
travels take me to Islamorada again.
My expectations were met at every turn, and the level of service is unparalleled.
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