Marathon Motel/Hotel

We will be two women traveling from FLL to KW in the fall. We are looking for a clean %26amp; safe but cheap place to stay after a fun day of exploring. We don%26#39;t need anything fancy or romantic (we are leaving our husbands at home) but a view wouldn%26#39;t be bad. We will be in KW for a week after so want someplace atleast an hour north of KW. We would also like a place that is within walking distance of a Fun/Tropical Restaurant/Bar so we don%26#39;t have to worry about driving at the end of the day.

I have driven up the Keys before but haven%26#39;t had the oppertunity to really explore beyond Baha Honda.

Thanks ahead for any ideas!

Marathon Motel/Hotel

I suggest staying in Islamorada. The islander is a good place. It is within walking distance to several restaurants and shopping. The Lor e Lei is right across the street.

I think the Islander has its own bar too.

Marathon Motel/Hotel

A very affordable place to stay in Marathon is the Sandpiper Motel (http://www.keysmotel.com/). Last time I checked, their prices were only $65 a night! It doesn%26#39;t have a view, but it is only a mile away from the Hurricane Bar %26amp; Grille (http://www.thehurricanegrille.com/) and even closer to Keys Fisheries (not really a bar, but has great food - http://www.keysfisheries.com/)

A more quiet place with a view of water and a bar is Sombrero Resort %26amp; Lighthouse Marina (http://www.sombreroresort.com/). It has it%26#39;s own bar and is also right next to The Dockside bar %26amp; restaurant which is on the water and has live music every Saturday night. It is also within easy walking distance of the two groceries stores (Publix %26amp; Winn-Dixie), K-Mart, and movie theater. I have no idea how expensive Sombrero Resort is, though.

Oops, I forgot to add...

Two tropical restaurant/bars that you should check out while in Marathon are The Island (http://keysdining.com/theisland/) and Cabana Breezes (http://www.thecabanaclub.info/cb_index.htm). The Island is more casual (and I feel has better drinks) than Cabana Breezes, but both are fun with good food. Unfortunately, I don%26#39;t have a nearby hotel recommendation for either of them.

The Key Colony Motel is clean, safe, on the beach and nothing fancy. Priced around $120 per night. It is located a few doors down from the above mentioned Cabana Breezes, a good place for drinks and dinner.

I posted this so long ago I had given up on a response! THANK YOU for the info. We are counting down to 20 days and we can%26#39;t wait!

We are giving our selves 2 nights 3 days to drive down to KW. I think we will be staying in Islamorada the first night, we will check out the Islander, it sounds like a good location and at the right price.

I think Marathon is the plan for the second night (nothing is written in stone, island time is the plan) and I have been to The Island bar and enjoyed it. Is there anything with in in walking distance to there?

I wasn%26#39;t very observent of the area at the time I was there :-)

Thanks again,

Donna

Holiday Inn is right across the street from The Island, but I haven%26#39;t heard anything about how clean or affordable they are.

Just an FYI. The drive from the Islander in Islamorada to the Holiday Inn in Marathon will take you - - - - OH - - - - 30 minutes.

The holiday Inn is directly across US 1 from the Islander. The Holiday Inn is not by any stretch of the imagination a 5 star hotel. It is however a comfortable, clean place to sleep. The Holiday Inn will not have much of a view.

There are a couple of other place to eat that are very close to the Holiday Inn as well. There is Sparky%26#39;s Landing in Key Colony Beach. You could walk there from the Holiday Inn. There is Cabana Breezes in Key Colony Beach, about 1 mile away - Just far enough to drive. There is the Key Colony Inn which is between Sparky%26#39;s and Cabana Breezes.

Also in Marathon, on 35th street is Keys Fisheries. A definite buffettgal and guy favorite. The Hurricanne has $.25 chicken wing night on Thursdays.

You can try the Dockside on Sombrero Drive. They normally have entertainment as well

You%26#39;ll definitely be driving to get to Keys Fisheries. Unless I%26#39;m having a brainfart, there%26#39;s no hotel on 35th Street, just a school and residential neighborhood. The food is well worth the drive. It isn%26#39;t a bar, but the cost is very affordable and it has a nice, relaxed marina atmosphere, like buffetguy said.

In addition to Thursday ';wing night';, The Hurricane also has $1 tacos on Tuesday nights. But while I dearly love going to The Hurricane (why I suggested it if you stay at The Sandpiper Motel) I%26#39;m not sure it fits the ';tropical'; type bar/restaurant you said you%26#39;re looking for. It%26#39;s more of a fun locals bar/restaurant, complete with pool tables, darts, and local musicians on weekends. It%26#39;s almost all indoors, except for a small backporch on the restaurant side.

If you do decide that%26#39;s what you%26#39;re in the mood for, there is a resort literally next door. The front desk is in the same building. It%26#39;s called the Blackfin Resort (http://www.blackfinresort.com/). Again, I%26#39;ve never spoken to anyone who%26#39;s stayed there, so I don%26#39;t know what kind of value it is (I know the Re/max property next door is trashy, though), but I do know it is on the waterfront (Florida Bay), has a nice central location within Marathon, and is next door to Marathon%26#39;s best snorkel/scuba center (Tilden%26#39;s - http://www.tildensscubacenter.com/).

I recommended the Sandpiper Motel instead for that area of Marathon, since family who stayed there a few months ago thought it was clean and good for the price. Sandpiper is DEFINITELY nothing fancy on the outside, though, and only has a view of the highway.