From the moment we arrived at Islander Resort, we knew we were in for something special. While our…read morefirst night didn't go as planned, what truly stood out was how quickly and genuinely the management team stepped in to make things right the very next day. That level of care and accountability speaks volumes. This resort is truly a slice of paradise, beautiful oceanfront views, gorgeous rooms, bungalows facing the pristine private beach, multiple pools, lush tropical grounds, on-site dining, and endless activities that make it impossible to get bored. Whether you're lounging by the water, enjoying a cocktail at the bar, biking around the property, or just soaking in the peaceful island vibe, there's something for everyone. It's a slow pace ñ, relaxing feel; like you're on your own private island. Although we weren't able to kayak or fully enjoy the beach due to sargassum during our stay, it just gives us the perfect reason to come back and experience it all next time! But what made our stay unforgettable was the PEOPLE. A huge heartfelt thank you for superb customer service and for being such a kind, dog-loving resort family; it meant the world to us traveling with our pup. Angela, Dolce, Vanessa, Josh, William, your love for animals and leadership clearly shines through your incredible team; your attention to detail, warmth, and friendliness elevated our entire experience. Charlene, our incredible server at the Tides; you have a wonderful future ahead, thank you for all the love and attention you poured out to us and Bane! You didn't all just meet our expectations; you exceeded them. We truly could not have asked for a better way to celebrate our special day, and we are already looking forward to coming back. Food for thought; the yellowtail snapper fish sandwich at the Tides was incredible and so was the smash burger. The pina coladas were fantastic too. We weren't a fan of the Drift restaurant although it was pretty; the food at the tides bar was much better; think of elevated Bar food but freshly curated. Most importantly they are dog friendly ( no breed or weight restrictions) ; make sure your dog is well trained. We took our big boy and he felt like a prince with his complimentary Islander Bandana and fire hydrant poop bag dispenser; but he is a quiet boy and well behaved . The resort will not tolerate bad behaved dogs or barkers. So please don't ruin it for the rest of us that have well behaved, big dogs, get banned because others don't know how to control their own four legged children.

First things first, they have added a 20% gratuity/service charge already on all food & drinks…read more Some servers will tell you that and others will just hand you the credit card machine which has tip options of 20% or more already on the screen, so if you don't pay attention you'll be tipping 40% or more. We spent another week here and had a good time. They no longer give out the complementary sunglasses and snacks when you first check in. The sargassum, which is around from about March to October, was insane, so the ocean was not an option, but thankfully the pools were clean and warm. If we come back, it'll be when the sargassum isn't around.

Chef Arthur was absolutely amazing! We hired him for a friend's birthday celebration, and he…read moreexceeded every expectation. He and his assistant arrived at our beach house rental right on time with everything needed to create an incredible luxury dining experience. He effortlessly accommodated several dietary restrictions, making sure everyone could enjoy the meal. We started with delicious appetizers featuring local flavors, followed by one of the best meals I've ever had. Every dish was beautifully prepared and absolutely outstanding. The entire experience was seamless. They handled everything from setup and cooking to cleanup, allowing us to relax and enjoy the evening. Chef Arthur's professionalism, talent, and attention to detail made the celebration truly special. I can't recommend him highly enough!

We had the absolute pleasure of having Chef Arthur cook for our family over two nights in the…read moreFlorida Keys, and we couldn't have been more impressed. He was punctual, professional, and incredibly easy to communicate with from start to finish. Chef Arthur was reliable, organized, and brought a calm, confident presence to the kitchen. Every dish he prepared was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious--an unforgettable culinary experience. We were able to have a beautiful meal as a family with the baby sleeping soundly close by. We're still talking about the meals he made and would highly recommend him for any getaway!

Liz and her team are the BEST! I could go on and on about my experience as a recent bride to be!…read moreFrom our first call to the final day, everything was seamless. Liz stays so on top of every detail (even details I didn't realize we needed!) and she truly orchestrated my dream wedding. If you are a South Florida bride and are deciding if you need a planner, the answer is 100% yes! I couldn't have done any of this without her. I will forever be grateful to Island Life Events!

We used Island Life Events for our wedding this past Saturday. Our coordinator, Sarah, was AMAZING!…read moreShe was on top of everything, made the entire process stress free and seamless, and she was a pleasure to work with. We could not have done it without her and HIGHLY recommend ILE! We also have to express our gratitude to the owner, Liz, who really took time and explained everything from the start and made the contracting part of the process so easy! Island Life Events are on top of everything and really know how to make a Bride feel at ease.

We got married back in November '16. We have about 9 good photos of ourselves to use. Most…read morepictures were of our guests, which is great, but we would like to be able to hang pictures in our house. Barbara no showed the day of the wedding because of a broken arm I believe. So it was her husband, Richard and his 16 year old daughter taking the pictures. I was not told beforehand so it was news to me and too late to find anyone else. He had us crouch down to take photos guaranteeing that they would look great. Nope we look crouched down and awkward. We never made the album with them because there were not many photos that I would want to look at forever. Maybe it was an off situation but I would not recommend them. We wanted sunset shots and I got a shot of our hands and an awkward faces in some that missed a sunset. We felt not photogenic, which is terrible to say. Then realized that it was the photographer and not us. I wish I spent more versus trying to stay within a budget.

Barbara and Richard Knowles are soooo incredibly talented!! They will go above and beyond to…read morecapture absolutely magical photos. We hired them for our wedding and could not be more pleased with the quality of the photos. Barbara is beyond nice and transcends her job as a photographer. She spent so much time of the phone with us helping figure out our wedding timeline and going above and beyond to help with other wedding things as she knows so much about weddings and Key Largo. Her husband stayed well beyond what we paid for (they are so generous) ensuring he captured the perfect photos from our wedding. He took an unbelievable amount of flattering angles and was very creative with suggesting poses. Would 100% recommend for any and all events!!

Excellent venue and well setup for a big or an intimate wedding. Right on the water with cute…read moretiki-huts. We had a great time!

We went here for a beautiful wedding. Only main issue is how hot it was. I really wish they had…read more'misters' to spray us with and big overhead fans. It is a beautiful venue and the staff was really nice. Halfway through I had to change my heels as my feet couldn't handle the hard packed sand any more. The food was very good. Salad, chicken, rice, meat. Unfortunately, after they cut the wedding cake they invited everyone to come to the dance floor and the cake was taken away. So hardly anyone got to eat the cake!

Our family had the most enjoyable time with Captain Garret and Rooster! The waters are absolutely…read morestunning, and Garret showed us the Florida Keys lifestyle in grand fashion. We'll definitely book again on the next trip to the Keys!

This is my family & friend's 4th year at Mermaid's Bay, and it's better than ever! We love this…read moreplace. It's perfectly maintained and cared for by people who truly care. We have been staying in the keys every summer for more than 25 years and have had all kinds of memorable experiences, but none like the ones here. It looks as good or better in person and has everything anyone could want. Working with Jocelyn and her team at Solace is always a pleasure. She makes everything so easy and somehow manages to make everyone in our large group feel extra special. Highly recommend!

The Bungalows felt like a piece of Paradise. When you first…read morearrive, you are greeted by valet staff. Parking is free if you brought a car. We chose to rent and drive from the airport because we had a trip to Key West planned. It's about a 90 minute drive from the airport so, an Uber would have been pretty costly. The valet takes care of your luggage and places it on a golf cart while you check in. The check in process took about 10 min. The front desk staff wasn't super friendly but they weren't rude either. They are supposed to offer you a drink, but we were not offered one by our receptionist while the couple next to us were offered one. No biggie. One thing to note: when you book, 50% is due. Then the other 50% is due thirty days prior to your arrival if you switch your source of payment, they charge you 10%. That same card has do be used for gratuity or add ons. Keep this in mind when you plan. Also, they put a $100/day hold on your card when you check in. After check in, the valet takes you on a tour of the property and then brings you to your room. You'll want to have cash for gratuity for the valet. The Bungalows themselves are gorgeous and offer an outdoor area and outdoor shower. I don't think the beach view bungalows are worth the upgrade. After that, you're on your own for the most part. They schedule your dinner, but other than Bogie and Bacall, they are pretty flexible. Fish Tales is the main restaurant. They offer a four course meal. The food was great. I wouldn't say "amazing" but really well done. The service is impeccable. This is an all inclusive bur gratuity isn't included. This was annoying and probably my biggest complaint. At the end of your meal you are handed a check of all you consumed with a recommend range of gratuity. You put in what you want to leave and sign it and leave. The issue is, it's hard to keep track of how much you're spending. So if you're on a budget, that can be a problem. At night everyone gathers around the tiki bar to enjoy the entertainment. There is only one bad and it fills quickly. The bartenders are also filling drink orders for the pool, and in some situations, Sea Seniors next door. You can also order food at the tiki bar if you choose. It's basic bar food and pizza but quite delicious. There is live entertainment daily from 11-11. There was trivia one night, and karaoke another. But there were no real events offered. In the mornings everyone heads to Fishtales for breakfast. There is a good variety of choices, including a buffet. They do not change it up at all though. So it can get a little boring day after day. They also have a mimosa and bloody Mary self serve bar. Pro tip, bring your own yeti and take two plastic cups of minosa and some ice and put them in your yeti for the pool. There are no drinks served until 11 am at the pool which was pretty odd in my opinion. The tiki bar also doesn't open until 11. It was off season but I will say that the pool didn't really get busy. There are two pools. Ok is a zen pool with little cabana beds. It's more quiet there but the main pool was described as the party pool and he was really chill too. There are about 12 pairs of lounge chairs and umbrellas and two big cabanas with couches. It didn't seem like there would be enough but it ended up to be plenty. We w They have servers come around the pool but it takes quite a bit to get your drinks so pack your patience. They also give you a bill at the end with what you ordered and suggested gratuity. It was easy to forget and just leave so I hated this process. I would have rather been charged a daily gratuity to be split between the staff but that's not what they want to do. Bogie and Bacalls: you get a free night there if you stay for more than 4 days. If you don't it's $300 plus gratuity. This was their high end restaurant and it wand spectacular! You get a ton of food and premium drinks. Expect to tip about $100 here. There is an indoor bar/speakeasy called Hemingways. This is not included in your stay. It's premium cocktails and liquor. There is also the "Family Room" which is a giant indoor/outdoor game room. There are no servers there. If you have a yeti, you could grab a few drinks from the tiki bar and keep it cold. There is a huge TV so we were able to watch the USA game on it with a few other guests. I chose to get a massage. It's a beautiful area of the park but there's no way that 50 min massage was worth $300 + 22% gratuity. They offer water activities. No one was using them. There are some other ads ons but very few guests chose to do them. Overall this is a wonderful, very chill spot and I can see why many guest come back year after year. I wish there were more dining and bar options, and more events offered. The cost was pretty high for what they offer. But we had an amazing time and I'm so glad we did it!

Great location from MIA Great rooms…read moreGreat food...try the burgers at Bogies Bar Great pool Wonderful drinks MOST of the staff was outstanding Our waiter from Bulgaria- outstanding The hostess/pool server wonderful Some of the staff are only interested in the tips. Their gratuity program is horrible During the day...some of the staff will ring the bell and not wait! I was sleeping Given the price per night...included the tips!