Every winter for the last 25 years I have spent at least a few days in the Florida Keys, and always stay at the Key Lantern/Blue Fin in Islamorada. I have always had a good experience. The rooms are basic and clean, and include small rooms on the Key Lantern side and larger rooms on the Blue Fin side, with kitchens. The Key Lantern is absolutely the best hotel bargain in the Keys. My wife likes fancy, and when she is with me we have spent as much as $500 a night or more elsewhere. If you want or need a pool, room service, and a new facility, try one of the $500 a night places. But at the Key Lantern you will get clean, basic accommodations for closer to $100 per night. A side benefit is that the Lor-e-Lei, one of the best casual restaurants in the Keys, is right next door. You get an outdoor sunset view over the Bay from the restaurant (photo attached), with live entertainment most nights. Someday we will loose this gem, and the property will be developed into a hotel with rates 6 times as high. Until then, if you want basic accommodations, try the Key Lantern. You won't be sorry. read more

Key Lantern Motel - Sunset at the Lor-e-Lei, right next door - Hotels Near Me - Islamorada, Florida

The Twelve Days of Yelpmas Day Five This place might not be anything special but it has character and it's cheap! You won't find entry cards but old school keys and a shower that reminded me of an old cabin we'd rent in "Up North" Michigan back in my childhood. The bed didn't even have a headboard and it was just inches from the front window but it gave me a good night's rest, especially valuable after sleeping the previous night in my Nissan Rogue rental after finding last minute hotel rooms on Art Basel weekend near Miami wasn't happening. I much prefer 11 am checkout to 10 but I won't grouse much. It got me on an early start to my journey to Key West. Key Lantern Motel is actually two buildings interspersed with trailers so it's literally in a trailer park! Fortunately Ricky wasn't shooting any guns, Bubbles' cats weren't meowing all night and Lahey wasn't stumbling around drunk knocking shit over in the middle of the night. There was some morning renovations at a trailer that made a bit of noise but it wasn't too bad. And there was a crazy art trailer with a sign that said THE SHED! No sign of the aforementioned Bubbles though. Maybe Ray is down here. I heard he moved to Florida after faking his own death for an insurance scam. Inexpensive funky old school little place... I wouldn't mind staying here again if I find myself in Islamorada. It's gotta be cheaper than anywhere in Key West and it's only a two hour drive. read more

Old school at its best. You actually get a key for the room. Terrazzo floors, old fashioned tile in the bathroom and super clean. Sends me back to my childhood. Very cool place to stay. At sunset walk about 100 yards to see the beautiful water and reflection of the sun! read more

We stayed here years ago, and it has gone way downhill since then. It is an old building literally in the midst of a rundown trailer park. My room was absolutely filled with the overpowering smell of some horrible nondescript citrus-smelling odor. The price is cheap, but the odor in the room and the general conditions made it almost impossible for me to sleep. The only positive is that there is a good outdoor restaurant with live music within easy walking distance. If things do not chsnge, I would never stay here again. read more

I can say customer service was awesome. Had to cancel 2 rooms last minute due to flu. Spoke to Joe, and he said no cancelation change if they could rent the rooms. I got a call the next morning both rooms were rented and no charge. Thank you so much!!! read more

It advertises as the least expensive motel in the Keys. Clean and quiet. Short walk to Lorelei's for sunset.

Such a cute,quant hotel. Super clean,even smelled sterile! Ac was so cold we were freezing! Love the rustic ambiance! Very kind and helpful front desk lady and even got the opportunity to meet the owner! Such a kind woman! We stay here every chance we get! Can't beat the price,it's been a local secret for years! read more

The price is right for the area. Significantly cheaper than anything else around. But the place is a dump. There's a 1" space between the outside entrance door and the door jamb. No closet or anything to hang clothes on. No Wifi. No amenities of any kind. Small towels. Uncomfortable bed and pillows. The good: good hot water and water pressure. Free parking. Great location in Islamorada. A/C works great. read more

Key Lantern Motel - Entrance door jamb - Hotels Near Me - Islamorada, Florida

This hotel was DISGUSTING there were roaches the beds were very dirty. We brought a box of cereal and instantly ants came everywhere now we have to replace everything. As of now our garage is infested with ants. Also I wanted to use the WiFi but the connection was very poor. I walked in to the bathroom and to my surprise there was a huge roach and ants were hovering over it. As I woke up there was THOUSANDS of ants on the bed. The toilet paper was covered in brown stuff and dead spiders. The fan didn't work or the AC. So if you are reading this review I will suggest you don't stay here. And the refrigerator did not work so the food was spoiled. read more

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For the price it is acceptable. Staff was friendly.Everything is clean, but dated. Our room had a strong perfume cleaner smell to it. If you are sensitive to smells, I would not stay at this hotel. A/C worked well in the bedroom, but didn't reach the bathroom. Bathroom remains humid and is poorly lit. Floors are terrazzo. We had the room with two double beds, small tv, and a small fridge. There are no amenities at this hotel. They use regular old fashion keys. Easy check in and checkout. You can park in front of your room. It is exterior corridors. It is in walking distance of Lorelei (great for sunset and live music) and Bobs Bunz (great for breakfast and cinnamon rolls). It is a 15 minute walk to Morada Bay for their monthly Full Moon Party. They required two night stay on the weekend. Overall, for the price it is acceptable. It is bare bones. read more

I have stayed at the Key Lantern many times over the years... after a day of kiteboarding and a night of tiki bar drinking on Islamorada, it's the perfect affordable spot to crash and not have to worry about driving back to Miami until the next day. This place is old school... no fancy on line reservation system here, you have to call them and if you're lucky they will have something available. Comfortable bed, hot shower and cold AC for $70... good times! read more

Key Lantern Motel - Hotels Near Me - Islamorada, Florida

Dingy, old, and dreary. Pay a little more and stay somewhere nice. I dont recommend this place unless you know to expect my first three words. On the plus side, it is fairly inexpensive and you are allowed to cross the street and use the pool and "beach" from the Islander resort. Beach is in parenthesis because its well, the keys muck. The front desk lady was rude. read more

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Be careful when staying here as I was quoted 1 price on the phone when I made my reservation but was charged more when I checked in with no explanation as why the price was more then the quoted reservation. I will not stay here again. read more

This is no Marriott or even a motel 6. However they do leave the lights and AC on for you. The hotel rates were 45$ a night. The place was clean an convenient but was out dated compared to newer hotels. However that gave it charm and made it fit into the area better, as the whole area seems to be stuck back in time and goes by their own clocks. I would use them! read more

This place was a good spot for an affordable room in the keys! I would go back and stay there again anytime. Only thing i can say is l, bring your own towel. Their towels are a little rough. Otherwise great experience with the owner and the room. read more

I just returned from my stay at Key Lantern Motel & Blue Finn Inn. I suppose I should mention I teach hospality & this is a fair review. Upon my late agreed upon arrival, my key was not available. The grumpy owner answered the door and blamed me. (I brought Maple candy as a gift for them from Vermont) They had been trying to contact me. My CC did not work. She was accusatory and upset. I actually left my cell phone behind. It turned out the number was taken down incorrectly. Did I complain when I noticed the door was rotted at the bottom and open to the outside? Did I complain when the internet hardly worked? Did I complain when there was very little hot water? Did I complain about the street noise? NO I did however go to the office when twice my room was not cleaned. I had no clean towels and was out of toilet paper! The owner was defensive & unfriendly again trying to blame me! As I was explaining, she said whatever...that was it. I told her "it was not whatever" & it was Thank You For The Feedback & I'm Sorry! They also messed up my reservation and when I told them I was to check out the next day the owner pointed to her index card as proof of me checking out that day. The bed was hard, comfortable & good for my back. The place was close to Islmorada Dive Center. read more

You get what you pay for. If you're just looking for a place to lay your head after a day or diving and drinking, this will suffice. I would stay here again if it was just the boys, but it was a little rough for my wife and she isn't exactly the prissy type. The room was clean and smelled very strongly of disinfectant that didn't dissipate. A few bugs, but it's Florida (I live in Florida), so is to be expected. For $70/night, it's pretty awesome though. Still, if you're on a nice vacation, don't decide to go cheap for a night. You may be disappointed. read more

There are many reasons to stay at the Key Lantern Motel. Perhaps you chose to listen to that little red horned guy on your left shoulder, who told you that spending a few extra days in South Beach wouldn't be THAT expensive. Consequently, you've downgraded your rental car to a three cylinder subcompact, and you've determined that your remaining travel funds allow for only $39 per night in budget lodging. Does this sound like anyone we know? Alternatively, you are sitting on kilos of pure Colombian flake, and are holed up in this place to avoid Horatio Caine, who has been on your tail ever since you ditched your go-fast boat in the mangroves of Biscayne National Park. Nah, that stuff only happens on TV! Or maybe you are an angler, and given that you'll be spending your entire vacation either on the water or comfortably perched on a bar-stool at the nearby Lorelei Cabana Bar, you've decided that the Key Lantern has all the amenities you'll require for a successful and memorable trip. I say this is the most plausible scenario of them all. The Key Lantern is one of the best lodging values in the Florida Keys, bar none. At $39 - $49 per night, you get a comfortable room with 2 beds, a kitchenette, cable television, and coin-operated vending and laundry services. As another Yelper pointed out, there is plenty of parking for a boat, should you wish to trailer yours. Located near mile marker 82 in Islamorada, the Key Lantern is near public boat launches on Indian and Long Keys. After a long day of fishing, satisfy your thirst and hunger with a trip to the Lorelei Cabana Bar to sample some of their signature cocktails and cuisine. Relax on their deck or patio, listen to the laid-back sounds of live music, and watch the sun as it dips beyond the horizon. The Key Lantern is not fancy. You won't get a turn-down service, nor can you expect a morning paper delivered to your door. But then again, this is the keys...forget about worthless amenities and chillax a little. read more

Ok this is not The Ritz. So don't go expecting 5 star service or accomadations. The room was clean and enough for our needs. We didn't do much but sleep there. The water was always hot when we needed it as a matter of fact i ran it for an extended period to get steam for my dresses since there is no iron or ironing board and it never ran cold. The kitchen is equipped with all the basic utensils and then some. Would I stay here again? Yea I would. I probably never would have picked this place but we made the best of it and it worked out very well and I had a great time. Based on the other motels I've seen this is comparable. Its a cheap place to stay, good location. There was a grocery stove about a 5 minute walk south of this place. Restauarants and shopping is not to far away. Nice half way point between Fort Lauderdale and Key West. read more

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I give the The Key Lantern/ Blue Fin Motel four stars because well it provides me with everything I need on my fishing trips to Islamorada. For starters it is cheap cheap cheap. You can get a two beds with full a kitchen for $49 per night. Daily room service keeps it, clean and the bone chilling AC units pump cold air all day for you. Always good thing when get back to the room after spending the day on the scorching flats chasing big bonefish, permit and tarpon. However If you are afraid of a few bugs go stay at one of the major resorts. This is a def a budget stay motel and great for fisherman. Also plenty of parking space for your boat. FYI be water conscious while in the Key's fresh water is very expensive and also not very good to drink. Buy gallons of drinking water before coming down. read more

This hotel is an excellent value for the price. It's an old motel but the rooms are clean and comfortable. We rented an efficiency and it had a stove, full sized fridge, sink, etc. There was a small TV and a full (double) sized bed. If you're looking for a gorgeous resort experience, this is not your place, but if you're looking for a nice place to stay while you're out enjoying all that Islamorada has to offer, this is your hotel. There is no ridiculous resort fee and parking is plentiful. It's right next door to Lorelei so you can walk over to see the beautiful sunset and not have to worry about the drive home. read more

If you demand a motel room with all mod cons and the smell of fresh paint, look elsewhere. If you're looking for an authentic piece of Keys history (the "bricks" are made of cut coral) at a reasonable price, this may be what you're looking for. It's obvious that this place has been around for a while. It shares the neighborhood with an RV/trailer park. If that bugs you (I saw no reason why it should), there are other places to investigate. (I'll recommend the Sunset Inn, which is a sister site to the Key Lantern, and is located just up the road a few hundred yards.) Rooms at the Key Lantern have been well maintained over the years. I found them to be clean and a bargain at the price. The floors are tile, not carpeted, and this may be something some folks want to make a note of. The one thing that may be a pause for concern is the "smoking area" located in front of the motel. Since all rooms are non-smoking, I understand why this is there. But the first couple of nights I had other guests parked in the chairs outside my window, puffing away, for hours on end. This got to be annoying in a hurry, but the problem went away when that particular group of guests moved on. read more

We had a clean room, 2 beds (on the soft side), fridge, A/C and a fine location from which we walked to restaurants (like the Lorelei) to watch the sunset. The price was right! Linoleum tile floors, huge bathroom, fridge. What else do you need? The room was spacious and fine for a stay at this family run motel. We will be back! read more

My sister and I rented one of the efficiencies, and it was perfectly suitable. The room was clean, and the beds were nice and firm. And the price was hard to beat! The restaurant on the bay behind the property was an added perk. read more

What a wonderful, family owned motel. My husband and I always stay at the Key Lantern/Bluefin Inn when we come to Islamorada. The rooms are clean, the staff is incredibly hospitable, and you can't beat the price. Not to mention that it is in a great location at the heart of Islamorada. We love it here and truly enjoy our weekend stays. read more

i give this"motel" -10 stars.....must read if booking-------------------- we booked a motel room, def not a b&b as stated. we were asked to leave becuz of reporting a domestic violence in the room next door on a thurs nite when we checked in. owner stays in the room on the other side of said room, so i know debbie heard them slamming doors, screaming for him to stop beating on her. sun nite someone else called cops on violent couple, guy thought it was us & was chasing us around with a knife, yelling at us thinking it was us who called the cops. needless to say, we couldn't grill out on the only 1 grill there, we couldn't go out to smoke, so we left every nite until we were asked to leave mon morning. we had flying coach roaches stage diving us the whole time, 1 roll of t.p., 1 bar of soap, no shampoo or conditioner. we did a lot of fishing, so i would turn the a/c up before we left & when we got back it was turned off. dirty & filthy sheets with pubic hair on them. if you like a knife pulled on u & beating up on your partner.....u have booked the rite place. i would not recommend this to my worst enemy. i have never had a worse vacation at a MOTEL in my life & i have traveled the world. read more