Casa Morada

About The Hotel

Casa Morada is a 4-star small oceanfront Keys boutique at Madeira Road just off Overseas Highway MM 82 in Upper Matecumbe Key, Islamorada. Historic rating 4.6 across 1,447 reviews (pre-current-renovation) with 4.7 cleanliness, 4.4 rooms, 4.8 location, 4.7 service, 4.6 sleep quality; value 4.2 the softest signal at the $269-$354 nightly rate. Amenities include pool, free breakfast, direct beach access, bicycle rental, yoga classes, pet-friendly rooms and free parking. Historic 5-star praise includes the Twilight suite in the garden area and the Manatee waterfront room (‘both were sparkling clean, supplied with drinks, snacks, wonderful toiletries, great bedding’). CRITICAL RECENT FLAGS: Multiple 1-2 star 2024-2025 reviews report the property under active renovation/construction. A 1-star wrote ‘This place is a total scam! I booked for 2 nights on hotel tonight for over $700 as this was advertised as being water front with a restaurant and really charming. Turns out the hotel is under renovation and they texted [me]…’ Another 1-star wrote ‘Total disaster. They should not be permitted to rent rooms out right now. Everything is under construction and roped off. Bikes and boats are easily 40 years old. Construction workers everywhere. Couldn’t leave your room [without disruption].’ A 2-star 25-time-repeat guest (married at the resort in 2004) wrote ‘A love letter, a lament and a hope for return… it has never been just another resort in the Florida Keys. It has been part of our family story’ — signaling that longtime fans see the current state as a temporary but painful disruption. Book only after confirming renovation completion directly with the property.

What Guests Are Saying

“I stayed in the garden area Twilight suite. My traveling companion stayed in the Manatee, one of the waterfront rooms. Both were sparkling clean, supplied with drinks, snacks, wonderful toiletries, great bedding. My views were of lush vegetation; his were waterfront and—again—lush vegetation Both lovely. Parking is convenient and safe at both areas. We keep the car at my suite. Casa Morada is not the typical 5 star hotel. It is a quiet, traditional retreat in a setting that is wonderful old tropical Florida. As an 82 yr old native Floridian lady, this was the main draw for me. The landscape is beautifully designed with plenty of walking areas for me and my tiny dog, native Florida trees and plants, seating areas for scenic pauses, leading to a well-designed waterfront. Rejuvenation! Guests can bring their boats and moor them at the plentiful docking spots directly on the property; and many did. The waterfront rooms open directly to a boardwalk over the water to a small island pagoda. Gorgeous for morning, daytime and evening relaxing. Staff are all lovely and helpful. Special shout out to receptionist and General Factotum, Sam. She was at my friend’s room in 2 minutes when he had a glitch with his TV one night. Guests check in at the Sunset Inn, directly on the highway. Casa Morada is behind it, off the road. The Inn and Casa Morada are all the same property. Mangrove Mike’s is a wonderful restaurant in the same strip as the Sunset Inn office. Frequented by locals and travelers alike, a variety of foods, great wait staff. Enjoyed the hogfish sandwich and the key lime pie. All breads and desserts baked onsite. Also dined at the Island Grill a tad north of Casa Morada on the ocean side. Crunchy yellow snapper, strip steak, chicken wings are all special! We loved our stay at Casa Morada and didn’t want to leave. My friend said he wants to live there. We. plan to return in November.” — Nell1Florida, 5 stars

“I highly would recommend staying at the lovely, serene, and perfectly located, Casa Morada. Our room, ‘The Sun Room’ was spacious with large picture windows that added to the feel of this space which evoked a true island feel. The staff could not have been more accommodating and even though there was construction to the docks going on during the day, we were still able to enjoy the pool and relaxing on a chaise under a covered canopy. The lush tropical landscape added to the calming outdoor ambience, which includes various spaces to sit and take in the grounds. Casa Moroda is a unique and special place I would definitely recommend!” — Quest32315185996, 5 stars

“Despite going through some changes and not being told about repairs going on next to our room, Casa Morada is such a lovely property. The island pool area was so relaxing and Eric served up some incredible fruit smoothies. It is a great place to catch the beautiful sunsets. As soon as we began snorkeling, we were greeted by a lot of fish. Kayaking was fun but we sadly missed out on seeing any manatees.” — Trip52033164952, 5 stars

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Historic 4.6/1,447 rating - Pre-current-renovation top-tier Keys boutique
• Small oceanfront boutique with pool + direct beach + yoga classes
• Free breakfast + bicycle rental + pet-friendly rooms + free parking
• Twilight garden suite and Manatee waterfront room historically praised
• 25-time-repeat guest loyalty (married at the resort 2004)

Cons:

• CRITICAL: Multiple 2024-2025 reviews report property under active renovation (‘scam’, ‘total trash’)
• CRITICAL: Construction workers everywhere, hotel amenities roped off, bikes/boats ‘40 years old’
• Value 4.2 - softest historic subrating at $269-$354 nightly rate
• No in-room jacuzzi advertised - pool and beach only
• BOOK ONLY AFTER CONFIRMING RENOVATION COMPLETION

The Location

136 Madeira Road, Mile Marker 82, Islamorada, FL 33036-3615 — Small oceanfront boutique on Upper Matecumbe Key. You can find more details or book your stay on TripAdvisor.