The Moorings Village

Character and identity

Spread across 11 waterfront acres in Islamorada, The Moorings Village is less a hotel than a clutch of eight private villas scattered among more than 800 coconut palms, each cottage distinct in size, layout and outlook. Architecture leans toward Old Florida: clapboard cottages in soft tans and greens, furnished porches, full kitchens, hammocks slung between trees. A private beach anchors the property, with a lap pool, spa, fitness centre, complimentary bicycles and on-site kayaks rounding out the offer. Service is deliberately invisible, housekeeping slips in and out while you're at the water. The register is barefoot, residential, hushed.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're paying for here is privacy at a scale most Keys properties can't match: eight villas, 11 acres, a private beach and almost no one to share them with. Book a Maroni-style oceanfront villa rather than one looking onto neighbouring cottages, the view is the whole point. Best in the cooler, drier months when the hammock and kayaks earn their keep.