Cheeca Lodge & Spa

Our first stay here was very enjoyable. The staff and service were great, and our room and the rest of the property were clean and well cared for. The grounds are expansive, so expect a walk if your room is near the entrance. There are several restaurants on site, though we only tried lunch from the poolside menu. There’s plenty to do: relax or fish off the dock, book an excursion, enjoy a pool, golf, bike around, or rent kayaks or paddleboards. I’m not sure if those rentals are included in the resort fee. We highly recommend Angelfish Boat Tours. A free shuttle goes anywhere within a 2 mile radius, so you can explore the area. The adult's only pool looked quieter and nearly empty, though I don’t know whether food and drink service is available there. The beach, like many in the Keys, isn’t great and will likely have seaweed. That’s just how it is down there, and it’s out of the resort’s control. With the beach not much of an option, the main pool chairs fill quickly, so get one early or expect to wait. Kids activities beyond Camp Cheeca are very limited, so keep that in mind if you have little ones. We’ll definitely return sometime.

Jessica Wood made the details easy and personally cared that our trip went well. She was a big part of our great stay at Cheeca, and the whole team helped make it memorable. Beautiful property, great staff, excellent food and drinks, and an ideal base for exploring the Keys. Islamorada somehow makes you slow down within a few hours, no matter how wound up from work you are when you arrive. It isn’t far from the mainland, but the water, people, fishing, and slower pace make it feel a world away from everyday life. Thanks again to Jessica and everyone. We’ll be back.

The spa day pass was the letdown. I paid to use the spa and fitness facilities, but it didn’t feel worth the cost. The gym is decent, though fairly small with standard equipment. The men’s locker room steam room was the biggest issue. Staff knew it was unreliable and said it often shuts off and needs resetting. During my visit, it ran for about 9 minutes, then stayed off for an hour or more. The door seal also doesn’t work properly, so steam leaks out. The locker room was clean and functional but felt dated. A sauna and refreshed locker room would fit the resort better. The property is beautiful and upscale, the rooms are very comfortable, and the staff were friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. I’d recommend the resort itself, but wouldn’t buy a spa day pass until the steam room is properly fixed.

The staff were welcoming, friendly, and professional, and we appreciated their kindness during our couples massage visit to Cheeca Lodge. Still, we left disappointed and don’t plan to return. We agreed to add a foot massage while already in the spa room, then realized the extra service seemed to use time from our original 50-minute massage instead of extending it. Paying extra should mean the add-on comes in addition to the scheduled treatment. The last 15 minutes felt rushed, which took away from what should have been relaxing. The pool also wasn’t ideal. There was noticeable sunscreen residue and bugs floating in the water. Poolside food and drink service was extremely slow: our drinks took a long time, and our appetizers were mistakenly taken to another pool area, extending the wait. It looked like one bartender/server was handling the entire pool service, which may explain the delays. The visit didn’t meet what we expected from a resort of this caliber.