The Pelican Key Largo Cottages

I didn't realize when I booked that you get two hours of free kayaking each day, so that was a nice surprise. The beach by the cottages was beautiful, and I made good use of the beachfront seating. Staff were prompt and on top of things. Since it's a smaller hotel, they recognized me after a day. I wasn't disturbed during my stay, and came back to a clean room. Everything was great, and I'd absolutely stay here again!

Room 202 was small but worked well for our short stay. It was neat and clean, though there was no view and the window wasn't functional. The location was so good that we didn't mind. The property has an amazing private beach.

We planned to stay one or two nights on our way to Key West, but loved the cottages so much that we stayed the whole week. The place was quiet and super clean, and the staff were helpful and friendly. There's a boat dock and ramp, plus a private beach with chairs, kayaks, and toys for kids. Breakfast next door was yummy and inexpensive. The location was excellent. We'll 100% be back soon. I highly recommend it to couples, families with small kids, or anyone passing through on their way to Key West.

My stay at Pelican Key Largo Cottages, room 109, left me very disappointed with the cleanliness and management's follow-up. At checkout, I found dirty ear plugs and an apple under the bed, plus ants coming from the shower drain. I took clear, time-stamped photos before leaving and shared them with staff. They later said the items weren't there, but my photos show what I found, and I didn't move or remove anything. After I got home, bumps appeared all over my body that seemed consistent with bedbug bites. I contacted the property the day after checkout, after I had time to process what happened and began developing the bumps. The pest control company reportedly found no evidence, but that doesn't change my symptoms or concerns. I hadn't raised a formal complaint during my stay. When staff casually asked how it was going, I answered politely, which shouldn't be taken to mean everything was acceptable. I tried to resolve this privately, sharing the photos and giving them time to reply after I showed them on Saturday. By Monday, I still hadn't heard back. I also want to correct their account of the kayak: I returned it on time. I called to say I might be a few minutes late because guests are given no instructions for kayaking in the ocean and can easily get stranded. The continued denial of documented issues and inaccurate statements in their reply are why I felt I had to respond publicly. The property has potential, but the cleanliness, lack of accountability, and poor communication made for a very uncomfortable, disappointing stay. My review reflects my honest experience, and future guests can decide for themselves.