Rainbow Bend Resort

A lovely little hideaway in the Keys, especially for adults looking to relax. It's not a high-maintenance, fancy place, which suited us just fine. There's a pool and hot tub facing the blue ocean, plus kitchenettes, a grill, and plenty more to enjoy. Just right for a quiet retreat.

The staff were kind, but seemed overworked, which felt like an owner issue. We stayed for a week, and it was an adequate place to sleep, probably for less than the other hotels. With better upkeep, they could charge more. If you're hoping for soft sand where kids can run around, this isn't the spot. You can see the sandbar as the tide goes out, and during the day it was about four feet deep a mile offshore.

Breakfast was good and the staff were great. The resort is beautiful, and the two rooms we stayed in seemed recently updated. We had a lovely ocean-side room. The other one, nearer the highway, could have used a few additions. We'd definitely stay again.

The room itself was pleasant, and the beds were comfortable, but both air conditioners had problems. Our free breakfast was cancelled on both mornings. On the first day there were a few pastries and bacon, though staff were preparing Thanksgiving meals for the afternoon, priced at $160 per couple. On the second day, nobody came to serve anything. At checkout, the front desk staff seemed irritable and uninterested in a conversation or even exchanging greetings. This was our second stay, about three years after the first. We came for two days over Thanksgiving with my wife and son, using an Expedia Black Friday deal. We paid a little more for the room option that we hoped would give us a better view, but were put on the far side near the dumpster, where nobody else was staying. We were glad to get a room, but the trip was a real letdown compared with the excellent service and accommodations we remembered. The cost and missing advertised amenities made it worse. Maybe it was the holiday or new management, but this stay didn't match our earlier one.