Aqua Lodges at Hurricane Hole Marina

Staying on a houseboat was on my bucket list & it did not disappoint! I’d do this again in a heartbeat! Friendly staff, easy check-in & having a restaurant within walking distance was a bonus! Kayak rentals & guided tours right there & Key West was just a couple miles away! Being swayed to sleep on a houseboat was amazing & seeing what the fishermen would catch every day was fun. Everyone was so nice!

I booked this floating lodge not really doing a lot of research. My wife and I live on our boat in the summer on Lake Michigan so we understand much of what comes along with being on a boat. There are several positive points- You are "on" the water over the mangroves which is great- We placed our small boat right at the end of the boat and were able to jump on and off as we pleased (super fun). We paid $50.00 per night extra to keep our boat on our boat. There is a boat launch 5 blocks aways. The bar and restaurant right on the boardwalk that the aqua lodges are moored to was so handy for a quick drink of food. The boat is roomy. Our boat (#1) listed 2 beds- While there were 2 beds, one was up on a loft that you climbed stairs to and shimmed onto the bed. I would not say this was a two bed unit. Young kids may like it, but not a full size 6.2' man. We did see other boats with what appeared to be two beds on the main floor. (Make sure you know what you are getting) Also our boat only had AC units. The temps dropped down into the 50's when we were there and it was soooo cold. We did see other boats with LG outside units that may have heat. - Again, make sure to know what you are getting. I will tell you that Matt and his staff were EXCELLENT- Their customer service is beyond 10- They could not have been any better. The location is 4 miles from the point of Key West. We took our bikes and rode all over. The location is excellent Challenges: Parking... its chaos- when the bar/restaurant fills up: good luck. We had small boat trailer behind our Yukon and were able to uncouple it and park off to the side. Matts counter part (I'm so sorry I cant remember his name) was so helpful to ensure we had parking for it. If you have a long trailer I would make arraignments prior to arrival. Fender noise- Because this is a floating dock and you have high and low tides along with boat traffic, the boat is always moving. There is a lot of mooring fender creaking day and night that you will have to ignore. For the most part we did okay but there were times that is was very annoying. Shower- Again you have to understand you are on a boat. Very much like a travel trailer. The show pressure is very light and you only have so much hot water. My wife has long hair and mentioned that is was challenging to rinse the shampoo and conditioner out of her hair. Not the end of the world but something to keep in mind if that's important to you. Summary- We like adventure and being on the water with our boat. We would stay at this location again just understanding what we are getting. The price was fair and the boat was clean, well stocked and the bed and couch were comfortable. God Bless.

Permission to Board? Yes please!! We went to Key West and stayed at the Aqua Lodges Hurricane Hole Marina. My 2 sisters and I stayed for a week and had a great experience. The little house boats on the water in a beautiful canal inlet area was picturesque with a row of cottages across the canal. The sunsets and after glow - amazing! We arrived at our house boat that was clean and cool looking just like what we expected to see based on the online. These house boats have plenty of room to accommodate a family of I would say 6 with the double beds in each separate sleeping area. I was lucky enough to have the back room with a small patio and sliding door for access to it off my room and a pocket door to my room for private . There is a closet to avoid clutter as well in a small space. The middle room was less privacy but next to a full bathroom with a shower. There was no door to close off this middle room but we didnt mind we weren't there to stay on board all day! The last sleeping area might be great for a child or someone nimble - not minding the loft aspect of a ceiling right next to your face when you wake up or crawling to your bed - this is a boat, however! I have crawled into many berths on a boat at night to sleep. This boat has a full kitchen with the exception of an oven - the dishes and implements were sufficient. The living area or salon area of the boat was comfy with a TV and WIFI included. Off the combined kitchen /living area of the boat is another deck with table and chairs to accomodate 4 easily and used every evening by us to watch the boats all coming home or back to dock or to see the sun after-glow. Obviously there is a dock that is the access to the house boat - just down the dock you will find a little trail to a fabulous Bar and restaurant all with in walking distance. We all loved the people and the food at Hurricane Hole Restaurant. The last treasure we enjoyed was Tours of Key West Land and Sea. This is where we saw more than an after glow of the sun. We heard the sun hit the sea and make a sizzle. (not actually but..) The Tours of Key West Land and Sea is located on the very same dock! We were lucky enough to catch the dolphins out doing jumps. These are wonderful people to be on a boat with - ask for Capt Taylor and Carri . I would do this again and again as we toured the island and got a history lesson at the same time- Fabulous! (Bring wine!) Another hint for a Key West first timer and an Aqua Lodge visit would be - all hotels that have a pool and a bar - go have a drink and meal -- they dont mind if you use their pool for the day. We visited a different beach everyday we decided to hit the beach and our favorite was Higgs- reasonable chair and umbrella rentals . Plus a restaurant on site . Our stay at Aqua Lodges was, unique, comfortable and the people were amazing to deal with. Cant wait to go back Visitors from Maine