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Hotel Review: The Gardens Hotel in Key West, Florida

The absolute highlight of my trip to Key West was staying at The Gardens Hotel.

This place is a HIDDEN GEM! I knew that we were in the perfect place as soon as we checked in. The main house felt so welcoming with tropical chic décor and fresh flower arrangements. We were greeted with glasses of Prosecco as the general manager introduced us to the property. It was such a welcome surprise after a long 4-hour drive from Fort Lauderdale.

Although this property is labeled a hotel, I would consider it more of a bed & breakfast because of how intimate it is. The Gardens Hotel welcomes children 16 years and older. The owners have successfully managed to preserve the hotel’s original historic charm while still giving guests all of the modern luxurious amenities that they would come to expect from a hotel. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Gardens Hotel has a unique history.

The Gardens Hotel History

Once called the Gardens Mansion, the property was built in the 1800s. Today, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1930, Peggy Mills purchased the property with the intent of growing a botanical garden that was open to the public. In addition to the mansion, she acquired the surrounding buildings and land. Altogether, she owned one quarter of a city block.

Peggy started collecting flowers and plants from all over the world to plant on her property. She became known as “The Lady of the Orchids” for her rare collection of Hawaiian and Japanese orchids, which still flourish in the trees. (Orchids are my favorite flower, so I was especially excited to see this!)

Following Peggy’s death in 1979, the property became a luxury hotel, after a multi-million-dollar renovation in 1992.

The Gardens Hotel Grounds

There’s so many reasons to love The Gardens Hotel, but for starters, it’s in an excellent location.

It’s just a few steps away from Duval Street, but not so close that it’s noisy. We loved the convenience of walking everywhere from our hotel. There’s a liquor store around the corner if you want to stock up on some booze in your room.

True to its name, The Gardens Hotel is covered in lush tropical foliage. From the outside, you can’t see the property at all as it’s completely enveloped in the greenery. But once you enter the property’s gates, you feel as though you’ve stumbled upon a secret garden. Once inside, you realize that the Hotel has an entire ecosystem within. Everywhere you look there are winding pathways and intimate seating areas. These pathways were originally designed by founder Peggy Mills, who collected 87,000 century-old bricks from Cuba, Honduras, and England to create the layout.

As you explore the tranquil gardens, you’ll happen upon a bird aviary, a small tortoise habitat, a gazebo, ponds, fountains, and a hidden hammock. There are two cats that lounge around on property, collecting pets and neck scratches from guests.

Wine lovers will also really enjoy this hotel because there’s a beautiful self-serve wine room, D’Vine Wine Gallery, on property. This room has an impressive spread of 36 wines from around the world, housed in innovative winestations that can serve 1, 3, or 6 ounce pours. With multiple varietals and price points to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect glass of wine. I only wish this room stayed open later into the evening! (It’s open from 8 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. daily.)

Guests can enjoy piano performances in the evenings from 5 to 7 P.M. and jazz on Sundays from 5 to 8 P.M.

Continental breakfast is served, though I’ll admit it felt rather meager. (Maybe because of COVID?) There were 3 choices offered for breakfast - quiche and roasted potatoes, a bagel and cream cheese, or a parfait with fruit. I opted for the quiche. Though the food itself was good, the portions just felt small. I didn’t mind though because the atmosphere was so pleasant, and I don’t eat large breakfasts anyway.

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The Gardens Hotel Pool

There are two pools on the property - the main pool near the Garden Rooms and main house, and the smaller pool, near the Cottages. Guests can use either pool interchangeably, but I preferred the main pool because it was larger and it had a full bar.

One of the highlights of my stay at The Gardens Hotel was floating around on a water hammock, sipping on a mojito, and enjoying the garden ambiance with birds chirping.

It was so hot when we visited that pool time was a must in the afternoons for both full days of our trip.

Though other guests were in the pool, it never felt crowded. There was no need to wake up early and save a lounge chair by the pool, which was nice. (That being said, we were visiting in August, which is the low season, so I’m not sure how that compares to the high season.) The complimentary Sunbrella water hammocks from Frontgate came in handy so that I could effortlessly float around in the refreshing pool. The pool towels were large and fluffy, which I appreciated.

I just loved everything about the pool setting - the gazebo, the string lights, the lounge chairs, the umbrella-covered high tables, and the pagoda-covered bar. It was so nice having full bar service next to the pool, even though it was a small hotel. The bartender was friendly, talkative, and attentive.

The Gardens Hotel Rooms

You can choose from a variety of guest rooms, cottages, or the Master Suite for 4. We chose a Garden Room, and I loved both our room and location on property. I highly recommend a Garden Room as they are tucked away in a secluded area of the property overlooking a brick patio and a trickling fountain. The rooms on the property are beautiful with Hemingway beds, Tempur-Pedic mattresses, and Italian linens.

Our room had a mini fridge with complimentary chilled water bottles as well as a Keurig coffeemaker. We also enjoyed a complimentary snack basket which was replenished daily. It was lovely to start the morning on our private deck wearing a plush robe and sipping fresh coffee.

My only complaint was that our room was rather warm, especially in the marble bathroom, however I loved that our room had an overhead fan, which helped cool things down. I somewhat expected this however, since it was August and this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill chain hotel with industrial-level air conditioning.

The Cottages are in a separate area on the property with their own small pool outside of the main Garden area.

The Cottages are a newer addition to The Gardens Hotel.

Although they are quite stylish, I liked staying on our side of the property because it was more immersed in the Gardens and just steps away from the main pool. There are 5 cottages total. I would recommend staying in the Cottages if:

You’re traveling in a small group, like for a bachelorette party group or a family group.
You’re traveling with your dog. Dogs up to 20 pounds can stay in Cottage 1, 2, or 3 for a fee of $50/night.
You want more privacy. The Cottages are popular for honeymooners and anniversary celebrations.

The Verdict

Our stay in Key West would not have been nearly as special if it wasn’t for our stay at The Gardens Hotel.

This hotel captures the essence of Key West with its lush gardens and understated elegance. It’s the perfect place for a getaway and you can’t beat the location. Now that I’ve experienced The Gardens Hotel, I’m not sure I’d ever want to stay anywhere else in Key West if I were to return!