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Home Away From Home…the Grand Guesthouse KW

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I must confess… I’ve hesitated to write about our favorite little bed & breakfast in Key West for a very selfish reason. Today, my conscience won out, and I find myself compelled to share with you the hidden gem my husband and I discovered on our fourth getaway to the Conch Republic.

So why the hold out? Well, my reluctance was based on Economics 101 tenets. Supply and demand tells us that if more people know about a place , the more who may want to stay there than there are rooms available. And the cost will rise. If that were to happen at the Grand, we’d be thrilled for them but sad for us. The rates could stretch beyond our budget, or worse yet, shut us out altogether.

The Grand Guesthouse was the second bed and breakfast we ever booked in Key West. Since we enjoyed our stay so much, we continue to return each year. That’s not to say there aren’t other small establishments that are as deserving of a recommendation. We’ve toyed with the idea of booking a different place on occasion yet, so far, we haven’t chanced it. The Grand is a known, beloved quantity. To be fair, a friend of mine vacationed in Key West this past summer and gave rave reviews of another bed and breakfast. I hope to convince her to allow me to interview her for a future post. (No pressure, Kathy!)

Of course, you may prefer staying at one of the island’s luxury resorts such as the Marriott Beachside outside Old Town. My brother’s family stayed there recently and enjoyed all the amenities–especially the pool atmosphere. If you want luxury and be in the middle of the action, La Concha Hotel on Duval or the Ocean Key Resort overlooking Mallory Square are great options.

Should I be the lucky winner of the Mega Millions lottery, I’d lodge with my extended family on Sunset Key in a posh rental home (Scroll up to see Header Photo. Nice, huh?) Until then, I’ll stay at the Grand.

Continental Breakfast

Here are my top ten reasons why I think you’d be a satisfied guest:

10. clean, comfortable efficiency suite for a reasonable rate

9.  five blocks from Duval–not too close, and not too far from all the action

8. Conch Cruisers onsite for rent ($10 per day, vs. $15 one way taxi ride w/tip)

7. breezy bike ride to all the attractions–beaches, eateries, and bars

6. complimentary continental breakfast and water cooler

5. comfy hammock for two, to make wishes on stars as you cuddle

4. residential neighborhood that makes you feel part of local Key West life

3. excellent, personalized customer service (Derek is an all-around great guy and manager. )

2. the carefree bike ride back to your home-away-from-home each night

1. a serene escape from daily life–no clock watching. A perfect way for  Livin’ on Key West Time.

What little gem of a place have you kept to yourself? Divulge your secrets now, and free your conscience. It feels good, I promise!

15 comments on “Home Away From Home…the Grand Guesthouse KW

  1. You’re looking south but one of our favorite places is nearly all the way north — my husband and I stayed at the Black Friar Inn in Bar Harbour, Maine. Cozy, right near town, old-fashioned comfort, great breakfasts and afternoon cookies. We honeymooned there and went back twice. Of course this isn’t really the time of year you’d want to venture up, but in August or September it’s beautiful!

  2. It sounds like a comfy place, Jolyse. It’s always good to recommendations first-hand. My hubs likes hotels, I like both hotels and B&Bs, usually we alternate.

    @LynneRose – I’m with you on the beauty of the Maine coast and may try the Black Friar Inn. I’ve most often stayed around Wells and Kennebunk. Beautiful coastline and quaint towns.

    1. Hi Marcia. Great to see you here. I hope all is going great with your Health Challenge over at your blog.

      We’re not generally a B&B couple as we prefer our own space and own bathroom. Each suite or bedroom at the Grand has a private bath and outdoor sitting area (Some more private than others.)

      I haven’t vacationed in Maine since I was a teen. We may have to consider that kind of getaway for next summer.

  3. Sounds like a wonderful place and I can certainly understand why you would hesitate and want to keep it to yourself. I love these posts. It makes me wish I were there and gives me a mini-vacation in my mind. 🙂

  4. I know exactly what you mean about hesitating to share this place. I feel like that sometimes when I share places we love to go on my blog. I don’t want the places I love to get taken over and sanitized by yuppies, but I want to share.

    The Grand sounds really neat. Like you and your hubby, we are not normally B & B people. A lot of the time, there just isn’t much privacy in them. We have stayed in exactly one B & B. It wasn’t a *bad* experience, but it wasn’t my favorite lodging either. So, anyway, I do know what you mean about that, too.

    My secret place vacation place is Caddo Lake (Uncertain, Texas) in winter. It was deserted and had and odd, still beauty to it. We got some great deals from businesses who were just happy to have off-season tourists. The only drawback was that it wasn’t a good time to fish or alligator watch…but then who really wants a close encounter with an alligator?

    1. Thanks for sharing, Catie. Your Caddo Lake sounds wonderful. We tend to travel off-season to Key West, so chances are it will always be available for us if we plan ahead, even a little.

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