Great experience! Manager showed me around the new waterpark. Didn't get a chance to do a spa treatment, but receptionist was so sweet. Loved our room. We had a great view of the pool. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - View from Room - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

Great Stay With Some Service & Logistics Gaps Overall, we had a genuinely great experience as first-time visitors traveling without kids but with service animals. The property shines in many areas, especially if you're looking for a relaxing resort atmosphere with beautiful water views, pet-friendly accommodations, and a fun, laid-back vibe. That said, there were a few frustrating misses that held this back from being a 5-star stay. THE GOOD * Beautiful beach & lagoon area - Easily one of the highlights of the property. Relaxing, scenic, and fun overall. * Salt + Ash is a must - Exceptional food and one of the best dining experiences on property. The wine selection was top-notch and the beef tenderloin was outstanding. Easily our favorite restaurant. * Incredible staff throughout the resort - Bell staff, valet, oceanfront servers, housekeeping crew, and pool staff were consistently kind, personable, and welcoming. * Staff who go above and beyond - Huge shoutout to Joshua, who helped us secure chairs near the adult pool, and Danielle, who took time to chat, swap stories, and made us feel genuinely welcome. Hospitality like that sticks with you. * Captain's Suite is worth the upgrade - Strongly recommend spending the extra money if budget allows. The added space made the trip: dining area, living room, fridge, two toilets, large balcony, and beautiful water views overlooking the pool and lagoon. It elevated the experience tremendously. * Extremely pet & service animal friendly - This place deserves serious praise here. Few resorts feel this comfortable and accommodating for travelers with animals. Staff were respectful, welcoming, and there were no awkward restrictions or friction. If you travel with pets or service animals, this property stands out. * Tiki Grill - Great atmosphere for drinks and relaxing. Perfect for unwinding poolside. * 20% off dining on property helped offset costs - Appreciated perk considering resort pricing. THE NOT-SO-GOOD * Front desk communication & housekeeping logistics need work - This was our biggest frustration. We stayed in a Captain's Suite and requested both a room cleaning and balcony cleaning (bird droppings had accumulated on the balcony) around 10 AM. The front desk wrote down our room number and assured us it would be taken care of. When we returned around 3:30 PM, neither had been done. By after 4:30 PM, the room had finally been cleaned, but the balcony still hadn't been addressed. When you pay extra for a premium room and oceanfront balcony experience, this feels disappointing. There also seems to be a mild pigeon issue, and balcony maintenance should really be part of a regular checklist. Some simple bird deterrents or more proactive cleaning would go a long way. * Concierge/text support didn't materialize - We were told we'd receive a concierge-style welcome text shortly after check-in for support/questions. Unfortunately, we never received it. To make matters worse, the room phones didn't work, meaning concerns had to be addressed in person while waiting in the front desk line. * Food quality was inconsistent - Salt + Ash was phenomenal, but not every dining experience matched that standard. Tiki Grill: Great drinks and atmosphere, but the food was forgettable, under-seasoned, and not something we'd order again. Fine in a pinch. Angler & Ale: Beautiful waterfront views and exceptional staff, but the food leaned heavily fried and felt more like average bar food than resort dining. Fish and chips were disappointing. Oddly enough, the banana split ended up redeeming the meal. * Convenience store prices were shocking - Convenient? Yes. Affordable? Not even close. A few sodas and snacks escalated to $60+ surprisingly fast. I expected a slightly easier option versus restaurant pricing, but the markup felt extreme. * Parking costs add up - Valet runs about $40/day and self-parking is roughly half, but expect around a 10-minute walk with luggage, making valet feel almost mandatory. FINAL THOUGHTS Despite some communication breakdowns and uneven food experiences, we truly enjoyed our stay. The Captain's Suite, peaceful balcony views, fire pit at night, lagoon, beach access, pickleball, and pet-friendly atmosphere made for memorable moments. My advice: upgrade to the Captain's Suite, eat at Salt + Ash (seriously, get the beef tenderloin), enjoy the tiki drinks, walk the grounds, soak in the sun, and be selective about food choices elsewhere. Use the convenience store sparingly. Fix the housekeeping/communication gaps, improve how guests can raise concerns without standing in line, and clean those balconies consistently--and this place could easily become a 5-star destination. read more

June 11 - Arrival, Villa 7083 Upon entering our original villa, it was immediately obvious that the unit had not been properly cleaned or maintained. Among the issues we encountered: Cockroaches running on the walls Large dark brown stains throughout the carpets, including significant stains in the master bedroom and on the staircase Cracked tile on the flooring and carpet that clearly hadn't been vacuumed Dirty men's socks left behind in the closet of one of the bedrooms A strong mildew odor throughout the villa Water-damaged furniture in the master bedroom that appeared to be rotting from prolonged moisture exposure. I immediately reported the issues to the front desk. What was equally disappointing was the response. The manager on duty never came out to speak with me personally. Instead, the front desk employee repeatedly walked to the back to consult with management and returned to tell me there was nothing that could be done because the resort was sold out. As a result, my family was forced to spend the night in a villa that should never have been assigned to guests in the first place. I have photographs and video documenting every issue described above. June 12 - Second Villa, Same Problems 7086 The next day, we moved four adults, two children, luggage, and approximately $450 worth of groceries into Villa 7086. Shortly after settling in, we discovered the air conditioning was not functioning properly. Maintenance responded and measured the villa at 78 degrees. The temperature later climbed to 84 degrees. We were told management would be notified and the issue addressed. That never happened. On top of that my son had bugs crawling all over his bed. Comes to find out they were termites! Not, one or two but dozens - in the pillow cases, sheets, etc. The only reason this issue ultimately received attention was because later that day the Director of Engineering Danielle happened to ask how our stay was going while I was in the gift shop. Once she heard what had occurred, she immediately stepped in and began working to resolve the situation. Danielle deserves recognition because she was one of the ONLY employees during our stay who demonstrated urgency, professionalism, and a genuine concern for guest satisfaction. Later that day, Danielle arranged for us to move yet again--this time into two connecting rooms in the main hotel while also securing a third room for my brother and his girlfriend. When I asked what we should do with the groceries and supplies, she advised us to leave them in the villa and stated that the villa would be taken out of service until the air conditioning could be repaired. At that point, we had spent a significant portion of our vacation packing, unpacking, relocating belongings, coordinating food storage, and dealing with issues. June 13 - More Service Failures The next morning I took my daughter to breakfast at the café. We sat for approximately 10-15 minutes while multiple employees stood nearby talking among themselves. No one greeted us. No one acknowledged us. No one offered menus. No one checked on us. Employees walked by our table repeatedly and even cleared nearby tables while completely ignoring us. Eventually, I got up and left. A female staff member who was cleaning a nearby table noticed me leaving and hurried over to ask me to stay, but by that point we had already waited far too long without any service. I am confident this entire interaction would be visible on the café's surveillance footage. The café provided some of the worst service we experienced during our stay. The staff the works there barely speaks English and had zero sense of urgency to serve guests. Additional Concerns I also learned that my brother was repeatedly approached by staff members in the room that Danielle had assigned to him and questioned about him, receiving knocks on his door multiple days during the trip even when the Do Not Disturb sign was displayed. While I understand security procedures, repeatedly questioning a registered guest made him feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. What was especially troubling was that a male staff member knocked on his door and asked, "Are you supposed to even be in this room?" That type of interaction is completely inappropriate. Treating a paying guest. Treating a paying guest as though they don't belong there are accusing them of basically being a squatter was embarrassing, disrespectful, and is 100% classified as harassment vs. hospitality. Perhaps the most disappointing part of this experience is that Danielle informed me that the GM Bob L. would be contacting me directly to set up a in person meeting regarding the issues we experienced. When that didn't happen she said he would call me- he never did. When that didn't happen I emailed him 3x and never got a response. read more

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We recently stayed at Hawk's Cay and had nothing short of an awful experience from start to finish. I was so incredibly excited to stay here, as I've heard incredible things about the resort. I can confidently say I would never stay here again after our visit. We arrived about 30 minutes before checkin time (around 3:30pm) and were told our room was not ready yet. No problem. Our baby was due for a nap so I took him around the beautiful property to sightsee. At 4:05pm they called me to tell me our room was ready. We went upstairs and I was about to put him down for a nap, but I realized we were in a double queen when we had booked a resort king. Also, there was no pack 'n play set up as I had requested in our reservation. With a now crying baby in my arms, I called the front desk and let them know they had put us in the wrong room. The woman told me to come down to the lobby and she would meet me there to bring us to the last remaining king. Why weren't we put there in the first place? We went down to the lobby and waited about 20 minutes before asking to speak to a supervisor. The woman told me the original person coming to meet me was on her way. I expressed my concerns to her while she took me to the new room and she apologized politely, but after arriving in our new room (again with no pack 'n play set up), the entire checkin process took an hour and a half. My now overly tired and incredibly cranky baby was crying as I tried to get him down for a nap in our new room. We were interrupted by the woman coming back with our keys, then 10 minutes later a man knocked on our door with a folded up pack 'n play and asked, "You know how to set this up, right?" Now on the verge of tears, I asked him to please set it up for me. He cranked it open and told me there were "linens to put in the bottom for the baby." When I inspected it, it looked broken and rickety on the bottom with no padding. Linens are a serious SIDS risk for babies, so I'm not sure why such a nice resort couldn't provide us with a safe, non-broken crib. We did not end up using it. That evening when we were getting ready for dinner, there was an ironing board with no iron in the room. We called and they brought one relatively promptly. The air conditioning must have had an issue because it could not have possibly been any louder. On top of everything that had made our evening so stressful, the alarm in our room went off at 5:45am, waking the baby and myself up an hour earlier than normal. This threw off our entire next day as well. The resort does not provide "do not disturb" tags inside your room, so during his first nap of the day housekeepiAng knocked loudly and barged into our room! I tried to speak to a supervisor and all I got was an insincere, unconvincing apology. What was supposed to be a relaxing stay at one of the most highly-regarded resorts in the Keys was the most stressful (actually, the only stressful) experience I have ever had in the Keys. To have spent over $400 on a room and had such a disappointing stay was unacceptable. Do not recommend. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - Linens for our broken pack 'n play--serious SIDS risk. Very dangerous! - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

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I'm here from NY visiting my family in FT lauderdale and this is a lovely resort. We sat down at the Tiki Grill to eat. We ordered food and the gentleman behind the bar was so rude to my family and nasty to us. We were sitting eating at the table and our card had a issue loaded, We tried it twice and we had already paid for the meal and we ordered a drink the same card and then we asked for beer and because the card is on phone on our phone we had a little bit of trouble, but we have wrist access cards to the resort. we are staying here and the gentleman Jack or John was horribly rude to my brother-in-law saying pay now while we have food in front of us, as if we will get up and leave.. not.. he is lucky I'm with my family I didn't come out of my face and let him get the rath of my attitude. he was rude and not supporting to customers....Soooooo Rude.. Day 2 after we reported the above issue. we also reported a leak in the upstairs bathroom under sink was leaking so much we couldn't use the extra toilet tissue underneath the sink. We have gone to the front desk 4 x and they continue to walk to back to speak with what I assume was the manager and they came back to inform us mgmt would reach out and contact us. Never happened in the 2.5 days of our stay. Would never recommend this hotel. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - Tiki grill - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

We stayed at one of the villas for my friend's bachelorette party & had a great time! The villa was beautiful and spacious. All the employees were kind and we loved how they had a golf cart system where they pick you up to take you to the other parts of the resort. We had so much fun at the beautiful pool area, they even have paddle boarding/kayaking for free which was fun! The drinks and food were good too at the tiki bar. So much to do here and beautiful and clean. They also have a dolphin rehab center attached. You can swim with the dolphins. We also did their boat tour with snorkeling, which was amazing and the captains were fun and personable! Would stay here again! read more

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I love this resort over all BUT - THE MUSIC IS AWFUL!! They only play oldie Goldie's and it triggers my anxiety - like the kind of music that plays at the beginning of a horror movie (if that makes sense). Like why can't they play it safe and just play reggae and make everybody happy. My ears are bleeding. read more

We had a great time at the pool and pool bars. Kevin at Pilar Bar was the best! Tiki bar staff was good. HOWEVER.... Housekeeping was horrible. We called everyday for service and our request was ignored. We stayed in a 3 bedroom villa. They need to renovate the villas. Waterpark was schedule to open late summer... maybe late summer of 2027! Doesn't even look like they've broken ground: What a disappointing experience! read more

After booking one of their "premier/premium" homes in an area called "The Sanctuary", it was far from being anything of what we viewed online and expected! Upon entering the house, we noticed the majority of window blinds did not function; therefore, we had no privacy. The furniture had stains and the washing machine had caked on detergent, making it impossible to use the machine. The internet was not working and to top all of this off, they failed to mention a waterpark is currently under construction right behind the house! How lovely it was to wake up in the morning and venture outside in my pjs to enjoy a cup of coffee in the 'private' pool/patio area, only to be greeted by a construction worker! The only redeeming gesture was a small credit to our credit card and a very sweet employee who happily moved us to one of the rental condos located at another section of the property. (no private pool) I'm leaving out a lot of other details but don't want to ramble on (although I could go on and on with more details) Overall, it was a horrible experience that cost over $3,000 for just a 3-night stay. Really disappointing because this used to be a nice establishment years ago and considered it to be more of a high-end experience. My recent stay puts it at maybe a 2.5-3 Star experience, at best. Don't waste your time or money at this place! read more

Not as advertised. Overall the resort is pretty and all of the client facing workers are nice and accommodating but the quality of the rooms and service is subpar. Our room seemed clean but there were left over items from previous guests, the conditioner was gone and the room was missing necessary items needed for out of town guest (like a working refrigerator, hair dryer,etc). The pool was SUPER packed and the lagoon is much smaller than it appears in photos. They also advertise a golf cart shuttle but the resort only has 1 active mover - so we ended up waiting 40 mins for a ride back to the hotel with our little kids. Overall nothing terrible, just not what you think you'll get based on marketing and paid social media posts. read more

Our stay at this resort did not meet the expected standard for the price paid. To start off, we waited 45 minutes in the check-in line before being helped. Our room had multiple maintenance and condition issues, including a rusty lamp on the nightstand, a rusted circle on the opposite nightstand from a removed lamp, a damaged chair, cracked walls, and window shades that did not function properly. The shower and sink drain also did not drain properly for the entire stay. If you're ever planning on staying here and getting an "ocean view" room, be prepared to either a view of a pool with loud children or a view of a pool with adults with a glimpse of the ocean in the back. The extremely high cost of the room, the drinks, and the overall condition of the accommodations and level of service did not align with the experience that we were expecting. The location is beautiful and the only restaurant we were impressed with was Angler and Ale. Everything else however was not nearly as enjoyable as we had hoped. read more

Resort was beautiful, but staff was extremely rude and did not help once single bit it seems like none of them know what is going on, so I don't know what to say read more

Spent a week at the Hawks Cay "resort" with my family. We decided to stay in the villas rather than the hotel room. The trip began with us having to wait a while to gain access to the villa. Rooms and villas are suppose to be ready by 4pm est. This appeared to be a common theme, as I overheard many people complaining of very long wait times to get into their rooms. Once we were able to finally get into the villa, which was described as "spacious", we quickly realized that we were victims of false advertisement. The villa was very tight. There was very little room to maneuver around the room, the toilets & shower were tiny, and the "essentials" were grossly inadequate. The villa was not clean either. Dust everywhere and the bottom of your feet would become black from the dirty floors. As for the facility and customer service- both were underwhelming to say the least. A majority of the staff was not friendly or helpful. To ask a question or for a cup of ice, you were made to feel as if you annoyed them and were inconveniencing them. The one bright spot was a gentleman by the name of Donnie, who worked in the lagoon area. He was helpful, kind, and friendly. The facility itself was crowded, dirty, and poorly operated. The lagoon lacks signage for wildlife in the area. There were several children injured by poisonous sea sponges during our stay. We notified staff in the area and the front desk, and it was never addressed. The pools are not refreshing, small for the size of the property & guests it hosts, and also filled with sunscreen and urine. The pool bar staff was rude, and the drinks are expensive for what they are. Poorly made and weak. My family and I were excited to get away for our vacation, and unfortunately, we spent a week in constant disappointment while we were on site. We were able to experience some very cool places in the area that we'd recommend (Robbie's, Lazy Days). However, for almost $4K spent to be disappointed by Hawks Cay- we won't be back. I recommend staying elsewhere and save your money. read more

I am giving a 1 star for the horrible customer service at check in. Waited over 30 min in line and latifa decided to go get tissues and walk back and forth while we stood there. Then I asked if she was going to help and she got immediate attitude. I proceeded to wait 40 more minutes to get checked in. I had a gift certificate from a charity auction. Already had reservation booked and booking number and picture of certificate but she kept me waiting saying she couldn't check me in. I was treated like dirt. With a car full of people waiting for an hour. Asked for manager and she was worse. Lorraine . She was rude ! She kept repeating herself saying she needed cert. and didn't want to see my id or the email w booking number. she just felt like using her power to keep me frustrated. She walked off and didn't come back. A manager! I asked if there was anyone above her and the girls at desk lied and said no. I found another employee that went and got the general manager- Honor. He was amazing! He took one minute to help. He was pleasant and acted as a manger should . I paid over 2k for three nights and should have been treated better. Long story short - the property is nice. Villas range from great to ok. This time the villa was ok to good. Girls need a customer service class and manager does not deserve her position. Honor did amazing read more

Too expensive for the Service they are performing, overpriced at all. Breakfast not included and over $30 per person for a regular breakfast nothing special. Heavy charges for each drinking if you order in the pool. The Service and Confort in the Hotel not according to the Pricing. At the end in the check-out you will see so many fees and charges in your balance. We went to the desk to claim and then they take out some fees, I didn't understand why they do that. Sorry we can't recommend this Hotel read more

I booked this resort using their teacher promotion to treat my family to a quiet post Memorial Day break. I'd stayed here before and had a great experience, but this visit was disappointing from the start. Check-in was chaotic, only one luggage cart for a packed resort. We waited 20 minutes outside just to get our bags in. The room was clean and well-maintained (props to the housekeeping team), but the noise from the neighboring room was unacceptable. Our neighbor blasted music for hours, and although the front desk was responsive at first, the issue persisted until we had to request a room change. The new room was better, and we enjoyed the pool and beach, until a rude staff member at the towel check targeted me over my green water bottle, despite no previous issues. Her aggressive tone and lack of professionalism stood out in what should have been a relaxing environment. Rules should be enforced consistently, not selectively by the color of someone's skin as I noticed others were allowed THEIR glass bottles around the pool. I would add that front desk/ management did not really follow up with us and only gave us drink tickets as a consolation even though we clearly said we didn't want them because we don't drink. Even nonalcoholic drinks, we stick to water due to health issues. Safety is also a concern; the balcony railings in the main building are not secure for small children, and there's a general lack of oversight when it comes to guest well-being. ( video attached ) Dining at the resort and surrounding areas is overpriced and underwhelming. Expect to pay $15 for a basic breakfast sandwich you can get at any surrounding restaurants for 1/3 of the price. Do yourself a favor and drive a few minutes on US-1 to support local mom-and-pop restaurants where the food is fresher and more affordable. Bottom line: this resort is inconsistent, overpriced, and poorly managed. There are better, safer, and more respectful places to spend your money specially as an overworked teacher. Lastly , their AI agent on the phone never rang the doorman when asked, I shouldn't have to go downstairs to ask them since they have this automated now? read more

Hawks Cay Resort - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

My family and I come here every year in the summer during father day weekend. We have the best time, we stay in a house, rent a boat/jetski, have beach/pool day! The location is great with good restaurants on property. They have a private little beach too. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - House - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

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Was hoping for a great weekend at Hawks Cay for the first time. Front desk was understaffed and took forever. Room was never cleaned. Had "pork belly" bad buns at their Pilar bar which was literally Canadian bacon in a bai bun with mushrooms. The pool area was a mess. There are much better options for the price. read more

Kevin at Pilar Bar is a true Keys personality and does a great job taking care of his guests. He was great to chat with and poured excellent cocktails both at the bar and also for the Adults Only pool. Make sure to stop by and see him during your stay. read more

We come to Hawk cay resort every year and we love it ! We stay in the villas with the best view ! Also have to say staff is soo friendly and Bartender Jacob is the best love his vibe !!!! read more

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I stayed here for a work conference and was very excited to stay here. The check in process was smooth and easy. When we got to the room that's where the issues began. The bathroom was not stocked with shampoo or body wash so we called and they came to fill it. We called the front desk various times to tell them the shampoo dispenser was broken and no one ever came to fix it. The ac in the room didn't cool very well and all they said was that it was as cool as it would be and never tried to fix it or look at it. The next issue we had was with the valets. They all seemed to be a bit older so there was no sense of urgency when they would go get your car you'd just be standing there for 10-15 minutes waiting and it's right across the walk way. We also called several times throughout our stay to have them fix the tv because it wouldn't connect to the WiFi and our daughter couldn't watch Netflix or any other streaming service they offer because of it and that was never addressed either. The property itself is very nice but definitely lacks service. Skip it and go elsewhere especially for the service to price ratio. read more

We came for a semi-relaxing birthday stay-cation - I say semi cause we had a toddler with us. Haha. Upon arrival, staff were extremely friendly. Had a wonderful conversation with the gift shop manager as she awaited her departure while my spouse checked in. You have the option to self park or valet. We came during what I believe what their "off season" - the place had low occupancy and was not very busy, which was nice. In the main lobby they have a convenience style store for quick snacks to purchase along with a pop-up bar. They have ample cold water marinated in fresh fruit for self service. They have a variety of pools in different locations that are accessible. They had an amazing kids water park area that my son loved! Every pool we went to had an area for you to pickup towels. The rooms were very nice and spacious. The bathroom layout was designed very well - ample vanity space, many wall hooks to hang towels and bathing suits. Bathroom stall separated with a door for extra privacy. A nice size balcony with the garden view. Now, why did I knock a few stars? The ice machine was not working on our floor. There was a constant drilling like sound that came from the bathroom. I initially thought it was a broken exhaust fan, but it never stopped even when off. There was a blood stain drip on the bathroom wall. They didn't have a microwave anywhere on the premises to warm up a bottle of milk for my child. They have a market at the entrance of the property that was supposed to have one, but when we drove over there, it was closed and looked under construction. The least of my favorite - I sat outside on the balcony to journal while the boys napped and there was a constant dump truck reverse beeping the entire time I was out there so it wasn't fully relaxing as the sounds of a construction site was next door. Overall, I would still return as we really enjoyed the heated pool and kids pool area. I would just ensure to ask to have a room not near the construction site. read more

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I have always wanted to come to Hawk's Cay and finally made it for a weekend. The check-in process and arrival day did not meet expectations to the point that I just wanted to check out and leave, however, we ended up staying because of difficulties canceling our room. Upon Check in there were three people at the check-in counter, no one giving us attention. We were finally tended to and told we would be called when our room became available. We were given a $50 credit From my credit card company. I decided to go to the bar and hang out a bit to pass some time and enjoy the amenities. I'm going to the bar. I was told that I cannot use my credit because we had not had a room assigned. That was the first disappointment. We were then served a horrible drink full of mixerat a whopping $25 lol second sign that I was not happy. The resort is a lot smaller than I anticipated lots of families and dogs, which was not a bother but just an observation. We finally received a room around 3:15 PM. The building is very nice, rooms were spacious and very comfortable with a nice porch to the adult pool. The pool could use some cleaning everyones lotion bubbled up to one side and to make matters worse they ran out of towels!!!! We ended up getting a resort credit but this was not the luxury resort I anticipated. Adult pool bar closes at 5pm on a friday!!! The place is nice but not what I hoped for or imagined. The restaurant salt and ash was amazing. read more

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I actually can't believe this is a preferred hotel. I saw the sign in the lobby and maybe it is old, but if it really is a preferred property then there's an issue I checked in yesterday and I have to say-- I have stayed in cheaper hotels across the country but Florida specifically that are more worth it than this property. We checked in at 3:30 and our room wasn't ready until 5pm. The pool area is disgusting. You walk around the pool and feel things hitting your feet constantly. The staff is just standing around or walking around aimlessly. I just watched 2 maintenance workers go up to a tanning patron (who is in a thong) and tell her she needs to get up so he can power wash... then when she walked away he just stared at her the entire time. I don't get why they are power washing at 1pm to begin with--- do it first thing in the morning??? The restaurants / food have been amazing. That's the only positive I can say within the last 24 hours. read more

A Warning From a Repeat Customer, But Never Again -- Here's Why Before I get into the problems, I want to give credit where it's due. There were several staff members who were genuinely excellent to deal with: Jacob and Pierre at the Tiki Bar, Jose and Patrick at Angler and Ale, Mohammed at Salt and Ash, and LaVar and Connor at the dock. These individuals were a pleasure every time -- this review is not about them. Now, the reason we will never return.My family kept our boat at Hawks Cay throughout the winter and visited four separate times to use our boat. Every single stay had a significant problem. Stay 1 -- The Forklift We were about to head out on the boat when a marina employee asked us to move our rental car one spot over to accommodate a boat show. We obliged. When we returned, the car was gone. Not towed -- moved by a forklift. We eventually located it after going to management, but using a forklift to relocate a guest's personal vehicle is reckless and could have caused serious damage. No one called us, no one warned us. Unacceptable. Stay 2 -- They Gave Away All Three of Our Rooms We left the resort for a few days and returned to find that all three of our reserved rooms had been given away. Three rooms, three families -- gone. Their solution was to put everyone in a villa. The villa's toilets didn't function properly, the AC barely worked, and it was far removed from the main resort. Not a reasonable substitute. Stay 3 -- Broken Locks and a Missing Air Mattress Our flight was delayed and, to their credit, they did have a room available for us -- we appreciated that. However, it was a single king bed for four people with no couch, just a chair and ottoman. We requested an air mattress around 8:00 AM to use that evening. We were told it would be in our room by nighttime. It never came. When we followed up, we were told they were out. On top of that, the door locks leading to the pool area were broken in both rooms we used -- first the primary lock, then the secondary lock they installed to replace it. Also broken. Stay 4 -- A Scratched Car, Another Villa Attempt, and Missing Ropes They offered us a villa again to start the stay. Hard pass. We then noticed a significant scratch on our car after valet returned it -- it wasn't there when we dropped it off. On top of that, when we returned from a few days in Naples, our ropes had vanished from our slip. Two separate incidents, the ropes did get resolved. Management handled the car scratch reasonably well, but at this point, the pattern speaks for itself. Four visits. Four problems. We have spent significant time and money here, and were met with negligence, disorganization, and avoidable mistakes at every turn. The handful of great staff members mentioned above are the only bright spot in an otherwise consistently disappointing experience. Save your time and your money. read more

I really wanted to like this place but outside the lobby rooms are dated. Talking with others at the pool no one had hot water for showers. Rooms felt grimy. For the price you pay I just don't see the value. We paid $9 for a milk in the lobby. It's a little much on the price with low value. Lots of dogs barking late at night in rooms. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - Dated hallways and rooms - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

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Jacob and Pierre were wonderful!! Such great service and the Tiki Bar was so fun with them two behind the bar making sure we had a good time! I also met Lisa Marie and she was so nice and accommodating to all our needs! Definitely will come back tomorrow! read more

We stayed in room #3104 in August 2025. I complained to the front desk and sent emails, with no response. The resort is disgusting and the rooms even worse. Would never stay here again and I do not recommend it! read more

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Update - the AC was the next to go out. However, Bradley, the manager, quickly stepped in and fixed things. They moved us to a much better unit and deducted one night from our bill. I do recommend Hawks Cay but not all units are well kept by the owners. Each villa is privately owned. Just checked in and that went fine but we were told we had a water view on a lagoon. Actually we have a view if the pool and a run down marina. The unit is clean but dated. The room with 2 twins is so small that you can't have a bedside table. We really wanted to relax by the water but that's not going to happen. Hopefully the beds are comfortable. The TV is fuzzy and the fridge doesn't get anything really cold. I'll update after the stay. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

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The rooms were very nice but had a strong chemical smell from the floor cleaner, which was sticky on the floor. I booked the resort for the lagoon and dolphins....the lagoon was small and just okay. The Dolphins swim area was too small and they were confined to it. I saw the dolphins swimming around at night in the compact area. The next day I watched them interact with the people on the tours, I decided not to pay to interact with the dolphins as they seemed sad and forced to be there. The food options at the resort were great. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - The fence extends underwater confining the Dolphins to the small swim area - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

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Went with family. Our stay started with a self tour, 2 men were fighting in the adult pool area. One person got a cockroach in her room, then stated there was a notice that their room cups weren't sanitized up to hotel standards. My room was better but the tv remote (1 of 2) didn't work- why include it if it's not supposed to be used? Body wash and shampoo were empty and broken. Both were refilled and replaced. The hot water in our bathroom didn't work because the entire building was having issues with the water heater...Like I said, The place is nice. Seems like they are having a hard time getting the details right. Even the fish in the tank at the entrance were sucked in the tube and clearly not well taken care of. For a 4-star hotel and the price we paid I'd expect more care in every detail. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - Fish sucked into the pump - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

Quiet, tranquil resort. Escaped here for a quick weekend getaway from Miami and was not disappointed. The rooms were spacious, clean and relaxing. I had a suite with terrace over looking the adults only pool which was serene. The hot tub was also in this side which was a huge plus!! The staff planned a few games for competition which was a lot of fun, all were welcome and winners rewarded with a drink ticket to the bar. The gym had basic equipment and was open by 7 AM. I would have like an earlier open time but it worked. Breakfast was a little slow in the morning if ordering a la carte. The buffet was basic (eggs, bacon, toast) not worth the charge IMO. We opted to order since we had free breakfast/resort credits. Plenty of parking available. The onsite restaurant was pretty good, go early to avoid the rush. There was Evening entertainment by the firepit but we skipped this and just relaxed on our patio. read more

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The rooms are freezing, food on site is overpriced and poor quality, staff is rude and dismissive. We checked out early, and no one even asked why. read more

I would not call this place a resort. You are pretty much left on your own to fend for yourself. There are no wait staff asking if you need anything or cleaning up. The people who do work there seem u nhappy- never seem to smile and avoid eye contact. I even witnessed a guest share feedback that she got her breakfast order wrong and the waitress argued back with her that it was what she ordered. The plumbing seems to be an issue as our toilet exploded within the 1st hour there and when we went to inform them another guest had the same issue in his villa. There is no beach - don't get fooled by the nasty lagoon that is dark gloomy and I'm sure full of bacteria. Swim at your own risk! For the price they charge it is not worth stopping here. Keep driving south or north but do not let these people take your money. From the sad looking dolphin in the way too small pool who really should be in the wild. I can best describe this place as visiting Rosario or Tijuana but 3x's the price tag. The only highlight was the main restaurant inside their hotel where the food was great whose waiter was amazing and was personable. If I could give 0 stars I would. Very disappointed as this was meant to be our 20 years anniversary. read more

Had a fantastic stay stay here the first week of March. We celebrated a family reunion, all adults. We had an amazing dinner at Salt & Ash -- don't miss this! The rooms were clean and comfortable and we never had a problem with hot water. The pools were also clean and are a perfect temperature for soaking and enjoying the views. Looks like there were tons of amenities for families with kids, but we mostly enjoyed the adults pool and bar, Pilar. Oh, Pilar! This was the highlight of our stay. Fantastic drinks focused on sake and Japanese whiskey and delicious food, mostly sushi and noodle dishes. Highly recommend the crunchy rice cakes and the drunken noodles. Kendy ran this bar by himself from 12-8 every day! This guy hustled nonstop and his recommendations were bang on. We loved seeing him every day and he made us feel like welcome friends. I'd come back to the Keys just to sip a coconut sake slushie at Kendy's bar, enjoying the breeze and ocean view. We also had stand out service from Kendra at the market and Josue by the pool. Most everyone we spoke to was approachable and kind. Given how isolated the Florida Keys are, and the fact that you're in the tropics, I honestly expected more troubles. I wouldn't have been surprised to find insects inside, have water problems, or experience missing commodities. Other than the phone lines being inconsistent, our stay was perfect. I hope to comeback one day. And give Kendy a raise! read more

Cleanliness is a big issue here. We stayed two years ago in one of the resort/hotel rooms and had sand in one of the beds our very first night. They had not changed the linens between the last guest and our arrival. We're here again, giving it another chance, in one of the privately owned homes for rent, and it's clear they do not properly clean the homes either. This is our first day at this home, and there is, what appears to be, blood on the sheets and piles of dust and debris near the first floor bedroom. read more

This was a nice stay. I loved our room so much. We have a family of 5 and our room had a king bed and a large bunk bed, maybe a full over a queen. It was fantastic! We are usually all squeezing together in two queens or someone has to use a cot or pullout which was not the case here. I absolutely loved the sleeping arrangements. Because we stayed in a hotel room we did not have a kitchen and were here for a week. Kids can eat the breakfast buffet free if they are 5 and under, but we still spent about $80 every morning for breakfast for two adults to eat and get two lattes. The other food options are even pricier. If you want to eat for less you have to drive about 18 minutes into Marathon. No microwaves anywhere on the property so we could not warm milk bottles. They had to use the steamer on the cappuccino machine for us and we ended up just not feeding our kids bottles by the end of the trip (they are old enough it was just a comfort thing). I really liked staying in the main hotel but you need to budget about $50 per meal per person if you plan to eat on the property. The villas have kitchens which would probably have been a better solution for us for the length of our stay. The amenities were nice, I did feel like I was in a luxury resort based on the staff, rooms and inside the hotel however the outside pools and splash pad weren't really something that excited us at first. We spent the first few days at the kids pool and splash pad. Once we moved on to the main pool, we started to have a better experience. The lagoon was neat, I do wish there was a beach with access to the actual ocean, but the keys don't seem to be a typical beach vacation spot. Most water access is via docks, there are very few beaches. The keys are more popular for boating and fishing and snorkeling, but with young kids this resort made it entertaining even though we didn't have a boat. The dolphins on site are amazing, you can walk down and usually see them swimming anytime. There was a fire pit and music at night. I may or may not stay here again. It seems to be the most kid friendly resort in the keys and it did feel very nice, we stayed during spring break so prices were high and we had hoped we would have gotten a bit more of a quality experience for the money we spent. Also I could not call the front desk from my room, it just kept looping me back to a recording and I had trouble figuring out what activities and excursions were available for young families, but I think that was because it was so busy on spring break week. I would choose Hawk's Cay again for a resort vacation with kids in the keys, the only alternative I would consider is renting a private property and boat next time. EDIT: On our last day there the breakfast staff informed us that kids 5 and under do not eat the breakfast buffet free, they only allow one child to eat a free breakfast per adult purchasing the buffet. read more

We have been in Villa 5052 from Nov 2nd 2025. We requested 2 times; after 3rd night and 4th night to remove trash. No response. They confirmed the request but ignored it. Teash removal is a normal service at the villas. We have no place to throw the trash. After writing this review and also providing feedback at the CME conference, maintenance person came and removed the trash, replenished towels and other toiletries. I updated the review with 4 stars for their response. The place has great potential; it has all the elements of a luxury resort. It needs a refresh of the facility and another restaurant where kids and people can get food till 10pm at reasonable prices. read more

Villa 8303 was not ready for us: dirty linens piled outside our entry door along with full trash bags. Unit was very basic but generally comfortable. No trash bags, one hairdryer for two bathrooms, no soap in unit,showers, lavatories, none. Called front desk and stopped by several times but trash and linen stayed at door for three days. A manager was to call us to discuss the shortcomings but never did respond. On last full day when we stopped by front desk to talkl about our experience, we were given a discount certificate for same day dining. Nice gesture but did little to allay the issues.Amenities on property are terrific but disappointed that water park isn't available until August. Advertising said "summer 2026," so we thought it would be open in June, but no. Grandsons didn't know the difference since the pool and lagoon are awesome, as was our reef fishing trip on the Salt Walker. We caught many yellowtail snapper and had Angler and Ale prepare fish for dinner that night. Restaurants are quite good with excellent service and priced as you would expect for resort dining (Salt and Ash is excellent and priced accordingly) Not sure if we will return to Hawk's Cay after this trip. It's a long trip from Colorado and a long drive from MIA for what we paid vs overall experience. read more

Just checked in. Resort is visually beautiful, but the room is a let down so far ... the fridge was not working and smelled, the safe did not work, "e-code error". The bathroom lights are strobing like a night club. Not a great first impression, but hopefully it will improve. I will update as appropriate. Edit....within the hour they replaced fridge, and fixed lights / safe . Increased stars to 3 Edit... went to pool(s) main pool, then kids pool and there was no seating available. Walked to sunset pool and it was closed. This is spring break week and you closed a pool. So ended up driving to a local beach/ state park. The ongoing saga... after beach came back to resort. Still no seating at main pool or beach area, so we sent kids to play in main pool and adults to adult pool. There is a sign outside the adult pool for 21 and older. We sat down for lunch in area outside pool area, the bar tender came out and told us kids not be there. We told him of our pool adventure, we looked at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time, then he walked away, had lunch and it was good. Edit... is it just me, am a I a demanding a-hole, probably, but still. Used coffee pods first day. Not replaced, went down next morning, and requested more at front desk. The put it in computer and assured me I would have more. 30 minutes later, room cleaned, no pods. I asked the room cleaning staff and they got me some more. The cleaning staff were very helpful and got them for me. Thank you!!' Beautiful resort, but it's so crowded and amenities are not available. Don't come here during spring break or any other high traffic time periods. If you do, send kids to regular pool and adults goto adult only pool if you want a seat then you have to be out before 8:15 to get a seat. read more

Hawks Cay Resort - Empty Pool - Resorts Near Me - Duck Key, Florida

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