Cheeca Lodge, Islamorada

Location

A 90 minutes drive south of Miami, across Seven Mile Bridge and along the Keys archipelago, will bring you to Islamorada. ‘The Village of Islands’ is a string of islets and one of the prettiest stretches of the Florida Keys; it’s hosted Ernest Hemingway, Harry Truman and George H.W. Bush. Sitting at the confluence of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay, its unique marine topography has made it something of a sports fishing destination. However, there’s plenty of other watersports on offer including kayaking and snorkelling, or simply explore on foot or by bicycle.

Accommodation

Palm tree fans, dark mahogany furnishings and tropical artwork invite guests into elegantly styled rooms, while balconies make the most of the resort’s idyllic setting. Suites come with separate living areas and marble bathrooms, complete with rainforest showers with massage jets and tubs. Choose between views over landscaped gardens to the golf course, balconies overlooking the waterfalls and meandering streams of the lagoon or ocean panoramas, interrupted only by gently swaying palm trees.

Dining

The hotel’s three restaurants all make use of Cheeca’s extensive wine cellar that includes over 200 handpicked selections and has received the Wine Spectator’s Awards of Excellence. Atlantic’s Edge offers tropically inspired cuisine with local seafood featuring heavily while Limoncello, the resort’s Italian restaurant, has a Tuscan-inspired menu that includes house-made pasta. There’s also an excellent sushi bar with expert chefs able to tailor dishes to your tastes with an excellent range of nigiri, sashimi and speciality rolls.

Facilities

Outside, you’ll find a thousand foot, palm-lined private beach complemented by a 525-foot wooden fishing pier and a full spread of watersports including snorkelling, sunset cruises, paddleboards and parasailing. Back at the resort there’s a nine-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus, six tennis courts, two heated swimming pools and one saltwater lagoon that takes full advantage of the Florida sun. Inside, there’s a fitness studio for health buffs and if the cool breeze and mesmerising sunsets weren’t enough, there’s a spa for all your relaxation needs.