Frommer's Review
A huge complex encompassing five restaurants, several lounges, Tiki huts, a large marina, many shops, and four distinct (if not distinctive) hotels, the Holiday Isle is one of the biggest resorts in the Keys -- but in this case, when it comes to clean, attractive rooms, size definitely doesn't matter. It attracts a Spring Break kind of crowd year round -- a crowd that tends not to care about the rooms themselves -- and has no qualms cramming an entire fraternity into a single unit for budget reasons. The famous Tiki Bar claims to have invented the Rum Runner drink (151-proof rum, blackberry brandy, banana liqueur, grenadine, and lime juice), and there's no reason to doubt it. It's the Tiki Bar that brings the people, really. Hordes of partiers are attracted to the resort's nonstop merrymaking, live music, and beachfront bars. As a result, some of the accommodations can be noisy. Rooms tend to be bare-bones; despite the ocean views, they're pretty awful and need a good scrub-down -- especially the units that lead to the filthy, sandy Tiki Bar. El Capitan and Harbor Lights, two of the least expensive hotels on the property, are both austere and could use a thorough rehab. Howard Johnson, another Holiday Isle property, is a little farther from the action and a tad more civilized in case you should have one too many drinks and can't drive farther to a nicer hotel. Some renovations to the on-site restaurants have been made, so hopefully that will spread to the rooms.
Facilities:
5 restaurants; 12 bars; 3 outdoor heated pools; kids' pool; Jacuzzi; watersports equipment/rentals; kids' programs; laundry facilities
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
