Cheeca Lodge & Spa

We had pillows missing from our room upon arrival. Our room phone also didn’t work, so we had to stand in the check-in line again just to speak with the front desk. Overall, it was a disappointing experience, especially considering we paid for an Ocean Villa, which is supposed to be one of their

I had very high hopes for Cheeca Lodge, especially considering the price and reputation of the resort. Unfortunately, our stay was extremely disappointing. Our first impression was excellent. The entrance, lobby, and main building are beautiful, and the front desk staff were welcoming and friendly. We arrived excited and genuinely thought we had chosen somewhere special. Unfortunately, that impression changed as soon as we got into our room. Cleanliness and maintenance were well below what I would expect from a resort at this price point. There was a red substance splattered on the bathroom wall, dirty tile, hair on the floors, and broken bathroom cabinet doors. When I tried to change the toilet paper roll, part of the holder fell off the wall. The shower knobs were also broken, and on our second day we had only cold water. The lack of upkeep wasn’t limited to our room. Food trays were left sitting in a walkway for approximately two days. Around the pool, tiles were separating from the concrete in numerous areas and the overall condition showed a significant lack of maintenance. One pool-area employee was walking around in mismatched socks and appeared visibly unhappy to be there, which added to the overall impression that standards were not being maintained. The beach was probably one of the biggest disappointments. I understand that seaweed is natural and not something a resort can control, but the amount of accumulated seaweed combined with trash made the beach extremely unpleasant and poorly maintained. We even encountered a roach in the gift shop, which, after the cleanliness issues we had already experienced in our room and around the property, certainly did not help our impression. There were some genuinely great parts of our stay. The key lime pie was excellent, the dock was in fantastic condition, and the staff who took us on our snorkeling trip were wonderful. The main building itself is beautiful, and every interaction we had with the front desk staff was pleasant. Ultimately, our biggest issues came down to housekeeping and maintenance. The property has a beautiful setting and a lot of potential, but many areas appear to have been neglected and are showing significant deterioration. For what Cheeca Lodge charges and the level of resort it presents itself to be, we expected a much higher standard of cleanliness and upkeep. We really wanted to love this place, which is what made the experience so disappointing. With serious attention to housekeeping and property maintenance, it could be a wonderful resort. Based on the condition we experienced during our stay, however, I cannot say it was worth the price we paid.

The room was okay overall — decent size, comfortable bed, and good view overlooking water. That said, cleanliness was a real issue. There was visible dust on surfaces, hair in the bathroom, and the tile looked grimy. Several things were broken or not working properly: the TV was not working, the bathroom faucet cold side did not work, Spout was loose and nearly falling over, and shower faucet handle was broken. We managed fine for a short stay, but the dirt and broken items definitely brought the experience down. A thorough cleaning and some basic maintenance would make a big difference. Overall staff was welcoming except for front desk and check-in.

Location is amazing. Atmosphere is amazing. King “Bungalow” is not ground floor, rather up steep stairs to the second floor. Room is nice although a bit worn. This is an expensive resort.

We will be dreaming about our stay at Cheeca Lodge & Spa for years to come! This was one of the nicest hotels I’ve ever stayed at and the service was truly sensational. The resort itself is stunning and perfect for families or couples. My husband loved fishing off the pier with their complimentary rods. And don’t even get me started about our room - we stayed in an oceanfront room with a private tub on the balcony and the views were so beautiful I could have just stayed in the room the whole time! Thank you to Jessica at the front desk for making our stay so very special. I highly recommend this hotel for anyone visiting the Florida Keys - we can’t wait to come back!!