Love on the Beach

We agree! Grab your special someone and spend the Valentine’s Day weekend with us here in Key West February 12 -14th

Does anyone have any sweet, funny or silly Valentine’s Day stories they want to share?
One our faves was when Dave and Elena  got engaged at Lighthouse Court. Elena came with her friend Brittany and checked into a cute, private cottage. Brittany said she wanted to go see the pool and told Elena to meet her upstairs by the Hemingway Suite because she wanted to show her the view of the Lighthouse from the porch. Dave was hiding around the corner in the Suite on the front porch. When Elena got to the landing she saw that the door to the Suite was open, candles lit, flowers were arranged and the door was open across the room to the porch. She looked in and thought “it was really beautiful but why did someone leave the doors open?”  When her Navy man stepped through the porch door we could all hear her screams of joy!! Dave proposed and they spent the weekend in the Suite. Oh, she did say yes and they got married eight months later.

We still have some beautiful rooms left. It’s one of our busiest holidays of the year so book your reservations soon!

Also upcoming January 28th at Fort Zachary Taylor is Cuba’s World Renowned Dance Band Los Van Van.

Los Van Van appearing in Key West Janaury 28th

This band is HOT and will get you off your feet. Tickets are expected to sell out fast! Get them at www.keystix.com

Fall in Key West on the Beach

What’s Happening in Key West for November and December

Now is the best time to plan your next visit to Key West.  Here is a calendar for upcoming events.

Thanksgiving in Key West  -  November 26, 2009

A nice long weekend in Key West is really a wonderful way to spend Thanksgiving 2009.  Most of the local restaurants will have a special Thanksgiving menu with traditional fixin’s in addition to their regular menu offerings.  So don’t worry about missing out on turkey and pumpkin pie, if that’s what your personal tradition includes. Bring your family and/or friends and start a new Thanksgiving tradition in Key West.

Pirates in Paradise 2009 – November 29 – December 06

This festival celebrates the rich maritime history of Key West complete with tall-ships, pirate attacks and sunset sails. It all takes place at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and on the waterfront. Bring your pirate costumes (or not) and revel in the buccaneer adventures. For more info on this event call 305-296-9694.

Key West Holiday Parade — December 5th

Our annual Holiday Parade is small-town charm at it’s best.  Come enjoy our high school marching band, civic and social clubs, local politicians, veterans, and community volunteers as they show off their Key West pride and holiday spirit.  The parade route follows Truman Avenue past  Key Lime Inn and  Chelsea House and then makes the turn down Duval Street.  The best viewing is from the sidewalk along Truman Avenue in front of our inns.  We will be serving spiced cider at Chelsea House during the parade.  The public is invited and it’s all free.

Decking the Hulls in Style

Key West Lighted Boat Parade – December 12th

Deck the hulls with festively decorated boats as they cruise through Key West Harbor and the Historic Seaport. This magical movement of color through the waters is a wonderful tribute to Key West’s maritime history, and its a lot of fun too.  There is good parade viewing all along the waterfront at the Seaport, Simonton Street beach, and Mallory Square.  You can walk to good viewing from all of the Historic Key West Inns.  This is a free event.

Last Days of 2009 Super Travel Values, thru December 23rd

At Historic Key West Inns, we responded to the 2009 recession with a five year rate roll-back.  The lowest rates of all, our “fall rates” have been extended through December 23.  This is the last great opportunity to visit Key West on a frugalista budget before winter season and holiday rates take effect, and 2009 becomes history.

Key Lime Inn at Christmastime

Christmas in Key West — December 24th to 26th

Key West is absolutely charming at Christmas time, with tropical holiday decorations, Christmas concerts, and special menus at local restaurants. All of our hotels will serve our special Chelsea’s eggnog with the breakfast on Christmas Day.  You can even ride your bicycle or walk to one of the many local churches and parishes for services. Our reduced holiday rates apply with no minimum stays over Christmas.

New Year's Eve on Duval Street

New Year’s Eve in Key West — December 31

New Year’s is a great celebration every year in Key West, but this year, saying a hearty goodbye to 2009 will be especially sweet.  There are several midnight countdowns on Duval Street as well as parties at restaurants and bars all around town.  Our favorite place to be at midnight is in the 800 block of Duval Street to watch Sushi, a famous local drag queen, descend in a giant version of Dorothy’s red slipper (think: Wizard of Oz) for the midnight countdown.

CNN is usually here to cover all the action with a live feed to their New Year’s Eve coverage at Times Square…..Hey, would you rather be freezing your booty off in Times Square, or be down in Key West in 72 degree tropical weather?

If you stay at any of the Historic Key West Inns for New Year’s you will be a short stroll from all the countdowns on Duval Street.

When it comes time to plan your next trip to Key West, Historic Key West Inns is here for you!  You can check availability and rates for all the inns 24/7 on our website, or call our reservations desk at 800-549-4430.

I hope to see you soon.

Julie

Solomon's Busy At Work...

Solomon is the newest addition to our Historic Key West Inns family, arriving today from All Animal Clinic.  He is a four week old puppy, a mix of  Labradoodle (mom) and Australian Shepherd (dad), which means those big paws are going to come in handy!  The mother died giving birth, leaving Solomon an orphan.  His new Dad is our Director of Operations,  Marlon Garnett, who received a call from the vet’s office requesting he provide a new home for the puppy.  Solomon is still being bottle fed, and is a bit woozy today from his first shot. Everyone here is excited about the new arrival.  We will all see  him most days as he accompanies Marlon to work.

It is time to change the name of Chelsea House?

Chelsea House Pool & Gardens, one of the five Historic Key West Inns, was named over 30 years ago for one of the owners cats, who was a British Shorthair named Chelsea.  Now that Chelsea is no longer with us…..is it time for an update of the name to our latest furry friend?  Well, we have many furry friends around here and they are all special to us……so I think we will stay with tradition and keep the Chelsea name.

If you have a beloved pet that you like to travel with,  Chelsea House is our pet friendly hotel in Key West.  We have designated  13 of the 34 guest rooms as pet friendly.  These rooms all open directly to the outside and have hardwood or tile flooring.  There is plenty of room around the Chelsea grounds for walking your pet, and we’ve placed doggie “convenience stations” with plastic bags and waste disposal around the property.  Chelsea accepts most varieties of pets, including cats, dogs, birds, and goldfish (does anyone travel with their goldfish?)…..  When planning a trip to Key West with your pet please call the hotel directly at 800-845-8859 to check availability of the pet friendly rooms, and to answer all your questions about house rules and accommodations.

Our Other Key Lime Inn Office Friend, Lucky Dog

In today’s post we thought we would highlight two weddings of guests who stayed with us at Key Lime Inn and Lighthouse Court. Denice Suriner is our sales agent dedicated to helping with wedding arrangements at any of our hotels. You can contact her directly here: denicesurnier@historickeywestinns.com   On our weddings page you can get information on license requirements, florists  and  local caterers. We are always happy when guests choose us for their special day!

The first wedding we want to showcase is that of Lisa Grass and Robert Geoffrion who held both their ceremony and reception at our Lighthouse Court Hotel.

Lisa and Robert Geoffrion in front of Lighthouse Court

Here are their comments about their wedding experience with us:

Dear Andy and Julie:

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!! It was a great idea to have our wedding at Lighthouse Court! Your staff was amazing! Every time I went in to see Andy with another; “I just thought of this” request, he always said, “yes, no problem!” He was terrific. Thanks to him, his quick thinking helped our party escape a torrential downpour which threatened to ruin our meal…hehehe…but alas, the show went on and I can truly say that we had the best time of our lives! All of our guests commented on how beautiful the property was and how great an atmosphere it provided. For one long weekend, people from all across the country (and the world for that matter), got to hang out and chill and enjoy one another like we all lived on the same block at home! It was fantastic and we will be back next July to celebrate our one year anniversary! Oh, by the way…if I can mention the really great folks who run the Eat-n-Grin restaurant on Truman…they were great! They made us breakfast for 11 people, to go, with no notice and even gave us a ride back to the court! We went back three times and some of our guests did too! They are a wonderful couple who run that place!

Cheers!
Robert and Lisa Geoffrion

Our second couple are Ricardo and Ingrid who stayed at Key Lime Inn.

Ricardo and Ingrid's Wedding

Here are their comments:

Thank you Denice:

This past weekend was the best we have ever experienced, and we owe much of that to you. Our guests LOVED the Key Lime Inn! I look back on the day Ingrid and I were searching for hotels and we are so glad we found you. You did everything you could to accommodate us and our guests including finding us last minute rooms, contacting the scooter company, giving us advice on planning, making sure our guests were taken care of…the list could go on and on.

We never knew how difficult it would be to plan a wedding, and we also realize how much more difficult it would have been if it weren’t for you and the staff at the Key Lime.

We want you to know from the bottom of our hearts that we will never forget how helpful you were and how thoughtful you were to us for the most important day of our life. Thank you so much for everything and we hope to see you again whenever we go down to Key West!

Sincerely,

Ricardo & Ingrid

Come relax in our Key Lime Inn pool

February and March are a beautiful time of year in our Key West paradise because the suns rays are just warm enough to help you forget about any freezing winds back home, the sky is crystal blue, and the temperature in our pools is just right for relaxation.  Even the island’s favorite cat resident, Aurora,  is romping around town having fun. You can see what she did last night here.  Key West Six-Toed Cat Cam.

We know that the economic news has not turned around yet so we have responded by lowering our rates to make your Spring vacation break or romantic Valentine’s Day dreams beautiful this year. So come snorkel, sail, parasail, or swim in the beautiful waters off Key West. The weather is perfect for tanning.

Here is our events calendar for the next two months:

Cuban Cultural Expolosion       February 1 – 7

An entire week packed with Cuban-inspired entertainment and educational opportunities, culminating with Hot Havana Nights on the 7th. For the first part of the week, there will be lectures by local and regional experts to learn about the flora, fauna, art, architecture, food, and of course the gardens of Cuba. Cuban movies will be shown in the tropical setting of the Botanical Garden throughout the week. Celebrate Cuba Week finishes with the hottest event of the year. Dance to the sounds of Havana Soul while enjoying mojitos, authentic Cuban food, original Cuban art, live auction and more. This HOT benefit always sells out so make your reservations early! VIP Seating: $125, General Admission $75.
Lectures: $8 members / $10 non-members. Movies: $6 members/$8 non-members. Dates and lecture times TBA. For further info contact them at 305-296-1504 or go to their site http://www.keywestbotanicalgarden.org/.

Sculpture Key West          February 1 -April 18

Outdoor sculpture exhibition at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and West Martello Tower. Very cool, cutting edge sculptures made by artists from around the world. For more info visit their site http://www.sculpturekeywest.com or call 305-295-3800.

Valentine’s Day Weekend          February 13 – 15

Albury Court is the perfect place for a romantic Valentine’s Weekend

One of Cupid’s favorite places is Key West! Couples from all over the world have come to indulge in a romantic getaway at our hotels during Valentine’s weekend and right now our room rates are fantastic. If you want to create a surprise for him or her and have champagne, flowers or chocolates in the room or to make dinner reservations we will be happy to arrange that for you.  Nothing is more beautiful and memorable than a Valentine’s kiss on the beach during a Key West sunset.

Civil War Heritage Festival          February 13 – 15

Re-enactments, military parades, sea battles with schooner ships, and more await for this unique historical event. Other info can be found at 305-292-6850http://www.forttaylor.org/

5th Annual Key West Antiques Show and Sale           February 21 – 22

This is the only antiques show south of Miami! Over 30 dealers from around the US with a huge variety of antiques and collectables. Located at Fort East Martello. Benefits Key West Art & Historical Society.  For more info contact Gerri Sidoti 305-295-6616 ext 12  or their site http://www.kwahs.com/

“Bitch Slap” at the Waterfront Theatre February 25 – March 7

This play is a humorous look at why ultimate screen goddesses Joan Crawford (the Movie Star) and Bette Davis (the Actress) hated each other so much. The box office and further info can be found at http://www.waterfrontplayhouse.org/ or 305-294-5015

Spring Break in Key West          March 2 – 13

Scooters in Key West

The coolest place to be for Spring Break is in the hottest island paradise in the US! Key West has a laid back vibe that’s perfect for your break from all those lit and science classes.  The waters off our beaches are amazing for diving, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, wave running and swimming. Most breakers chill at either Smather’s or Higgs Beach during the day because they have the vendors that rent the jet-skis, catamarans, parasails and even the beach chairs and umbrellas. If you have time, you could take a trip to snorkel off the Dry Tortugas coral reef. Make sure you bring heavy-duty sunscreen because our sunlight is potent. Towards evening head off to to the local bars to soak in the nightlife. Afterwards come home to your hotel room for a rest before you start all over again in the morning.

Key West Fishing Tournament Kick-Off          March 13 – 15

Targeting multiple species, this annual challenge starts a season-long tournament that awards certificates for outstanding catches and prizes in a host of categories. Email the director for more information director@keywestfishingtournament.com or call 305-295-6601