We decided to take a last minute trip to Key West, and the La Concha had been suggested as a good place to stay by a friend. We typically prefer resort type establishments when visiting a location such as Key West, but for the two nights we were going to be there, the price was right and they had a king non-smoking room available, so we booked it.
(Hint: even if the web site shows they are sold out, call direct to book because they often have rooms available still)
Our Priority Club membership gave us 25% off the normal $20 per night parking rate. Although the hotel was sold out, we were still able to get a spot in their lot. Once we parked we never moved the car until we left Key West.
Check-in was pleasant and efficient, and we got what we had reserved. On taking the elevator to the third floor we were a little dismayed to find our room literally in front of the elevator. We were concerned about noise, although in the long run we were never bothered by it.
The room overlooked Duval Street, and one of the few negatives was that not only did the windows not open, but they were so dirty that we could barely see what was going on outside. Although there was a street festival going on, we were never bothered by noise from the outside either.
The room was very clean except for the windows as previously mentioned. It was also one of the smallest hotel rooms I've ever stayed in. The entire room including the bathroom was under 175 square feet--think the size of a smaller cabin on a cruise ship. It contained a king bed, two small nightstands, a chair, a drop leaf table--there was no room to open the leafs--an armoire with a TV (not flat screen if you are one of those who this type of thing is important to), and another small table with enough room for a coffee maker and highly overpriced bottle of Evian if you were interested in such.
The very small closet contained an iron and board as well as a luggage rack, which could only be opened outside the closet due to size constraints. There is no safe in the room for your valuables.
Contrary to the Crowne Plaza web site, the rooms do not contain a mini-fridge, and if you order one to be delivered you will be charged $25 per night. We just brought up the small cooler we had in the car and filled it with ice instead--I'm not sure where they would have possibly fit a minifridge in that room anyhow!
The bathroom was stocked with four sets of average hotel towels and decent quality toiletries. The lemon scented soap was a nice touch and seemed to fit the style of the hotel.
Be warned, the king size bed only has four full sized pillows of average quality. The blanket was a summer weight style and was triple sheeted.
The hotel had a great rooftop bar with the "Larry and Dora" duo providing entertainment as we all watched the sun set from a great vantage point.
We ate at Jack's Seafood Shack off the lobby our first night, the food was so-so, service was about the same.
The best part about this hotel is its convenient location. We easily walked to both ends of Duval Street during our short stay. We found several liquor stores, a small grocery store, a pharmacy, and several different banks with ATM's all within a few blocks. It is no more than five blocks from most of the Key West major points of interest, including the Hemingway House, Sloppy Joe's, Hog's Breath, The Little White House, Mallory Square, etc.
If you are inclined, the trolley stops within a block of the hotel, although we found it very convenient to just walk everywhere.
We would definitely choose the La Concha again for a short trip, although if we were planning on a stay of more than a couple of nights we would probably opt for one of the local resorts (Pier House, Sunset Key, etc.) for a higher level of amenities and a more spacious guest room.
I know some people have complained about street noise in previous reviews, we weren't bothered by it at all--although I can see how some very light sleepers would be. The hotel does provide ear plugs, a sleep mask, a sleep CD, and drap clips to keep the room really dark.
The rooms has individually controlled central air--no noisy window A/C units. There is a pool, although we never made it there for a swim.
For the price in Key West, it was a good value. Other than the location it was actually pretty basic, and as I mentioned earlier, it was by far one of the smallest rooms I've ever had at a hotel. As long as you don't mind the small room you'll probably find the La Concha to your liking. If you are only looking for a clean room to sleep and shower in, the La Concha will be perfect.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
most likely
I recommend this hotel for:
A romantic getaway, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities, Families with young children, Families with teenagers
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Museums / Cultural / Historical sites, Great food / Wine, Other