Seascape Resort & Marina — Hotel in Marathon

Beautiful Setting, Mixed Experience

After a long drive to the Keys, we arrived at Seascape Hotel & Marina excited to take in the ocean view. As we walked toward the dock, we were immediately confronted by a staff member named Chris, who abruptly reminded us that only registered guests were allowed to park. We explained we had a reservation and would be checking in momentarily, but the welcome felt more suspicious than hospitable.

Inside the lobby, Fox News was playing coverage of Donald Trump’s birthday parade. As a military family hoping to take a break from politics and work, we found this uninviting and at odds with the relaxing environment we were looking for. Chris checked us in and gave us a tour that, while informative, felt more like a list of rules than a warm welcome.

Our room (Room 10) was clean, well-appointed, and had comfortable beds. The pool was lovely, and we really enjoyed using the kayaks. However, a few things could have improved our stay. The marina area had visible trash, and the strong odor of seagrass was much more noticeable here than in nearby areas like Key Colony Beach, which made it harder to enjoy the outdoor amenities.

The kitchen in our room was functional, but we were surprised that it lacked basics like cooking oil or even salt and pepper. Towels were another issue — for a room booked for six guests, we were only given two body towels and six beach towels. When my teenage son asked for more, Chris responded with visible annoyance and asked where the others were, even though we’d only been provided with two to begin with. A little more flexibility and understanding in that interaction would have gone a long way.

We appreciated that bikes were available (though we didn’t get the chance to use them), and it was nice that the property didn’t feel overly crowded. We heard there were manatees nearby the day we arrived but didn’t spot any ourselves.

It would have been helpful to have on-site laundry access — when I inquired over email, I was told it’s available at certain times but that housekeeping takes priority. A local laundromat is an option, but on-site access would have been more convenient.

When we checked out, we were helped by a different receptionist and a friendly maintenance person — both were lovely and gave us a much more positive final impression. Overall, it was a beautiful place and we were comfortable, but small details and staff interactions brought the experience down a notch. Next time we visit Marathon, we’ll likely look into staying on Knights Key to be closer to the bridge or on Key Colony for easier access to...

First of all, I will say that the location and the grounds of this resort are absolutely beautiful - they have done a fabulous job getting it back up after Irma. We had stayed at Seascape many years ago with previous owners and loved it. We decided to give it another try and we were so disappointed.

We booked Unit #9 - advertised as an apartment with a full kitchen. When we went to wash some dishes, we turned on the hot water - nothing. Just gurgling. I immediately went downstairs to talk to the clerk and she said "Oh, there's never been any hot water in that kitchen". She basically offered nothing except that we could "boil water" to wash our dishes. I was livid. I spoke to the manager the next day and she also said "Oh, there's never been any hot water in that kitchen". She finally agreed to talk to the owner about a discount, but I was left with the impression that I was crazy to complain about it. We ended up washing our dishes in the kitchen sink. We did finally get a nice discount on the room rate, but still were left with a bad taste for a room that cost over $300 per night.

We should have been forewarned when we checked in and had to initial and sign 10 different releases and a half page of legalese. Other issues we had with the room: The room next door is a 2-bedroom apt and in our 5-day stay we had 2 families with running screaming children. The wall are THIN! The furniture in the room looked nothing like the ones on the website. Management said "that's all brand new furniture!". All from IKEA - cheap metal tables. Also there was no dresser or anything with drawers in the bedroom so nowhere to put your non-hanging clothes. The WIFI was non-existent in the living area. To get a consistent signal, you had to stand in the kitchen. The A/C was very noisy and wasn't able to control the moisture in the rooms. We had to get fresh towels every day because they never dried, and our pills turned to goo from the humidity.

There are so many good reviews of this resort - we must have just picked the wrong room. But based on our experience and reading management's response to other negative reviews on other sites, they seem to be more defensive than concerned...

I think the word for this place is “overrated.” It’s not awful. You could do worse than stay here. It’s a nice, quiet spot along the water in Marathon, away from the traffic on Rt. 1. They have a nice pool with a view of the ocean. You’ll rest and relax. You just need to keep your expectations low.

First off, they advertise that it’s on a beach, which technically it is – a very tiny one. But you can’t swim there. They do have kayak, paddle boards, and fishing poles for your use. So that’s cool. And the view is very nice.

But they use the term “resort” to describe this place and they charge resort prices. That is the biggest problem, which makes me not want to cut them much slack. A resort would maybe have a restaurant, or at least free ice (you have to buy it here for $3). A resort would have front desk staff that was there into the evening so you’d have someone to go to when you have no hot water in your shower (as I did).

The building feels like it was once someone’s larger house that they chopped up into different small rooms. The standard rooms are very small. It was just me there and I kept knocking my knee into the sharp corner of the bed and bumping into the cheap aluminum table and chairs, which isn’t big enough for one person to eat or work on. I also have to turn sideways to fit through the bathroom door (I am not a big person), and there is zero room for your toiletries, or your suitcase for that matter.

This is not a resort. It’s a motel that is tastefully appointed. The rooms are fresh and clean (sadly, a result of the recent hurricane rebuild). The air-conditioner is fantastic. It actually dehumidifies the room, which is tough to find in Florida hotels. And the view from the pool – not your room – is great. So come and enjoy it and don’t think about how much money it’s costing you or how many times you bump into the furniture in...