The Marquesa Hotel

In a town that prides itself on its laid-back luxury, this complex of four restored 1884 houses stands out. Guests – typically shoeless – relax among two richly landscaped pools, rock waterfalls, and peaceful gardens.

Back in 1986, Carol Whiteman transformed a lovely pair of 1880s clapboards into a four-building complex that today houses a pair of Key West's most cozy, fetching, and pricey small hotels and restaurants (see Café Marquesa) that are close to, yet apart from, Duval Street's bustle. Rooms are good-sized, appointed with a tasteful mix of the antique and the contemporary, and more often than not have porches for enjoying room-service breakfast, a glass of wine, or just some veg-out time.

When it opened in 1988, the Marquesa raised the bar among Key West hotels. The original building, a landmark 1884 Greek Revival boardinghouse, was bought by two local men who specialized in restoring Key West's architectural gems.

'It's like paradise within Key West.' In the center of the city's historic district, a block from Duval Street and five blocks from the Gulf of Mexico, this hotel is within walking distance of the main tourist sights and museums yet remains 'a quiet oasis right in the middle of everything.'

Refurbished from 1884 conch houses, the Marquesa Hotel is a compound of four buildings surrounding lovely interior gardens and two pools. A narrow staircase off the lobby leads to the individually decorated rooms.