This Florida Keys Resort Is a Lesson in How to Take a Real Vacation

There’s no greater luxury than drifting off to sleep to the sound of waves crashing gently outside of your hotel suite. I’ve never known deeper rest than this. And I needed that. I didn’t realize how exhausted New York City had left me until I awoke slowly on my first morning at Baker’s Cay Resort in Key Largo, Florida, and looked out from my balcony at the resort’s private beachfront. Instead of my usual instinct to rush and plan, something about the slow sway of the mangroves, the quiet Gulf waters, and the warm Keys air made my body soften. Baker’s Cay was the first place in a long time where I didn’t feel obligated to be “on.” I could simply be.

Photo: Baker’s Cay Resort

After landing at Miami International Airport with my little sister, it was a little under 1.5 hours to Baker’s Cay on a private shuttle that took us directly to the resort. We stepped out of the car into the shade of giant mangroves and were met by friendly faces at the front desk who made us feel like longtime guests before we’d even checked in.

At check-in, we were given two prefilled water bottles per guest, and there were refill stations on each floor of the resort. As we were escorted to our Premium One Bedroom Waterfront Suite, I also noticed quirky slip signs around the property, including funny sustainability facts. One read, “A jellyfish and a cucumber are each 95 percent water. All slippery.” Another read, “Key Largo is the Dive Capital of the World. Please dive out there. Not here.”

The hotel has two wings with rooms in each, with common areas in the middle. Our two-room suite, which was priced at around $733 per night during my stay, was located in the Hammock Wing. It was spacious, coastal, and airy, complete with a dining table, couch, and bedroom. I let out a deep sigh. Everything felt lighter already. I also appreciated that there were multiple mirrors throughout the room, which made getting ready with my sister in the mornings easy.

Photo: Baker’s Cay Resort

Each morning, I ordered breakfast to the room. Service was fast, and I was greeted with a friendly smile before devouring avocado toast and seasonal fruits on the suite’s wraparound balcony. The balcony overlooked Coconut Beach, one of the resort’s two connected private beaches. Between breakfasts and sunsets, I spent a good deal of time on the balcony and often saw dogs frolicking with their owners. I dreamed of bringing my own Siberian Husky back to the resort. He’d love the property’s Director of Pet Relations, Maya the Husky, and the special Baker’s Cay bandana visiting dogs get in exchange for their promise to be a good boy or girl.

In total, Baker’s Cay has 200 eco-designed guest rooms. Rates start at around $265 per night and go up to about $1,277 per night, depending on the season and room type. There’s a $49 per day resort fee, and discounts are available for Hilton members.

I was especially excited to be the first person to experience the resort’s brand-new Paradise Suites: 700-square-foot rooms, complete with kitchenettes. Each suite was large enough to fit a family of six, with a bathroom that felt like a spa facility with a double vanity, warm lighting, and a large bathtub. There was a shower, as well, complete with a feature I’d never seen before: a shower bar for shaving your legs without slipping. Needless to say, this invention was included at the request of a woman — the designer’s very own wife.

Photos: Baker’s Cay Resort

As a chronically overworked New Yorker who also happens to be a Pisces, being in and around nature is the ultimate form of healing for me. So, when I got to Baker’s Cay, I spent most of my time lounging in a private cabana on Coconut Beach (cabanas are available for a fee through the Cay Club membership) and relaxing on an enormous circular float that the resort books out in time slots (reserve early for calmer waters and quieter moments). Gazing down at the water, I saw a baby manta ray swim by — a precious moment and a reminder to wear reef-safe sunscreen to the beach to help protect the wildlife you came to appreciate.

The most strenuous part of my day was the five-minute nature walk through the mangroves from Coconut Beach to Hammock Beach, the resort’s other private beach. (Non-hotel guests can purchase day passes for access.) The beaches are connected by a brief stretch of trees. Coconut Beach is lively while Hammock Beach is peaceful and quiet.

Despite having no experience with water sports, I also decided to take out a paddleboard. Paddleboards and kayaks are included for one hour per day with the resort fee. I immediately humbled myself by faceplanting into the water.

My sister and I eventually left the beach area and headed over to the pool, where we lounged in the sun and drifted off to sleep while the sound of water crashed from the human-made waterfall. When we craved more quiet, we moved back to Hammock Beach to relax in the shade of the protected mangroves. The resort’s commitment to preserving the natural world made me feel at ease, like I was wrapped up in the power and beauty of the wild.

Photo: Annmarie Gajdos

Although I craved relaxation, there were plenty of activities at Baker’s Cay that piqued my interest and stimulated my creativity. I loved the Cay Blooms Workshop, which happens every Thursday at 4:30 PM. I learned that there’s no wrong way to arrange flowers, but there’s still a lot of skill involved in the craft. As Dawn from Key Largo Flowers touched my hand and told me, “It does not have to be perfect,” I felt tears well up in my eyes. This is advice I’m reminded of every time I look at the vibrant orange, red, and yellow flowers sitting on my desk.

My inner child was healed as I dove headfirst into the weekly foam party on the lawn in the Hammock Wing, an all-ages activity that’s particularly popular with families and kids. I watched as foam clouds passed by me like tumbleweeds, taking with them every last ounce of stress in my body. From beach bonfires to family movie nights and Ben Baker’s Pirate Pineapple Quest scavenger hunt, I found myself actually wanting to engage in activities just for fun, without any pressure to perform or win.

We also happened upon a wedding party during our stay. The resort set up a beautiful gazebo for the ceremony, on the water, which was out of the way for regular hotel guests but could be easily accessed if you wanted to get a look at the flower arrangements.

Photo: Baker’s Cay Resort

Baker’s Cay is home to several dining options: Calusa, Dry Rocks, a beach Tiki Bar, and the Pool Bar, as well as plenty of options for in-room dining. I was impressed by the new menus, which had been recently revamped, at each of the resort’s restaurants.

At Calusa, a contemporary American restaurant, I had a hard time choosing between the locally sourced, sustainable seafood — including stone crab and oysters — and the rest of the menu. (Some of the seafood is so fresh that guests catch it themselves; every day from 8 to 10 AM, there’s a free fishing activity included in the resort fee that allows you to send your catches to the chefs at Calusa to cook up for dinner.) In the end, I ordered the three-course Steak and Tinis Thursday special, which pairs a different martini with each dish: a Cosmo, followed by an extra dirty martini, and finally an espresso martini. Appropriately, the star of the meal was the Key lime pie for dessert, which was neither too sweet nor too tart.

Afterward, we headed to Dry Rocks for a late-night drink. Dry Rocks sits between Coconut Beach and Hammock Beach. It’s open until 10 PM and all of the drinks, including the specialty cocktails and frozen drinks, are served until closing. The Berrylicious cocktail, made with Bacardi Black Rum and raspberry purée, blew me away. The same drinks were offered at the Tiki Bar at Coconut Beach. There were plenty of options to pick, from the classic mojito, my forever favorite, to the Princess of Largo, a take on the margarita with passionfruit.

While at Coconut Beach, I went for a classic mojito and ordered again from the Dry Rocks menu. The chicken quesadilla exceeded my expectations and was delightfully crusted with cotija cheese. I also loved the loaded yuca fries.

The highlight of my dining experiences at Baker’s Cay was a sunset dinner on the pergola, which veers just slightly off the path between the Coconut and Hammock beaches. Guests can book the pergola, which has seen many proposals on its wooden steps, for an extra fee for special occasions. We were guided to a delicate dinner setup complete with fairy lights, Champagne, and natural woven decorations. The sun melted from a red ball in the sky into the now deep blue water as we laughed, feasted, and bonded while eating a churro sundae for dessert. It’s hard to be stressed when your dream dessert appears before you.

Photo: Baker’s Cay Resort

During the day, you can take a bike rental from Baker’s Cay and ride along the main highway strip to check out Keys landmarks like Betsy the Lobster at Rain Barrel Village, an open-air market and sculpture garden in nearby Islamorada. There are manatees in nearby waters, as well, and Key Largo is a scuba and snorkel lover’s dream, with lots of opportunities to see local wildlife at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

There’s also some nightlife in the area — but don’t expect the Miami club scene. On my final night at Baker’s Cay, I ventured outside of the resort to some of the surrounding bars. Much to my surprise, my Uber driver, Enrique, picked us up in a white Ford Expedition with multicolored club lights, a disco ball, and music blasting. He proceeded to masterfully DJ Avicii remixes while we danced in the backseat. When we moved on to our second bar for the night, he ended up picking us up again. The Uber ride ended up being the highlight of our night on the town, but if you like laid-back evenings rather than high-energy nightlife, Key Largo’s pace is a good match.

Photo: Baker’s Cay Resort

I’ve visited Miami countless times for the nightlife and never realized how quickly I could get to a tropical paradise like Baker’s Cay. The closest airport is Miami International Airport (MIA), and the resort is a little under 1.5 hours away by car. We arrived midday on a Thursday and left early afternoon on a Sunday, and we didn’t hit any traffic in either direction. Everything was easily accessible via Uber, although there was sometimes a short wait at night — if you plan to explore after dark, you might want to order your Uber a few minutes early.

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