January 12, 2010
Talk of the South
Facebook
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Photos by Randy Harris
Go South
A Fisherman’s Paradise Returns
It wasn’t a hurricane or even the dismal economy that brought down Islamorada’s historic Cheeca Lodge & Spa, one of the most iconic resorts in the Florida Keys. Instead, it was an errant cigarette butt of all things, which, on a windy New Year’s Eve 2008, ignited a fire that would go on to level the main hotel.
Thankfully, 2010 is already shaping up to be a much better year for Cheeca. Closed since the fire, the Queen of the Keys is back, and better than ever. The rebuilt four-story lodge includes sixty-two new luxury suites—complete with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, private lanais, and open-air tubs overlooking the ocean—along with two new restaurants and a revamped spa. Of course, unchanged is Cheeca’s angler’s-paradise setting between the Florida Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, offering access to some of the most sought after saltwater fishing grounds in the world. And to top it off, the resort is celebrating its return with discounts up to 30 percent for guests who book a stay before January 31. Just watch those butts, people.
