The Mermaid & The Alligator

An intimate adult-only bed & breakfast in the heart of Old Town Key West.

4.8

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An intimate adult-only bed & breakfast in the heart of Old Town Key West.

4.8

729 Truman Avenue Key West, FL 33040 305-294-1894

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The Basics

SELECT REGISTRY MEMBER SINCE 2015

The Mermaid & The Alligator is a serene, adult-only bed & breakfast in the heart of Old Town Key West. Offering nine beautifully decorated guest rooms, made-to-order breakfast daily, lush gardens, and impeccable service, it is a destination for the discerning traveler.

At a Glance

Free WiFi
Swimming Pool
Smoke-Free
Free Parking
Concierge Services
Adult Only
Tesla Charger

In the Know

Celebrate sunset from Mallory Square
The view from the Key West Lighthouse is amazing
A stroll through the Key West Cemetery is a history lesson
Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden is a hidden gem

Stay for the Story

A stay at The Mermaid & The Alligator will have guests feeling as if they have stepped back in time. The architecture of the historic home, carefully curated artwork throughout, and lush gardens are reminiscent of a bygone era in Key West.

Sip & Savor

Here are a few things to sip & savor when you visit…

Enjoy the oceanfront setting at Louies Backyard

Experience life like a local at Azur

An award winning wine list and live music at Blue Heaven Key West

See & Do

Here are a few things to see & do when you visit…

Be sure to visit the Hemingway Home and Museum

Walk among hundreds of living butterflies and colorful birds at the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservancy

Shop, dine and enjoy the culture of Duval Street - the heartbeat of Key West

Guest Reviews

We loved staying here. The staff was so friendly and helpful. It’s beautiful, very green and tropical with some local friends like chicken and iguana sharing the outdoor spaces with you. Having coffee and breakfast in the courtyard in the morning was one of my favorite things about the trip. There are snacks, coffee, tea, sodas, sunscreen, bug spray, towels, beach bags all available to you complimentary which is...See More

- Kathryn Brandos

What a gem! The Mermaid & The Alligator provides an incredible location, only a handful of blocks from famous Duval Street with all its bars, restaurants, and shops. The staff are all incredibly friendly and warm, and even their temporary hostess, Olga, that was filling in for a few days seemed like a veteran at the front desk. Very clean, comfortable room with a lovely and large shower with...See More

- Mike Sekula

This place is awesome! Super beautiful, everyone is super friendly and helpful and a great location 3 blocks from Duval St. We rode the Key West Express into Key West and they allowed us to store our bags for a few hours while we walked around and waited for our room to be ready. When we were getting ready to leave they also allowed us to store our bags...See More

- Brian Goodling

Hmmm...We've stayed a few B&Bs in Key West. We haven't paid a fortune to stay in one that might be the Taj Mahal of B&Bs, but I'd say we are at least middle of road to higher end. We've come to expect, and hope for certain things, but try to enjoy it no matter how it turns out. We had the tree top suite. We booked late for a popular time and it was the only room left. It's a fun room, but if stairs are an issue, then DO NOT take this room. We laughed at ourselves for "feeling it" when making the last track of steps to the room. Still, the room is fun, large (sure, hit my heat a least half a dozen times on sloped ceiling), and private. The grounds are inviting with various places to relax. We really enjoyed sitting on the front porch watching people and a wedding across the street. For food, there is regular access to a frig stocked with waters, sodas, la croix. Tea and coffee are also always available. Some traditional snacks such as chips, oreos, popcorn are always out, too. We love the access to water. There is a small ice machine to use there, a common frig (a bit small when everyone tries to stuff their leftovers in it), microwave, etc... The main floor is common area and has a living room with TV (we did watch a few episodes of Suits the night it rained), and a dining room where you can play games, eat, etc.. There is also a bathroom located on the first floor if needed. The breakfast is what we expected as it is pretty much what we've encountered at every B&B. A combination of easy foods - instant oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, toast, fruit. They add to this with one hot option each day, but the cook (very nice!) is very slow. On the day of waffles I'm wondering if they do this with only one waffle maker. I kept thinking how quickly I can whip out hot breakfasts for a group and wondering how this could possibly be taking as long as it did. Happy hour was just some wine and a smattering of crackers with cheese and bit of fruit. That was a bit lackluster, but it's not meant to be dinner, just a moment to change gears from day to evening. Parking was not an issue, but it is possible to get blocked in as they park two deep if needed. Keys are left in the kitchen if a car needs to be moved to let another out. We never ran into this issue and always had a spot to park. (FYI, M&A, don't let workers park in the handicap spot even temporarily. It doesn't look good at minimum and doesn't give off a very respectful vibe). The location is great - just a handful of blocks down from Duval or quick access north on Hwy 1. We are walkers so for us we just put on the miles traversing around the town. The room, as I mentioned was charming, but there are details that would be nice to see updated to bring the quality of this place to the next level. Our bathroom vanity was very obviously water damaged and the veneer was peeling off the edges. The vanity is also outside the room with the toilet and shower which is just kind of gross. It also could use a bit of more lighting in general. The blinds in the room are a bit sloppy, too, with the one over the large soaker tub having a tear in it. The carpeted stairs are terribly stained, and as the first impression upon entering the room, it doesn't give a a good impression at all. It never rains in Key West, correct? At least we hadn't experienced it until this time. A good hard soaking rain that sounded pretty fun raining down on the roof while in the the tree top suite. Unfortunately, it did more than that and we found 7 spots where the rain was actually coming in. We reported this and the property did refund us some money for the inconvenience. Hopefully, with this information they will address and fix the issue for future guests. Those guests may include us, because we quite enjoyed our stay, meeting people and the employees.
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- Jean

Absolutely wonderful! Diana and her staff were so great in taking care of us. My boyfriend and I loved breakfast and it was made fresh every morning. Our room was so beautiful and romantic and we were able to get an early check in when we arrived! The pool was great and the added bonuses the hotel offers i.e beach chairs, coolers, towels were a nice welcome touch as...See More

- Vivian Tran

Rooms & Suites

# of Rooms: 9

Room Amenities: Air Conditioning, Bathrobes, Hair Dryer, Alarm Clocks, Antique Furnishings

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For information on ADA accessibility for the facility or its rooms, please contact the property directly.

Policies

Smoking Policy: Smoke free

Family Friendly: No

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Food & Wine

Meals Offered: Breakfast

Special Diets Accommodated: Yes

Restaurant on Premises: No

Dining Amenities: Complimentary Afternoon Tea/Refreshments, Complimentary Beverages, Complimentary Early Coffee Tea, Evening Cocktails, Special Diets Accommodated

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Guest Services

Internet Service: Wireless

Front Desk/Security: Onsite

Corporate Rates: No

Inn Amenities: Cabins/Cottages Available, Concierge Services, Free Onsite Parking, Full House Rental Available, Gardens on Property, LGBTQI+ Friendly, National Historic Registry, Spa Service, Swimming Pool

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The Journal

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Location Type: Coastal, Small Town/Village

The Mermaid & The Alligator

An intimate adult-only bed & breakfast in the heart of Old Town Key West.

An intimate adult-only bed & breakfast in the heart of Old Town Key West.

The Basics

At a Glance

In the Know

Stay for the Story

Sip & Savor

See & Do

Guest Reviews

- Kathryn Brandos

- Mike Sekula

- Brian Goodling

- Jean

- Vivian Tran

Rooms & Suites

For information on ADA accessibility for the facility or its rooms, please contact the property directly.

Policies

Food & Wine

Guest Services

The Journal

Best Fishing Vacations around the US

4 of the Best Florida Beaches

The Best Places to Visit in January in the USA

Soak up the Sun on the Ultimate Florida Road Trip

National Park Getaways to Avoid the Crowds

Escape the Winter blues in Key West Florida

Experience the Coastal Charms of Key West This Winter

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