Staying on Duval Street while on vacation in Key West can be the greatest thing ever, or it can be a huge mistake.  It all depends on what your vacation is all about and how much money you have.  And of course which  hotel you choose.  Duval Street hotels range from the sketchy accommodations with weekly rates and gruff managers, to the posh historical oases of calm and quiet on an otherwise busy street that sizzles with energy day and night.

Duval Street is the center of shopping, restaurants, bars, festivals, and almost everything that’s exciting and fun and doesn’t involve being on a boat or in the ocean.  Staying in a hotel on Duval Street will put you within walking distance to just about everything you want to do, including boarding boats for water sports, tours, and excursions.

You will be able to park your car if you drove to Key West, which is something you’ll be thankful to do, once you’ve driven here from Miami or Fort Lauderdale.  Key West is a small island, and the less driving you do, the better.  This makes the Duval Street hotels very attractive to the average visitor.

There’s only one drawback to staying on Duval Street, and that’s if you end up in a hotel that’s too small or badly designed to isolate you from the noise at night.  Luckily, this is not much of a problem in most cases.  Many of the Duval Street hotels are small, but they’re clever: they put the rooms in the back so guests can sleep peacefully no matter what craziness is occurring out on the street.  Just ask about where the room is located before booking a room and you’ll have a great vacation staying on Duval Street.