Old Town Key West stay.Within a 10-minute walk of this Old Town Key West guesthouse, you'll find Duval Street and Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. Also, Florida Keys Beaches is within half a mile (1 km) and Mallory Square is within 2 miles (3 km).
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
South Beach - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
Southernmost Point - 11 min walk - 1.0 km
Getting around
Key West Intl. Airport (EYW) - 8 min drive
Restaurants
El Siboney Restaurant - 5 min walk
Ocean Grill & Bar - 7 min walk
Viva Argentinian Steakhouse - 7 min walk
Bobby's Monkey Bar - 5 min walk
Better Than Sex - 4 min walk
About this property
The Mermaid & Alligator
3.5-star adults-only guest house near Duval Street
Free breakfast is available daily. Public spaces have free WiFi. The Mermaid & Alligator also features an outdoor pool, a garden, and concierge services. Self parking is free.
This Victorian Key West guesthouse is smoke free.
9 guestrooms or units
3 levels
2 buildings
Built in 1904
Full breakfast (free)
Poolside lounge chairs
Charging station for electric cars
Front desk (limited hours)
Storage area for luggage
Concierge
Garden
No smoking on site
The Mermaid & Alligator offers 9 air-conditioned accommodations with safes and bathrobes. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access (speed: 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices)). Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers and hair dryers. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and ceiling fans. Change of towels and change of bedsheets can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.
In-room WiFi speed: 100+ Mbps (good for 1–2 people or up to 6 devices)
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Electric car charging station on site
Free self parking on site
Limited onsite self parking
Wheelchair-accessible parking available
Onsite parking includes off-street options
Food and drink
Free full breakfast available daily 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Things to do
Outdoor pool
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
No elevator
Stair-free path to entrance
Well-lit path to entrance
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Wheelchair-accessible parking
Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Bathrobes
Bathtub or shower
Hair dryer
Shampoo
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
More
Air conditioning
Ceiling fan
Heating
Iron/ironing board
Safe
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 21
Check-out
Check-out before 11:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
The front desk is open daily from 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 6:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Front desk (limited hours)
Pets
No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome
Children and extra beds
Children younger than 21 are not allowed at this adults-only property. All guests 21 and older are welcome.
Property payment types
Important information
Fees
Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:
Deposit: USD 1 per accommodation, per stay
We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 25 years old
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A credit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 25 years old. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Cash is not accepted. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit in each accommodation.
We should mention
This is an adults-only property and guests under 21 years old aren't allowed.
Property is also known as
The Mermaid Alligator
The Mermaid & Alligator Key West
The Mermaid & Alligator Guesthouse
The Mermaid & Alligator Guesthouse Key West
The Mermaid & Alligator Reviews
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
LOVED our stay here. Beautiful setting and room. Very relaxing and enjoyed every moment. Wonderful staff. Añelka was very kind and helpful and made the BEST breakfasts! 🌺
The property is a beautiful oasis and the staff kind and accommodating. Good location if if you don't mind walking a little and easy to get Uber if preferred. Breakfasts were exceptional and our room/mini-cottage was beautiful! I highly recommend this property and hope to be back on our next visit.
Amazing staff!! Nice foliage and so cool to see wild iguanas daily at this property! Quiet, laid back vibe.
Todd
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025
10/10 Excellent
Rockwell, New York
Travelled with partner
Aug 7, 2025
Liked: Amenities
Mermaid & Alligator is a lovely guest house..a real gem..well maintained:furnished/delightfully decorated/curated & comfortable..our ground floor beautiful “garden bedroom”which had doors that opened onto several “cul de sac-like” garden seating, a dipping jacuzzi-like pool& fountains ..each area providing quietude..great to just read Hemingway (😊) or… ..yet the home is also walking distance from the Hemingway House, Duval Street & Seaport shops…
Loved the property, great breakfast and amenities. Rooms could really use tvs to keep up on weather or local events happening. I'm not a big TV person but do enjoy watching local news and world news and weather. Like to do it in privacy.
Staff was incredible. The location is perfectly located in Old Town. It’s quiet. The breakfast was great. Wonderful experience and my wife and I will certainly be back.
Excellent stay! We will be back. Great staff. Quiet location. Beautiful gardens. Relaxing pool.
Diane
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
10/10 Excellent
Izabelle
Travelled with partner
Jun 9, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
I was honestly blown away by this place! The backyard is truly an oasis - I could’ve sat there all day and have been perfectly content. We were in the Sun Room, it was so cute we definitely want to book the same room again! It was really nice to be able to park at the residence, as another we stayed at required us to park at paid parking. Highly recommend!
Excellent property on Truman with off street parking. Staff is super friendly and helpful. It’s an easy walk to Duval Street and all the happenings down town. Place is absolutely lovely and will stay again.
As a light sleeper I was worried it would be too noisy since we were in the Garden room right off Truman, but it was totally fine. They also provided a white noise machine for super light sleepers. The free breakfast each morning was nice- good variety day to day and filling until lunch. The location is walkable- made for sweaty walks due to the heat in late May, but we loved walking because it helped work off all the key lime pie! The B&B also had a small fridge constantly filled with cold water bottles, which were a godsend for all our walks and to keep hydrated while out and about. We easily walked from the B&B to Mallory square in under 30 min. There are also tons of bike and golf cart rental places nearby so it’s easier to go downtown if you like.
All in all a very chill, quiet, and serene place to stay. Felt more personal and historic than the large resorts/hotels closer to downtown- a nice place to retreat at the end of the day after being out on the water or exploring downtown Key West. Would totally stay again!
Really wanted to absolutely love this place but it definitely needs work. Stayed in the Sun room, the bathroom has absolutely no ventilation so it turns into a swamp every time you shower. Theres a window in the bathroom that does not open. The bathroom also had a strange smell. My husband opened the the cabinets under the sink and it filled with water and dead bugs. He did this on the morning we were leaving so we didn’t have time to complain. Housekeeping daily is a great amenity to offer but like they dont even vacuum its just the bare minimum. Breakfast didnt taste bad but its cheap and bare minimum. Im sorry but this bed and breakfast is not luxury at all in my opinion. The location is great and walkable to Duval Street. The outdoor dining area is beautiful. Im sure there are worse places to stay just lower your exceptations if you are staying here.