House boat

Island Sanctuary Islamorada

Photo gallery for Island Sanctuary Islamorada

A stationary boat with a cabin structure, a deck, and a small outboard motor.
A cozy interior with two upholstered chairs, a small table, and a patterned rug.
A kitchen with a bar area, wooden stools, and a view of the sea through a window.
A cabin with a bed, a window, and a view of the water.
A compact living space with a kitchenette, a seating area with a patterned rug, and a view through a window.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Room to spread out
    Enjoy spacious layout that give everyone more room to relax.
  • Beach equipment
    A rare find — beach equipment ready to go for your days by the sea.

Popular amenities

  • Massages in spa
  • Balcony
  • Air-conditioning
  • Refrigerator
  • Onsite parking available

Explore the area

View in a map
Tavernier, FL
  • Place, Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Mangrove Marina
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Place, Baker's Cay Resort Beach
    ‪8 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Single Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Dining area

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About the area

Tavernier

Located in Tavernier, this houseboat is near theme parks and on the waterfront. Old Road Gallery and History of Diving Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's attractions include John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and Jacob's Aquatic Center. MoradaWay Arts & Cultural District and MarineLab Undersea Laboratory are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and cycling.
Map
Tavernier, FL

What's nearby

  • Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Mangrove Marina - 7 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Harry Harris Park - 5 min drive - 3.7 km
  • Baker's Cay Resort Beach - 8 min drive - 11.3 km
  • John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - 12 min drive - 14.9 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Tacos Jalisco 3 - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Circle K - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Snappers Oceanfront Restaurant & Bar - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Dive Bar On The Bay - ‬7 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Island Sanctuary Islamorada pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Island Sanctuary Islamorada?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Island Sanctuary Islamorada?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Island Sanctuary Islamorada?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Island Sanctuary Islamorada located?

Situated on the waterfront, this houseboat is within a 15-minute walk of Mangrove Marina and Mariners Hospital. Florida Keys Dive Center and Harry Harris Park are also within 2 miles (3 km).

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 28 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 28 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 28 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 28 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 28 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.4/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Unique offgrid experience
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was the most relaxing and peaceful place I have stayed. Being on the water was tranquil. I even spotted a manatee from the boat. Having the windows open at night provided a wonderfully cool breeze for sleeping.For reference, I was a solo female staying on the houseboat alone and felt completely safe. Verizon cell signal was very strong. The boat has every amenity you can think of, plus more you never considered. Solar panels and wind provide power for lights, refrigerator and a USB charger. If you need USB-C, consider bringing an adapter from USB. There is also a very quiet generator you can run that will power the regular electric outlets and AC if needed. Kelly was such an incredible host and available at any time for questions. I took him up on a sightseeing tour and it was fabulous. Looking forward to returning to this beautiful place.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Oct, 2026
Andrea was a great guest, quite pleasant and left my place clean. Enjoyed having her.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a great experience. Loved watching the sunset from the top deck. Great to cruise around in the electric catamaran. Kelly’s recommendations were great. We found the sand bar and the Dive restaurant at Mangrove Marina was fun with the live music.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great , everything you want and need to have an amazing vacation. Kelly is just cool dude and his houseboat is well kept
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great spot on the water for a unique experience! Kelly was very accommodating.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Mar, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great stay, exactly as described in the listing. Boat has everything you need for a multi-day stay, comfortable bed, spacious, and we loved going up to the upper decks to relax or enjoy sunrise/sunset. Kelly was very communicative and helpful. Dolphins swam right past the boat multiple days, and we enjoyed taking the dinghy to shore each day. Would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Kelly is a great host. This location is so peaceful and relaxing. Loved watching the sunsets on the boat. Very spacious for 2 people. There are also kayaks if you’re adventurous
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing stay!

It exceeded our expectations, and we are so glad we found this location!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a neat experience, wonderful boat, waking up on the water was beautiful! Kelly was cery responsive to anything we needed!
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Kelly is the best host!!! Excellent views and comfort. It was magical for me and my wife. Thank you!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
An amazing place to switch gears. Great host. Win/win.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
My wife and I had a fabulous week on the boat. I would highly recommend spending a week on Kelly’s boat. The description of the amenities is accurate and I would add that you will have a lifetime of memories to cherish. This is not like staying in a condominium where you look out at the water. You are staying on the water.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Houseboat stay

I was happy to book this property and not disappointed
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We have never stayed on a boat before so this was an interesting and exciting way to spend our anniversary trip! The only downside is the listing didn't specify the AC having about eight or so hours of runtime before generator fuel ran out. However, Kelly was a top tier host who showed genuine care for our comfort and enjoyment and refilled the gas for us no questions asked. The boat itself is extremely fun, well decorated and outfitted. The top deck is amazing for sunrise and sunset. We brought groceries and cooked/enjoyed dinner and breakfast just like in our own kitchen. Because it's anchored it's always facing the wind and the large front and rear windows provided a good breeze throughout. We enjoyed taking the dingy to and from shore (less than a 5 min ride) and never had a problem with weather delaying that trip. Instead of another hotel room or condo we left with unique memories we'll have for the rest of our lives. Thanks Kelly!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location. Neat experience

My wife and I had a blast in the warm and sunny keys! The top of the boat is super for sunsets with cocktails! I recommend it.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic

Host was an absolute GEM of a person and made sure our stay was seemless . Provided great info as well as keeping us posted on the weather with impending storm . Place was clean and sooo FUN many extras not mentioned . GREAT place to stay in a quiet cove ☀️🏖️
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

breath taking view

We enjoyed our stay. We are avid campers and love to be outdoors. It was camping on the water with beautiful views right out our window. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets. A couple of encounters with dolphins. Our host was very attentive and made sure our needs were met.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great experience and great owner

We fell far behind schedule do to holiday trafic and the owner was more then willing to help us. The boat ride to your stay is fun. You cant beat sitting on the top floor watching the sunset.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect!! Exactly what we were looking for:

Kelly was a great host. The boat was clean and comfortable. We caught the red eye from SLC and Kelly was nice enough to let us check in a little early. We had a great time and were able to recharge and get ready for our weekend in Key West. I would absolutely recommend this property.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay in the Keys

Our stay on this houseboat brought back memories of staying on boats when we lived in South Florida. Kelly, our host, was very informative, easy to talk with, friendly and patient. Kelly is an artist and has a number of his works displayed on the houseboat. We love visiting the Keys and next time we'll have to book a longer stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great time!

We loved this experience! The rooftop was amazing , the sunsets to die for! We totally plan on coming back when we have more time to enjoy everything the boat has to offer ( kayaks & paddleboards!) Rent this vessel! You won’t be sorry you did :)
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Houseboat living.

Nice, enjoyable area. Plenty of space on this houseboat. Owner is very personalable and quite accommodating. Any issue and he is there promply. Stove ran out of propane and he was over in 10 minutes to install new tank I would definately recommend staying here. Thank you for the enjoyable stay, Kelly..
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Feb, 2026
Great guests, left my place clean, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
There is nothing like living on the water - so relaxing and peaceful. Dinghy worked out well. We saw several manatee and had a dolphin show a couple days which was awesome. What you should know - you are in a bay with THIRTY other boats surrounded by mangrove bushes so you cannot see the ocean. You cannot put toilet paper in the toilet and are to take your trash to a “public” trash can. To get to the back sun deck you have to go outside and go up a ladder and down a ladder OR climb over the bed and out a window. Be prepared to be under surveillance as you will be watched. We were reprimanded for not lifting the motor on the boat one evening and leaving the ladder down on the houseboat. We left for the Keys one morning and forgot to leave our porch light on. When we returned the light was on, there was a towel put on the floor inside the door, water was turned on and windows opened with curtains tied back. I’m sure Kelly was trying to help but kind of unsettling.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Apr, 2026
First off, I'm glad you had a good stay able to see dolphins and manatees and I appreciate your booking my home. But I do mention in my property description that the vessel is mored 1/8 mi offshore in a quite harbor Bayside which is well protected from storms, hurricanes etc, if I was on the Ocean Side exposed to the elements I wouldn't be able to have guests and The vessel is about 70 yd away where it opens up into Florida Bay which is quite expensive. And of course I offer kayaks and a solar-powered dinghy to cruise around. And it's a pretty good size harbor and they're probably are around 30 boats but there's only a few boats that people live on and they're all anchored 70 to 100 yd away, so it's not like it's crowded like it would be at a marina where you have boats on both sides of you with a piling between you and the other boats. And there's a good reason why a lot of boaters or motorhome owners don't put toilet paper into their holding tank, because it piles up and clogs everything up when it's pumped out. Believe me, it works wonders not to put toilet paper into your black water tanks but there's a trash can with a lid that seals everything nicely. And as far as the trash goes I appreciate it when my guests dispose of it but if it's sitting outside or they let me know that they need it picked up I'll certainly do so. And as far as the ladders go, it's a boat with three decks so of course there's going to be ladders and if my guests don't feel like climbing up the outside ladder I encourage them just to climb over the edge of the bed in the back bedroom because it has a sliding door right at the head of the bed , really simple and makes it a lot easier for people that aren't real mobile. And it's a very spacious back deck, 15 ft x 11 ft with a kayaks available on it. I'm not sure what you mean by being under surveillance, I've never heard that one before but maybe you felt that way because you're anchored out in the middle of the harbor exposed to the elements so to speak. And no one was reprimanded for leaving the aluminum outboard or ladder in the saltwater overnight, I just mention it to my guests that when they're finished with the dinghy or the aluminum ladder for the night to please raise them out of the water because electrolysis in the saltwater eats away at the aluminum causing it to corrode and pit because of the conductive properties of the aluminum and the electricity in the water. It's just a good habit to get into saving time and money down the way. And as far as the porch light goes, it's hard to find the vessel when it's dark outside so I suggest to my guests to leave the front porch light on to see where they're headed because I've had guests get lost before trying to get back to the boat. And as far as the towel on the floor, and windows open, it had been raining off and on that day while my guests were in key West so I made sure the windows were closed and a little later that afternoon I went back over mopped the rain water off of my decks, open my windows so that when they came back it wouldn't be stuffing and I put a towel inside the door which I usually do, so when my guest came back there would be a towel to help soak up the water from their feet and good ventilation. I also mention in my details that I may come over to the vessel to prepare the cistern to receive the rain or to adjust the solar panels. I just keep an eye on my boat because a lot of times people even leave the door open, which I understand I do it myself. It's my investment and I take care of it and even if you're at a motel the cleaners will come into your room and tidy up a bit. I try to do the best for my customers, sorry if somehow you felt paranoid or ridiculed because it certainly wasn't my intention. I wish you would have let me know the things that bothered you so that I could have taken care of them. Anyway, thanks again have a good journey and keep the attitude of gratitude as much as possible.
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The experience was lots of fun and exactly the getaway that we needed. This is not for everyone, but if you don't mind some adventure, then you should give it a try. The check-in was easy enough, and the host was very friendly and helpful. Our only dislike was the bathroom situation. The smell when the toilet is flushed is not pleasant, and the shower did not drain. In order to take a warm shower, we had to go outside and to the top deck to start the generator. Not a deal breaker, but folks need to be aware that it is not like staying in a hotel. Aside from the bathroom smells, it was great.I would also recommend more comfortable places to sit. It seemed like there was a shortage of places on the main deck, and the sun deck had to be broken down each time we wanted to use it.These comments are not meant to be negative; we had a lot of fun and would do it again. They are simply suggestions for making it a better experience.The dinghy ride to and from the boat was fun, but would have been a hassle if the weather had turned bad.
We returned back at night a few times.
Dark and fun ride back from the parking
beautiful area
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location
Disliked: Listing accuracy
Reality and listing quite far apart.The first 2 are "showstoppers".#1-It does have a toilet with toilet paper. You cannot flush toilet paper. You must put it in a trashcan. Very unpleasant bathroom environment. #2-Electical system is a puzzle. You cannot run the TINY window style AC and hot water heater together. If you try, neither of them works, plus the refrigerator will not work and the majority of lights go out. Also, the same happens with some other combination when you turn on a floor fan. The boat is advertised as air conditioned. The host gave us a floor fan. If air conditioned, why would a floor fan be needed. The boat had a generator. If it ran out of gas, nothing of any significance worked. It ran out of gas several times. One morning I had to go to the host's home to take a shower.Every day of 6 at times we were without 2 or more of hot water, air conditioning, a working refrigerator or minimum lighting. The host said the generator was too small and we had overused it.He bragged of coming to the boat 3 times a day fixing things. Nothing should have needed fixing. We didn't want him there. We simply wanted what was advertised and have a great father-son trip.Day 4 or 5 I told the host of my frustrations. He became angry. He told us we could "leave whenever we wanted", or he would "reimburse us 100%". I will pursue the latter. The host referred to the boat degradingly as a house trailer on water. I could go on for pages.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Jun, 2026
First off, I've been a super host on Airbnb for the last 10 years & I post instructions on VRBO, for AC, lighting, toilet, generator & 12 volt system that I go over again when my guests arrive, encouraging them to video my instructions & both the 70 some yr old father & 40 yr son acknowledge they understood & being off grid I encourage my guests to only use the lights & fans needed, but they left all the 12 volt fans & lights on for several hours while they were away & ran down the batteries which were charged up within an hour, so the son told me to go over to the boat after they would leave to make sure everything's off & that's what I did, I didn't go over there to fix anything. It's best not to put toilet paper or feminine products in RV toilets because it will clog up the system & you can check out the photos of the bathroom on my profile. I instruct my guests not to run the AC & hot water heater at the same time because it will throw a breaker & it only takes 10 minutes to heat water, but the father forgot & the breaker went off & immediately call me & I was over there & took care of it within 3 minutes & it was at that time after 4 days when the father got angry & told me he wanted a full refund, so I said okay, thinking that he wanted to check out at that time, but then said that he wanted to stay 2 more nights with a full refund & I said okay. I suggest they rent a VRBO home next time. twell.
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