Little Palm Island
This SpaRator score weighs 40+ data points across six equally weighted categories, drawn from hotel data, booking platforms and 1,851 guest reviews from TripAdvisor and Google, and calibrated against 15 Florida Keys spa hotels. How SpaRator works
James Sinclair is the founder and editor of Spa Hotel Finder, with more than 20 years at leading media and travel publications. Read more about James Sinclair
28500 Overseas Hwy, Little Torch Key, FL 33042View on a mapPublished · Updated
Cheapest May–Aug from $1,930 a night all-in
Choose dates for live rates.
The private beach is a natural Keys shoreline with seagrass and shallow water, not a Caribbean-style swimming beach, and the resort has 30 suites.
SpaRator Expert Rating
SpaRator 6.6: ModestSpa core 6.0
An average of the Spa Treatments and Spa Facilities scores.
6.6 Modest overall · Spa: Treatment-Only · guests rate it 4.6 on TripAdvisor
4th of 15 in Florida Keys, October 2026
Book the island for seclusion and service, not for wet facilities or a swim beach.
Little Palm Island is a boat-only private island off Little Torch Key, adults-only with check-in at 21, reached by a complimentary 15-minute crossing. SpaTerre runs daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with no closure or works announced, but the hotel publishes no day pass or guest-access policy, and treatments book by phone or email, not online. A 22% spa service charge sits on every treatment. Right for adults wanting private-island seclusion and attentive staff; wrong for anyone wanting wet facilities, a swimming beach or value.
Pricing and Availability
- Peak
- Feb
- $3,820–$4,080
- Cheapest
- May–Aug
- $1,930–$2,400
a night all-in
Hotel's own website(800) 343-8567
We may earn a commission when you book through these links. It never affects a SpaRator score, and no hotel hosted or paid for this analysis. How we earn
Rate notes, fees and tax
Our 13 Mar 2027 check: from $3,942 a night. Our 16 Jun 2027 check: from $1,914 a night.
- 13 Mar 2027 check
- 13 Mar 2027 from $3,942 room (taxes and the 15% resort fee included; the pre-tax rate isn't shown), $3,942.32 all-in. A 13 Jan 2027 check was $3,497.27 per night including taxes and fees. Both were on the hotel's own booking engine for one night with two adults, checked 6 October 2026.
- 16 Jun 2027 check
- 16 Jun 2027 from $1,914 room (taxes and the 15% resort fee included; the pre-tax rate isn't shown), $1,913.72 all-in. A 15 Sep 2027 check was $1,996.52 per night including taxes and fees. Both were on the hotel's own booking engine for one night with two adults, checked 6 October 2026.
- Rate notes
Fee stack: 15% resort fee on the nightly rate, valet parking included; 12.5% suite tax, fee taxability not stated; 22% spa service charge, 20% to the therapist and 2% to the resort.
Rates correct as of October 2026; verify current availability via the booking links above.
No repositioning or renovation trigger is active.
Spa Treatments
SpaTerre is the reason to book, with a broad priced menu anchored by the in-ocean Madrugada massage. Sessions run 25, 50, 80 and 110 minutes, and the spa sells no 60-minute massage. The 80-minute Madrugada Sunrise Water Massage, $620, takes place in the ocean. Abhyanga with Shirodhara brings the Ayurvedic line. Guests write warmly about the treatments, though one finds them overpriced and another says the spa is very small and hard to book. Second of the five Keys spas reviewed so far, with one higher and three lower.
Spa Facilities
SpaTerre, an open-air treatment spa, names no sauna, steam or hot tub, so book it for the setting. The 3,800 sq ft, two-story open-air atrium has a reflecting pool, which is architecture rather than a bathing circuit. No guest review describes a sauna, steam room or hot tub. The hotel gives no treatment-room count. Fourth of the five Keys spas reviewed so far, with the other four scoring 3.8 to 6.0.
Wellness Programs
Little Palm Island's resort fee covers the fitness center, kayaks and paddleboards, but the hotel lists no included class. The fitness center runs 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and Boston Whaler motorboats join kayaks and paddleboards inside the fee. Yoga, meditation and personal training are paid, and two morning yoga sessions carry no price and no complimentary wording. Five of nine guests who described the beach were negative about its size, seaweed or mud. Fourth of the five Keys spas reviewed so far.
Staff & Service
Staff at Little Palm Island draw praise about eight times as often as complaint, with recovery visible when things go wrong. Across 193 written guest reviews, 141 praise the staff and 17 complain. Staff comped a dinner after an air-conditioning loss, and fixes arrived within the hour. Nine guests name one pool-and-beach attendant across more than a year. Two injured guests, one on a resort-booked boat trip, report no follow-up. Highest of the five Keys spas reviewed so far, with the other four scoring 6.5 to 7.7.
Experience
Guests rate the island stay highly, but the beach is natural shoreline with seaweed, not a swimming beach. TripAdvisor prints 4.6 from 1,378 reviews and Google 4.6 from 473, and reviews from the past year average closer to 4.7. Access is by boat only, adults only, with no television or phone in the suites. Choose it for seclusion, not for a swim. Highest of the five Keys spas reviewed so far, with the other four scoring 5.6 to 7.7.
Value for Money
A night on the island is costly and carries a 15% resort fee, though the fee covers boat transfers and kayaks. The 15% fee and the 12.5% suite tax are fixed percentages, so together they add about 27.5% to the room rate on every date. Whether the fee is taxed is not stated. A Saturday, 13 March 2027, runs $3,942.32 all-in in the hotel's own booking engine, checked 6 October 2026, and spa treatments add a 22% service charge. Lowest of the five Keys spas reviewed so far.
Spa Facilities
15 spa facilities: 7 available, 1 not available, 7 not confirmed
Available
7Beauty Services Salon and nail services run from the priced menu, from a $65 gentlemen's haircut to a $135 Shellac pedicure and $150 hair styling.
Adults-Only Pool or Area The whole resort is adults-only, 18 and over, so the lagoon-style pool is adult-only by default.
Couples Treatments The Romance Package runs $1,160 for a couple. Nothing in the hotel's copy names a couples room.
Fitness Center An oceanfront space, daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., included in the 15% resort fee.
Full-Service Spa SpaTerre runs 3,800 sq ft with a priced menu across massage, facials, body treatments, baths, nails and salon work. No treatment-room count appears.
Pool Facilities One lagoon-style pool at the Pool & Palapa Bar, adult-only because the resort itself is adults-only.
Wellness Programs Paid yoga, meditation, paddleboard classes and personal training. Kayaks, paddleboards and Boston Whaler motorboats come in the resort fee.
Not available: Fitness Classes Included.
Not confirmed: Cold Therapy, Hammam, Himalayan Salt Room, In-Room Spa Treatments, Hot Tub and/or Jacuzzi, Sauna, Steam Room.
Other Spa Facilities
Ritual Baths run 25 minutes with tea service and can be added to any treatment. A Valmont facial, L'Elixir des Glaciers Majestic, tops the menu at $920 for 110 minutes. Salon and nail services sit on the same priced menu.
Spa Menu, Prices and Policies
- Massage Journeys$150 · 25 min$240–$260 · 50 min$340–$620 · 80 min$410–$430 · 110 min
- Rituals$240 · 50 min$405 · 80 min$430 · 110 min
- Body Treatments$150 · 25 min$230 · 50 min$350 · 80 min
- Ritual Baths$150 · 25 min
- Facial Indulgences$150 · 25 min$240–$395 · 50 min$340–$800 · 80 min$400–$920 · 110 min
- Spa Packages$620–$1,275 · package; Romance Package for a couple
- Wellness/Fitness Offerings$165–$195 · 50 min, for one$195–$245 · 80 min, for one$195 · 50 min, for two$245–$355 · 80 min, for two
- Salon Services$65–$150 · per service
- Nail Services$60–$115 · manicure$80–$135 · pedicure
- Signature treatmentThe Noble Massage50 min · $240
- Spa hoursDaily, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hours may vary.
- GratuityA 22% spa experience fee is added to every service. 20% goes to your therapist and 2% stays with the resort.
- AgesResort is adults-only, 18 and older. Guests must be 21 to check in. No spa-specific age policy.
- Cancellation24 hours' notice. Later cancellations and reschedules are charged 100% of the service.
Hotel Facilities
19 hotel facilities: 5 available, 3 not available, 11 not confirmed
Available
5Adult Only Resort-wide adults-only, 18 and over, with room check-in at 21.
Bar Pool & Palapa Bar serves the lagoon-style pool.
Beachfront Natural Keys shoreline with seagrass and shallow water. The hotel says it does not serve guests seeking a Caribbean-style swimming beach.
Restaurants The Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, with private dining and in-room dining. Dress code applies.
Valet Parking Included in the 15% resort fee. No self-parking is described.
Not available: Free Parking, Kids Club, Pets Allowed.
Not confirmed: Air Conditioning, Airport Shuttle, Bike Rentals, Business Center, Concierge Services, Dry Cleaning, EV Charging Stations, Golf, Meditation Areas, Tennis, WiFi.
Other Hotel Facilities
The suites have no television and no phone beyond an in-suite phone for island amenities. A television sits in the Great Room.
About This Hotel
Little Palm Island is a boat-only private island off Little Torch Key, adults-only with check-in at 21, and its suites carry no television or phone. SpaTerre is the reason some guests come, but the hotel sells the seclusion more than the spa’s hardware.
The Spa, Specifically: SpaTerre
SpaTerre runs 3,800 square feet in a two-story open-air atrium with a reflecting pool, and the menu covers massage, facials, body treatments, ritual baths, nails and salon work. Sessions run 25, 50, 80 and 110 minutes, with no 60-minute massage. The 50-minute floor is $240, and the 80-minute Madrugada Sunrise Water Massage costs $620 in the ocean. Abhyanga with Shirodhara brings Ayurvedic work, and a Valmont facial tops the menu at $920 for 110 minutes. A 22% service charge applies, 20% to the therapist and 2% to the resort, and treatments book by phone or email, not online. Eighty-minute massages start at $340, and a couple’s Romance Package runs $1,160. Guests can bill treatments to the room or pay by major credit card. What the hotel does not name is the wet side: no sauna, steam room or hot tub appears on any spa page, and the hotel gives no treatment-room count. The spa is open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong
Book this for private-island seclusion and a staff guests praise about eight times as often as they complain. A complimentary boat, an adults-only island and a daily 9-to-6 SpaTerre are the draw. Skip it if you want a thermal circuit, a swimming beach or a modest bill: the fee is 15% of the room rate, and the beach is not swim-ready. It is wrong for anyone traveling with children or expecting wet-facility variety.
Where It Sits in the Florida Keys Market
Among the five Keys spa hotels reviewed so far, Little Palm Island records the highest Staff and Experience scores and the lowest Value, while its Facilities score trails all but one. Set against Cheeca Lodge & Spa, the market’s benchmark, Little Palm Island is the seclusion play rather than the facility play: its 3,800 square feet hold a menu, not a circuit. It is second-highest overall in the five, but a buyer choosing it for spa hardware should look elsewhere. For the right guest, the trade is solitude and service at the lowest Value score of the five.
| Hotel | SpaRator | Spa access for guests | Peak all-in per night | Off-season all-in per night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection | SpaRator 7.0: Solid | With a treatment or membership | $867 | $819 |
| Isla Bella Beach Resort & Spa | SpaRator 6.9: Modest | Not published | $757 | $582 |
| Sunset Key Cottages | SpaRator 6.8: Modest | Not published | $2,530 | $1,214 |
| Cheeca Lodge & Spa | SpaRator 6.6: Modest | With a treatment or membership | $1,347 | $591 |
| Little Palm Island Resort & Spa | SpaRator 6.6: Modest | Not published | $3,942 | $1,914 |
| Hawks Cay Resort & Villas | SpaRator 6.5: Modest | Not published | $948 | $527 |
| Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa | SpaRator 6.5: Modest | Not published | $1,385 | $444 |
| Ocean Key Resort & Spa | SpaRator 6.5: Modest | Not published | $1,474 | $475 |
| Pier House Resort & Spa | SpaRator 6.5: Modest | Not published | $909 | $548 |
| Bungalows Key Largo | SpaRator 6.4: Modest | With a treatment or membership | $1,574 | $1,236 |
| Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo | SpaRator 6.0: Modest | With a treatment or membership | $891 | $406 |
| Southernmost Beach Resort | SpaRator 6.0: Modest | Not published | $892 | $334 |
| Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort | SpaRator 6.0: Modest | No spa | $790 | $478 |
| Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton | SpaRator 5.6: Limited | Not published | $1,153 | $512 |
| The Reach Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton | SpaRator 5.3: Limited | Not published | $1,056 | $434 |
| Market median | 6.5 | $1,056 | $527 |
Scored on Guidelines v9.9
All-in = room, resort fee and taxes per night, from each hotel's dated rate capture.
Is the Little Palm Island Spa Worth the Price?
Yes, for adults who want seclusion, a boat-only island and attentive staff. The hotel quotes approximately $1,500 to $4,500 or more a night, depending on season. No, for anyone wanting wet facilities, a swimming beach or a modest bill.
When to Book the Little Palm Island
January through April run the dearest, with the cheapest stretch in late summer. Weekends cost about 16% more than midweek, and Christmas to New Year runs about a quarter above the days around it. Peak to low is roughly double. Book spa treatments by phone or email, and early. The spa runs daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Boats to the island run on a schedule, and a captain's fee applies outside shuttle hours.
- January: shoulder
- February: peak
- March: shoulder
- April: shoulder
- May: low
- June: low
- July: low
- August: low
- September: not yet priced
- October: shoulder
- November: shoulder
- December: shoulder
- Peak
- Shoulder
- Low
- Not yet priced
Typical all-in per night: Peak $3,820–$4,080 · Shoulder $3,040–$3,560 · Low $1,930–$2,400
Typical room rate across the main booking sites and the hotel's own site, 13 Oct 2026 to 31 Aug 2027, converted to all-in with the hotel's fee and tax. Months not yet priced are shown hatched.
What Guests Are Saying
TripAdvisor4.6 / 51,378+ reviews
Google4.6 / 5473+ reviews
The spa experience was equally superb. From the serene setting to the treatments and exceptional therapists, everything felt luxurious, personalized, and restorative.
TripAdvisorJuly 2026Stay rated 5 of 5The resort has a gorgeous spa, where my wife had a glorious deep tissue massage
TripAdvisorMarch 2025Stay rated 5 of 5The spa was hands down our favorite part of the trip, and we ended up going every single day.
GoogleJuly 2026Stay rated 5 of 5The spa is very small, while the massages are very nice, hard get an appointment.
TripAdvisorDecember 2024Stay rated 1 of 5I traveled all around, It's nice, but way over-priced.
GoogleJuly 2025Stay rated 3 of 5
Location
28500 Overseas Hwy
Little Torch Key, FL 33042
Awards: MICHELIN Guide Three Keys (2024, 2025, 2026) · Condé Nast Traveler Triple Crown (2026) · Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards, Top 15 Resort Hotels in Florida (2025, 2026) · Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Is Little Palm Island, and How Far Is the Airport?
Little Palm Island sits off Little Torch Key in the Lower Florida Keys, reached by the resort's motor yacht from its Shore Station. Driving from Miami airport takes about 2.5 hours, and Key West airport sits about 30 minutes away. Crossing by boat takes about 15 minutes and costs nothing.
How Do Guests Reach the Island?
By the resort's motor yacht, The Truman, from the Shore Station on Little Torch Key, about 15 minutes and complimentary. The boat runs on a set daily schedule with the last crossing at 9:30 p.m., and times are confirmed with the resort when booking. Seaplane and private yacht are also possible, and a captain's fee applies outside shuttle hours.
Is Little Palm Island Adults-Only?
Yes. Little Palm Island is adults-only, 18 and over, and guests must be 21 to check into a room. Under-18s are not permitted.
Can I Use SpaTerre Without Staying at the Resort?
Guest and non-guest access policies are unpublished and no day pass is listed, so access outside a stay is unconfirmed. Spa services can be billed to the room or paid with a major credit card.
How Do I Book a Spa Treatment?
By phone or email, at 305-422-4235 or islandspa@littlepalmisland.com. There is no online spa booking, and therapist requests are taken at the time of booking.
Does SpaTerre Add a Service Charge?
Yes. A 22% service charge is added as a gratuity and may be adjusted at your discretion. Of that, 20% goes to the therapist and 2% stays with the resort.
Is There a Resort Fee, and What Does It Cover?
Yes. Resort fee: 15% of the nightly suite or dockage rate, not a flat amount. It covers minibar beverages and nibbles, paddleboards, kayaks and Boston Whalers, nightly turndown, the welcome cocktail, motor yacht transfers, valet parking, Wi-Fi and fitness-center access. Suite rates add 12.5% tax, and whether the 15% fee is taxed is not stated.
Can I Swim at the Beach?
You should not plan on a swimming beach. The hotel describes a natural Keys shoreline with seagrass and shallow water, and it says it does not serve guests seeking Caribbean-style swimming beaches. Five of nine guests who described the beach were negative about its size, seaweed or mud.
How Much Do Spa Treatments Cost?
Treatments start at $150 for a 25-minute session before the 22% service charge. The 50-minute massage floor is $240, 80-minute massages start at $340, and the 80-minute Madrugada Sunrise Water Massage in the ocean costs $620. The spa sells no 60-minute massage. Our per-minute equivalent of the 50-minute price is $288, not a menu price.
Is There a Spa Day Pass?
The hotel publishes no day pass, so spa access for non-guests is unconfirmed. Within the resort, spa services bill to the room or a card.
What Is the Fitness Center Like?
It runs daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in an oceanfront space and is included in the resort fee. Yoga, meditation, paddleboard classes and personal training are paid add-ons.
Do the Suites Have Televisions and Phones?
No. Suites have no television and no phone beyond an in-suite phone for island amenities. A television is available in the Great Room.
Is Wi-Fi Included?
Wi-Fi is in the resort fee, but the hotel's latest guidance places it in the Great Room only, so do not count on a signal in the suite.
How This Analysis Works
Every SpaRator score is built the same way: six equally weighted categories, scored from more than 40 documented data points per property through independent spa and hotel facility research and analysis of thousands of guest reviews, then averaged, never hand-tuned. The result is a consistent, comparable rating across every property we cover. How SpaRator works
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- Platform ratings
TripAdvisor 4.6 of 5 from 1,378 reviews; Google 4.6 of 5 from 473 reviews.
- Sources
- Littlepalmisland.com spa, FAQ, amenities and booking pages, and the spa price PDF.
- Data gaps
- Spa treatment-room count, wet-facility presence, day pass and guest-access policy, fee taxability. No Booking.com listing was found.
- Guidelines
- Reviewed under Guidelines Version 9.9
- Version history
- October 2026 New review published under Guidelines Version 9.9. No prior score or claims to correct.
Commission from partner bookings never affects a SpaRator score.