Postcard Inn :

If ever there was a resort “transformation” story in the Florida Keys it has evolved on the eastern edge of Islamorada (mile marker 84.5) at the former Holiday Isle, built in 1961 after notorious Hurricane Donna. Famous for decades as a haven for thirsty Rumrunner and bikini contest fans at The World Famous Tiki Bar, the 12.5 acres of oceanfront housed 143 rooms, several bars and restaurants, a marina for charter boats and flats skiffs, and a reputation for hard drinking and oftentimes rowdy behavior. Besides their annual “Bartenders Bash” and odd late-1980s appearances by minor celebrities like Gary Busey, Tiny Tim, and the Beach Boys (via helicopter), the contrast with Islamorada’s somewhat stodgy corporate image spoke volumes on class distinction and boisterous high jinks separated only by the Whale Harbor Bridge.

Facing Demolition
After a fire in 1999 in their Rumrunners Island Bar and its reconstruction, the property was bought in 2006 for an astonishing $98 million with grandiose plans for a Greek-island deluxe condo/hotel mix called Ocanos. Three years later, following no construction and the real estate bubble-bust, it was foreclosed by Starwood Capital. Facing demolition, the owners happily decided last year to invest $11 million to restore some luster to the proud but ramshackle complex. The resort’s Managing Director Bob Van Bergen explains: “We are thrilled to now offer this revamped resort to new guests that will discover what makes this laid-back part of the state like no place else in the country.”

Distressed is Cool!
In fact, the design team has taken tacky, low-ceiling motel rooms and cleverly re-arranged the limited space with an updated “boathouse” look that complements the adjacent marina. Besides super-comfortable knockoffs of Starwood Hotels’ patented “Westin Heavenly Bed,” there are rope-wrapped headboards, patchwork-wood dressers, lucite cutouts of tarpon, Italian light gray driftwood tile, and stenciled quotes on the wall like: “Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” Thanks to the stylized accent of new exterior wood cladding, a sixth floor pergola, landscaping with new grass, palms and sea oats, and a palette of blue, white and gray, the mood exudes clean playfulness, a perfect fit for sportsmen, families with kids, and even the well-heeled party goer. Says Starwood Interior Designer Liubasha Rose, “We took a disaster of smelly carpets and ugly neglect and made a great room product with an attractive price point. “Distressed” has become cool and approachable!”

Bars to Burgers
Part of their new formula is the link with tradition. It is hard to escape the World Famous Tiki Bar adjacent to the marina with its original frozen Rumrunner drink: a secret blend of Banana Liqueur, Rum, Brandy and Grenadine. Next door, guests walk along the oceanfront where boaters conveniently tie up for lunch at the Jaws Raw Bar for conch fritters, smoked fish dip, and Mahi Mahi fish sandwiches or the Wreck Bar for pizza and ice cream. On the far end of the property the rebuilt Rumrunners Island Bar still maintains its whimsical “treehouse” crow’s nests that offer great views of the wide sandy beach, swimming pool and Atlantic ocean. Fronting the Overseas Highway the new Shula Burger, brainchild of the winningest coach in the NFL (347 victories), has a simplified menu of appetizers, eight burgers (blend of premium black Angus beef, short rib and brisket), sides, salads, beer and wine, and sweets. I enjoyed Don’s “Wine Country” burger with roasted peppers and tomatoes, fresh goat cheese, and balsamic greens along with fried pickle spears, a Rumrunner, and a slice of Key Lime pie.

Activities + Party Boats
For on-site activities the Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina has come up with an imaginative twist by hiring Christy Cockrell, their “Manager of Events & Fun”. Christy provides kids with arts & crafts, smores on the beach, scavenger hunts, ice cream social and pool games; for the elders, she organizes beach volleyball, trivia and dance lessons at the Tiki Bar, Texas Hold’em poker and beer/wine tastings. Out and about in Islamorada, guests should visit the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District off the Keys’ Old Highway where cute boutiques and art galleries open their doors daily; every third Thursday monthly they set up a walkabout with food and crafts stands. Party boat enthusiasts will enjoy all-day yellow-tailing on the 65-foot air conditioned Miss Islamorada at Bud N’ Mary’s Fishing Marina (MM 79.8 ocean side) or a quick 20 minute drive north to Key Largo and the ever-friendly and productive Captain Chan on the Gulfstream behind Key Largo Fisheries (MM 99.5 ocean side).

Sassy Lady
The next day at the Postcard Inn’s marina I met Captain Butch Green of Sassy Lady Charters for a half-day of reef fishing on his 34-foot Hatteras. Originally from Pensacola, Capt. Green ....