What's included with your stay — and what costs extra
The nightly resort fee at Amara Cay Resort includes pool and beach access, enhanced Wi‑Fi, parking, fitness-center access, and non-motorized water equipment like kayaks and paddleboards; many on-site services (meals, spa treatments, cabanas, and some transfers) cost extra. Expect mandatory incidental holds at check-in, a nonrefundable pet fee per dog per night, and optional paid add-ons such as cooked-to-order breakfast and spa services.
In this guide
What the resort fee / stay includes
A mandatory resort fee covers a package of on-property benefits. The resort lists access to three Islamorada Resort Collection properties, five beaches and pools, paddleboards/kayaks/bicycle rentals, parking, enhanced Wi‑Fi, a welcome drink, and pool/beach seating as included.
The resort fee also provides the Rum Runner water taxi between sister properties and a local shuttle service (shuttle hours may be listed separately). Exact nightly fee amounts vary by booking channel, so confirm the current rate with the property or your booking agent.
- Enhanced Wi‑Fi (daily)
- Pool and beach access (zero-entry pool; Lighthouse Beach sunning area)
- Non-motorized water equipment: kayaks and paddleboards
- Fitness-center access
- Parking and local shuttle/Rum Runner water taxi between collection properties
- Welcome drink, reusable water bottle, and pool/beach seating
| Included item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Wi‑Fi | Enhanced access included via resort fee |
| Parking | Self-parking listed as included in the resort-fee inclusions |
| Water gear | Kayaks, paddleboards and bicycles listed as included |
Rooms, standard amenities, and what may cost extra
Standard in-room amenities are provided, and the property has 110 rooms across four floors with elevator access. Room types include names such as Standard King Room, Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds, Room, Oceanfront, and Suite, with larger Premium Suite and multiple-bed Suite options available.
Optional or paid room extras are common hotel practices here: early check-in or late check-out may be available upon request (sometimes for a fee), and advance-purchase rate plans are fully prepaid and nonrefundable. Housekeeping will not service a room while a pet is present.
- Room types (examples): Standard King Room; Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds; Room, Oceanfront; Suite, with Sofa bed, Oceanfront; Premium Suite, Multiple Beds, Oceanfront
- Early check-in / late check-out: requestable, subject to availability and sometimes a fee
- Advance-purchase rates: prepaid, non-changeable, non-refundable
- Incidental hold at check-in: card authorized for remaining balance plus $100/night (up to $300)
| Room example | Beds / capacity (as listed) |
|---|---|
| Standard King Room | 1 King Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed or 1 King Bed |
| Room, Oceanfront | 1 King Bed or 2 Queen Beds (up to 4 Guests) |
| Premium Suite, Multiple Beds, Oceanfront | 2 Queen Beds and 1 Double Sofa Bed (up to 6 Guests) |
Dining and bar charges
Meals are not included in room rates unless you specifically buy a package that does so; the resort is not an all‑inclusive property. On-site dining includes ReelCatch (breakfast and dinner), Tiki Bar (lunch and dinner), and Coastal Cup & Lounge in the lobby area.
Cooked-to-order breakfast is an optional paid extra (third-party listings put typical per-person breakfast charges in a roughly $4–$20 range). Both ReelCatch and the Tiki Bar are open to non-guests and accept reservations; ReelCatch has a Tuesday kids-eat-free offer for children 12 and under with an adult entrée.
- ReelCatch: breakfast 7:00–11:00 AM; dinner 5:00–10:00 PM (seafood-focused)
- Tiki Bar: lunch 11:30 AM–5:00 PM; dinner 5:00–11:00 PM (hours vary by source)
- Coastal Cup & Lounge: lobby bar service and daily Happy Hour (ReelCatch/Lobby Bar 4:00–6:00 PM)
| Venue | Typical service / hours |
|---|---|
| ReelCatch | Breakfast and dinner; accepts reservations |
| Tiki Bar | Poolside lunch and dinner; outdoor seating, cabana reservations available |
| Coastal Cup & Lounge | Lobby bar service and Happy Hour |
Activities, wellness and extra services
Several on-site activities are included via the resort fee (kayaking, paddleboarding, and access to snorkeling from the stairway at the sunning beach). Scuba diving, guided ecotours, and fishing charters are available but typically cost extra and are arranged separately.
Spa and wellness treatments are provided through Ooh la la at The Collection; spa bookings and prices are handled separately from the resort fee and should be reserved directly with the spa (Ooh la la contact numbers are published). Beach yoga and massages are offered as paid experiences.
- Included / no-additional-charge items: non-motorized water gear, pool access, fitness center (6:00 AM–10:00 PM)
- Paid extras: spa treatments (Ooh la la at The Collection), organized scuba dives, fishing charters, some guided ecotours
- Note: the private elevated Lighthouse Beach is a sunning/snorkel access area rather than a traditional sand swimming beach
| Activity | Usually included or extra |
|---|---|
| Kayaking / paddleboarding | Included via resort fee |
| Scuba diving | Extra — arranged/paid separately |
| Beach massages / yoga | Extra — book through the resort or spa |
Policies, deposits and pet fees
At check-in the primary guest must be at least 21 years old and present a valid photo ID and a credit/debit card; the card is authorized for the remaining balance plus an incidental hold of $100 per night (up to $300). Check-in is 4:00 PM and check-out is 11:00 AM.
The resort is dog-friendly: up to two dogs per room are allowed for a $50 nonrefundable fee per pet, per night (service animals exempt). Housekeeping will not service a room while a pet is present; guests may face a deep-cleaning fee for pet-caused damage.
- Minimum age to check in: 21 (primary guest) with photo ID
- Incidentals: card authorization $100/night (max $300)
- Pet policy: up to 2 dogs per room, $50 nonrefundable fee per pet per night; service animals exempt
- Deposit & cancellation: one night’s room + tax charged at booking; cancel up to 72 hours before arrival to avoid a penalty
| Policy | Detail |
|---|---|
| Check-in / out | 4:00 PM / 11:00 AM |
| Cancellation window | Cancel up to 72 hours before arrival to avoid penalty |
| Cashless property | Card payments only (no cash) |
Transfers, shuttle and parking — what to expect
The resort provides a complimentary shuttle service around the local mile-marker area and the Rum Runner water taxi service between Amara Cay and its sister resorts; both are listed as included in resort-fee benefits. Shuttle hours are listed in some sources as roughly 7:00 AM–11:00 PM, but confirm schedules with the property.
There is no resort-run airport shuttle listed; guests are advised to arrange ground transfers (Keys Shuttle or similar) if arriving by air. Self-parking is included via the resort fee, though some third-party sites show parking as an add-on—verify at booking.
- Included: local shuttle between nearby mile markers and Rum Runner water taxi to sister properties
- Not listed: direct airport shuttle — arrange external transfer services if needed
- Parking: self-parking is listed as included in the resort-fee inclusions; confirm on your reservation
| Transport | Notes |
|---|---|
| Rum Runner water taxi | Included for resort-collection guests to sister properties |
| Local shuttle | Complimentary between local mile markers (confirm hours) |
| Airport transfers | Not provided by resort — book external service |
