The Cove lets guests get away from it all!
My first order of business at happy hour at the tiki bar at Three Waters Resort and Marina was to order a Rum Runner. It was here, at the since shuttered and replaced Holiday Isle Resort, that the now iconic cocktail was invented in 1972, and it has been an island staple ever since. I took a sip and audibly exhaled. It was officially “vacation o’clock.”
Travel to Islamorada, a series of six islands in the Florida Keys, was seamless, making it a breeze to reach the point of actual off-the grid relaxation. To that point, the day had consisted of a golf cart tour of the 15-acre property, a few hours at the adult-only pool and this trip to the bar overlooking the marina. A few guests commented that they had seen a manatee near some of the boats earlier, and a breeze kept the humidity at bay, making it an ideal start to a three-night stay.
Three Waters Resort and Marina is a part of Marriott Bonvoy and features both cottages and standard hotel rooms. It also boasts The Cove, an adult-only resort-within-aresort. Here, windows and balconies overlook the lagoon and horizon.
There’s a small private beach, shaded with palm trees and a 21+ pool with ample seating. The rooms are cozy rather than sprawling, but their views are expansive, and the accompanying balconies on each room function like an outdoor living room.
Throughout the property, soft music plays at a just-right volume. It’s not background noise so much as a mood, a constant, low hum of vacation serenity that signals you’re somewhere special. Little touches like an outdoor fitness center, eggshaped rattan swings and firepits reinforce that feeling. There’s an ease to Three Waters that feels intentional.
For an afternoon excursion, board the Rum Runner, the resort’s free water taxi that shuttles guests between Three Waters and its sister properties Amara Kay Resort and La Siesta Resort and Villas. It’s a pontoon boat with 12 BYOB seats, a perfect excuse to grab a cocktail from the tiki bar before boarding. En route, you’ll take in sparkling cerulean water, tropical wildlife and the Alligator Reef Lighthouse, among other sites.
Nine distinct dining concepts are available at Three Waters. Little Limón, perched above the oceanfront breakfast and lunch spot Mercado Morada, offers rooftop views in every direction and a menu of Latin-Asian fusion small plates such as ceviche and steamed bao buns. At Kindler, the resort’s wood-fired signature restaurant, upscale dining takes inspiration from the coastal locale. Start with the corn and lump crab fritters served alongside smash-fried fingerling potatoes, fennel, mango and chorizo vinaigrette, and don’t skip the furikake monkey bread with wakame butter; it’s a subtle, oceanic seaweed nod to the surrounding environment. A fitting finale for the meal is the restaurant’s Key Lime Bar topped with whipped cream and sugared berries.
Three Waters has managed something that’s genuinely difficult in a destination as popular as the Florida Keys: It feels new without feeling out of place. The Cove, in particular, strikes that balance beautifully. It’s mature and serene, with just enough adventure to remind you exactly where you are.
THREE WATERS RESORT
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