Six Pools, a Full-Service Marina, and 20 Waterfront Acres: Hilton Lands on Stock Island
There's a new reason to point the car toward Mile Marker 4. Hilton Key West Resort & Marina opened its doors on July 1, 2026 at 5950 Peninsular Avenue on Stock Island—the working waterfront neighbor just east of Key West proper—and it's unlike anything the brand has put in the Florida Keys before. Twenty acres of oceanfront property. Six saltwater pools. An award-winning full-service marina with slips for vessels up to 140 feet. And 175 guest rooms, more than half of them suites, each with a private furnished balcony facing the Atlantic. This isn't a rebadge with new pillows. It's a near-total transformation of the former Ocean's Edge Resort, and it marks Hilton's 12th property in the Keys—the first under the flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts banner this far down the chain.
Stock Island: Key West's Quieter, Grittier Neighbor
If you've only ever stayed on Duval Street, Stock Island will feel like a different country. It's the last working waterfront in the Florida Keys—commercial fishing boats, shrimp docks, boatyards, and a handful of restaurants that locals guard jealously. The resort sits at the easternmost edge before the bridge to Key West, roughly six miles from Mallory Square. That distance is the point. You get the marina lifestyle, the open water, the sunrise over the Atlantic without a tour trolley rumbling past your balcony. And when you want the chaos of Old Town, a complimentary shuttle runs hourly.
"The Florida Keys continue to be one of the most sought-after leisure destinations in the Americas," said Danny Hughes, president, Americas, Hilton, at the opening. "We are focused on expanding in places where guests want to be."
What's on the Water
The marina is the center of gravity here. It's not decorative—it's a full-service operation with fuel, pump-out, and transient dockage. That means boaters coming down from Miami or across from the Gulf can pull up, tie off, and walk straight to their room. For guests arriving by land, the resort puts complimentary kayaks, paddleboards, and bicycles at your disposal. The other water feature worth mentioning: six saltwater pools spread across the property, which means you're never fighting for a lounge chair.
Eating and Drinking: Two Concepts, One Kitchen
The culinary program is split between two venues that share a kitchen but serve different moments of the day:
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Yellowfin Bar & Kitchen: The flagship. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with island-inspired seafood, Caribbean flavors, and shaded teak deck seating overlooking the marina. Entrées run $31–$50. Think blackened local catch, Key West pink shrimp, rum-forward cocktails.
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Ocean's Edge Café: Grab-and-go, open 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Cuban-inspired coffee, fresh smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, and pastry. This is your fishing-charter fuel stop.
Poolside service delivers drinks and light fare all day, and in-room dining pulls from the full Yellowfin menu—something surprisingly few Keys resorts get right.
The Room Situation
Every one of the 175 rooms and suites has a private furnished balcony. That's not a premium-tier perk—it's standard. The 86 suites add living space, and all rooms are mid-renovation with new flooring, furnishings, and coastal décor designed to feel more residential than corporate. The palette is white, driftwood, and ocean blue. If you've stayed at a mainland Hilton and braced for beige, this is the corrective.
The Extras That Add Up
Most resorts charge a resort fee and hand you a towel card. Hilton Key West takes a different approach:
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Complimentary recreation: paddleboarding, kayaking, bicycling, yoga classes, lawn games, and poolside movie nights are included.
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Complimentary shuttle: hourly service to Old Town Key West, dropping you within walking distance of Duval Street, Mallory Square, and the Historic Seaport.
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Fitness center: fully equipped, not an afterthought.
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Event space: a 570-square-foot boardroom and a 1,140-square-foot outdoor patio for meetings and celebrations. A new Tiki Event Pavilion is under development as part of the ongoing enhancement package.
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Hilton Honors: points earning, redemption, digital key, and all the Honors program benefits apply.
The property is owned by Sunstone Hotel Investors and managed by Hilton. The transition from independent boutique to branded resort is still underway—guest rooms are being refreshed in phases—but the bones are solid and the location is irreplaceable.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 5950 Peninsular Avenue, Key West, FL 33040 (Stock Island)
Phone: (786) 862-6300
Hours: Check-in 4 p.m., check-out 11 a.m. Yellowfin Bar & Kitchen serves breakfast through dinner. Ocean's Edge Café open 7 a.m.–11 a.m. daily.
Reservations: hilton.com or call 1-800-HILTONS.
Instagram: @hilton
Pro Tip: Book a marina-facing suite on the second floor. You'll get the sunrise over the boats, the afternoon shade on your balcony, and a straight sightline to the water. If you're trailering a boat, call the marina office directly before booking—slip availability can tighten during tournament weeks.
A Resort Built for the Keys, Not Dropped In
Hilton didn't build from the ground up here. They took over a property that already understood Stock Island's rhythm and layered brand infrastructure on top: the Honors ecosystem, the reservation engine, the operational standards. The result is a resort that feels less like a chain hotel colonizing the Keys and more like the Keys finally getting the full-service Hilton it's been missing.
Ready to go? Pack the rods, point the car south, and don't plan on leaving the marina until checkout. Tag your stay #HiltonKeyWest—the sunrise over Stock Island is worth the early alarm.
