Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The Artist House is a circa 1890 Queen Anne Victorian lovingly restored into a boutique seven room Historic Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouse. Our historic guesthouse is located in the heart of Old Town Key West, less than one block from Duval Street and adjacent to the Historic Key West Seaport. Everything one would want to do in Key West is within walking distance of our property. Room rates include a daily European style mimosa continental breakfast and a complimentary daily happy hour. We highly recommend guests call us directly before booking to assure the absolute best rates and to make sure you reserve the best room suited for your particular needs.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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The Artist House is lauded for its plethora of amenities, including a delightful breakfast and a cozy patio area, though some guests point out the steep prices and occasional noise concerns. Its prime location earns high marks for convenience and tranquility.
The friendly staff and social atmosphere, accentuated by a historic charm and a well-received happy hour, are frequently praised. Guests also admire the distinctive, pristine rooms that capture the essence of Key West, all set within a notably clean environment.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Abundant
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It's hard to put into words what a charming delight this place is. The history alone of the house and the Otto family and their contributions to Key West is fascinating. There are haunting tales for the paranormal fans, orchids and succulents for the botanical fans, and beautifully decorated vintage bedrooms for the fans of total relaxation. This location has it all: from the reception staff that helped us with our booking, to Shawn the delightful man who made us an impeccable breakfast every morning (with mimosas available), as well as the owners taking time to speak with us and making sure our stay was to our liking. You will probably have to pay for parking as Key West in general will not put in parking lots that degregate historical architecture. The free parking around town gets filled very quickly. Go in understanding this, and know that it's worth it. My new husband and I are planning to come here again for our 10 year anniversary. We can't wait. Thank you all again so much.
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 8 May 2024
Wanderer, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Magical Lovely Honeymoon” Review of The Artist House. Congratulation on your recent nuptials! We at the Artist House wish you both a lifetime of health, wealth and happiness. It is so nice that we were able to make such a memorable occasion even more special by the efforts of our dedicated staff. Jessica, Shawn, Sophia, Anne, Yamilla and Jose all love their jobs and want nothing more than to create wonderful Key West memories for all of our guests. So thank you again for your kind words. We are truly honored that you chose to spend your honeymoon vacationing with us here in Key West and hope to see you back to celebrate many happy occasions in the future. — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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I can’t say enough about how amazing this place was and how great we were treated. From the the people that worked the desk to the amazing people who kept it clean and served up an amazing Breakfast and free happy hour each day . Not to mention how special they made my dog Maggie feel . I would highly recommend this to anyone that want a place to escape the craziness of Duval st . I have never given anyplace 5 stars but this gets that from me
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Bring good walking shoes
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 7 Apr 2023
Michael, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Best BB In Key West” review of The Artist House. It warms the heart to hear such wonderful things about our beloved home, The Artist House; and that the efforts of our dedicated staff did not go unnoticed. Prospective guests should know that The Artist House is a historic guesthouse located one block from busy Duval Street. We are literally in the heart of the historic district, walking distance to everything anyone would want to do in town. Our goal is to provide a little oasis, a home away from home, that allows our guests to have the convenience of being in the heart of the action but yet the ability to return home to a warm welcoming environment. In other words, we try to provide the proverbial “best of both worlds”. Our staff is truly the best in the business. They not only work here but live here too. They can recommend touristy or non-touristy things to do in Key West and are truly dedicated to making sure our guests have an unforgettably vacation experience. Lastly, but just as importantly, we love our animals. Whether it is a cutie pie like Maggie or a beauty queen like our Sassy Pancy Pants or Minnie Sweet Pea or the biggest pug on planet Earth, Mr. Pickles, or the sweetest Pug (and Steelers fan) on planet Earth, Norman, our furry ones are sure to get a scratch behind the ear and a belly rub at The Artist House. So, thank you for your patronage, kind words, and we look forward to seeing you and Maggie back on the next trip to Key West and The Artist House. — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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Full disclosure is that Key West is my “happy place” so just being there surrounded by everything it offers is amazing enough. This was our second time staying at The Artist House and it was just as wonderful this time as last. We stayed at a lovely Inn on Fleming Street the first half of our trip and while the breakfast was adequate we KNEW that when we began our stay at The Artist House that the fare would be so much better and it was. The rooms are always spacious and clean, the location is ideal, and the jacuzzi and patio are are so pleasant and inviting. But the reason we will continue to return is due to the owners and staff. Now, to be fair I’ve never stayed in Key West where the staff wasn’t great, but this staff is on a different level. The owners Jason and Lorie are friendly and so hospitable and you realize that this isn’t just a business for them but that they truly want you to love the place as much as they do. The young couple that work there (forgive me I don’t know their names) were hard working and paid great attention to detail. And now for the Crown Jewels, Jessica, whose contagious laugh can be heard throughout the downstairs especially if you ask her about why there are little plastic babies sprinkled throughout the house, or Anne who is so kind and sweet and makes you feel welcome as if you are staying at your favorite aunts house, and Shawn( Alias Nick )who can be working so hard to be sure everything is perfect for your stay and keeping up with holiday decorations and Joe Chill the next minute setting the tone and vibe for a perfect vacation. All of these people work in unison to ensure your stay there is better than the rest. And they succeed every time. 😎(Wesley and Debbie)
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 20 Nov 2023
Wesley and Debbie, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Best Place” Review of The Artist House. We are thrilled that you approved of our “spacious and clean” rooms, “ideal” location, “pleasant and inviting” jacuzzi/dip pool; and most of all, thank you for recognizing by name the efforts of our dedicated staff who work tirelessly to make sure our guests are well taken care of on their Key West vacation stays. As you mention, Jessica, Shawn, Nick (we could never do it without Nick), Yamilla, Jose and Anne are the best in the business. They truly love what they do, the island where they work and live, and it absolutely shows in the way they take care of our beloved house and the special attention they pay to our guests needs. We particularly love your review, not only. because of your kind words, but because you also seem to have hit the nail on the head with your description of each and every one of our dream team members. You cannot see me as I am typing this reply but I have a big smile on my face, ear to ear, and am left wondering the reason I just can’t get the contageous sound of laughing hyenas out of my head. So, thank you again for your kind words, return business, and just know we eagerly await your return visit back to Key West (your happy place) in the near future. Lastly, from all of us at The Artist House, we wish you both the very best of luck, much health and happiness with your new home in Alaska. We anxiously await your return voyage back to Key West from the frozen tundra. — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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Topline: this is a cool place to stay, close to the action of Duval Street, with quirky rooms - BUT signs that management have taken their finger off the pulse.
Artist House is a 19th century Key West property, turned B and B.
Rooms are as described and as you see on the photos, kooky, atmospheric, and a little 'Hammer House of Horror' meets 'Gone With The Wind' vibe. Our room on the ground floor was right next to reception. And because the floors are wooden, and there is little by way of sound proofing - this means noise is problematic for ground floor residents.
This presents a few issues, namely hearing every arrival, every departure, and when people start moving around in the room above your head at 04:30am every step bores through your skull.
When the noise (inside the hotel) became too much on night 5 of our 6 night stay we called it quits, checked out, and booked elsewhere.
There is not much the owners can do about sound proofing between the rooms and floors, but there is stuff they can improve.
Despite having breakfast included we only ate there on the first morning. Having been air-fried at some point between 0800-0830 by 0900 breakfast was looking insipid and inedible. I'm a bit sceptical about scrambled eggs done in an air fryer in any case, but throw in some frozen tater tots and bacon, and you have the perfect recipe for a big ick brekkie. Sorry, but this just ain't good enough, at over $300 per night for a B and B the breakfast needs much greater focus. The good news is there are some fantastic places for breakfast within five minutes walk so that's where we ended up!
Another gripe is the dreadful house-keeping. After two days of leaving towels on the floor on day 3 we went out to reception with the towels which needed replacing. We didn't pay too much attention at the time, but housekeeping did not come into our room once during our stay. Not even to empty the bins. This is despite being promised fresh sheets after Day 3.
Location is great, but for the price and the issue with noise, breakfast, house keeping, and attention to detail (we had to call to get instructions sent for late check in), this place doesn't represent good value for money. On that subject… when I spoke to the person on reception about the issues she said she would refund our final night. When we came to check out she said she would have to speak to the owners - I then received an email saying they wouldn’t be honouring the initial offer. Not great. Simple rule: don’t offer what you can’t deliver.
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don't book a ground floor room. Make other plans for breakfast.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 4 weeks ago
Nick, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Cool Place To Stay” Review of The Artist House. However, we too are left “Feeling Disappointed” by your vacation stay and particularly the review. To the extent there was any miscommunication, or false expectations of a refund, we sincerely apologize for such. As for what happened, it is our understanding that you stayed with us for five nights (scheduled for six) and were very happy with everything, never complained about anything or voiced any concerns during your long stay until moments before your announced early departure. As such, you can only imagine Sophia’s surprise when you appeared out of your room on the morning of what was supposed to be your last day with us and simply announced that you would be leaving immediately because of a litany of complaints never once brought up to anyone until that moment. Furthermore, it is our understanding that at that time Sophia politely heard you out and promised to speak to the owners about your demand for a refund for your last day early departure. Frankly, upon hearing from Sophia that you stayed with us for five days with not a peep of a concern but now simply announced you would be leaving because of bumps in the night, allegations that your room was not serviced and because of your supposed disapproval of the quality of breakfast on the first day, we immediately asked: Why in the world would someone stay with us for five days, interact with staff daily and never voice a single complaint? How could someone not have their room serviced for almost an entire week and not say anything, especially because their room is literally adjacent to the desk where the manager sits all day long? Did they accidentally have the Do Not Disturb sign on the door? Are you sure they just didn’t want to leave leave early to check out Miami on their international vacation stay because spending six days in Key West may be a bit too long when there are so many other wonderful places to explore? None of this made any sense to us and Sophia did not have any valid explanations for these simple questions. As to our decision not to refund your last day, please understand that we are a seven room boutique guesthouse (not a hotel) working on the smallest of margins in order to continue delivering the high quality Key West vacation experiences our guests have come to expect. We are not a large corporate hotel establishment with a hundred rooms that can incur financial losses by willy nilly (a legal term) handing out free room stays, last minute cancellations gratis, waiving early departure room cancellation charges simply because a guest has a change of mind, preferred vacation schedule change, desire to see Miami a day early or because a guest may determine a six night stay in our small island paradise is just a little too long of a holiday stay in one local, or any of the many “so sad” stories we have heard over many years as to why a guest could not make it to Key West for their reserved room, etc. While we do reserve the right to make exceptions to our agreed to cancellation policy, simply deciding to “up and leave” one day early, on the very morning of one’s announced departure, with a litany of complaints never before brought up to our management, does not constitute a valid exception to the written terms you agreed to when choosing to book with us at The Artist House. Moreover, your decision to leave early with no notice whatsoever (announced moments before your actual departure), denies us as a small business the opportunity to rebook the room (recapture the lost revenue), denies other travelers’ the opportunity to experience our wonderful historic guesthouse and poses a significant and unsustainable financial strain on a small family owned business just trying to survive against large hotel groups and corporate hospitality management companies that have taken over our island paradise. As for the litany of complaints levied by you to Sophia, for the first time at the time of your departure, I am left wondering the reason you did not let anyone know of any of these concerns PRIOR to your decision to leave one day early. After all, you stayed with us for five days and it is difficult to understand how someone could interact with staff on a daily basis, even getting advise as to where your wife can get her a good hair wash and blow dry; but yet stay in a room for five straight days fuming that you received no room service and never, not once, voiced your concern to our General Manager, who literally sits at a desk directly outside of your guest room from early in the morning until she departs later in the evening. Is it possible that you left your “Do Not Disturb” sign on your room door during your entire stay? As people who have done their fair share of traveling, many times we too put a “DND” sign on our door, but we always let housekeeping or management know when we will be leaving for the day so that our room can be serviced at a convenient schedule. If it is not serviced when we return, we immediately bring it to the attention of management. To think someone would sit in a room for five days with no room service, completely ignored, and not have this come up even once, despite the location of our manager just outside of the door, seems quite peculiar to say the least. The Artist House has multiple full time and part time housekeepers, who have been with us for many years, and they do an excellent job of servicing rooms, as is evidenced by the very high rankings for cleanliness in the Trip Advisor platform. It is difficult to wrap my head around the idea that your room would simply be missed for five consecutive days, or if voiced, that your request to have your room serviced would be ignored. Again, I assure you, if you had voiced such a concern to our manager, this would have been rectified lickity split (another legal term). In regard to the noises you heard every night for five consecutive nights at 4:30 am that “bore(s) through your skull”, we simply have no idea what could have caused such a dramatic disturbance on a nightly basis, heard by no one else but you. We can absolutely report that you were the only guest that complained of such a disturbance. It is absolutely true, however, that we are a circa 1890 Queen Anne Victorian that was built long before the advent of electricity or insulated homes. Our home was built to “breathe” and “Sway” with the wind to survive hurricanes and encourage air circulation and most definitely does not have the energy efficiency, insulation, sound proofing of the modern home. Our floors are original Dade Pine wood with carpets that help with insulation and noise but do not eliminate it completely. As you point out, there is little we can do to eradicate this concern because we are who we are: a circa 1890 Queen Anne Victorian home located in the heart of Old Town Key West. For those who are noise sensitive, we encourage those prospective guests to book a room far away from the action of Old Town and consider a modern hotel resort where room consistency is almost assured. As for your comment about breakfast, we simply must agree to disagree, as we find your comments to be completely misleading, and in so many ways objectively false. This is not to take away from your subjective tastes, as perhaps you are a gourmet chef with very high standards, but one must wonder the reason 99% of other fellow travelers posting reviews complement our daily complimentary breakfast offerings to include various daily rotating egg options, none of which are air friend as you claim, mini-quiche, rotating choice of pancakes, waffles, breakfast sandwiches, rotating potato options, bacon, sausage, fresh cut fruit, yogurts, cold cereal options, fresh squeezed juices, milk and variety of bread options to include bagels, sliced breads, English muffins, and mini-muffins. We have an assortment of coffee options, to include a Kuerig machine available 24 hours a day, fresh ground coffee from a local coffee house, and offer an assortment of the finest tea, to include Tea Forte options both during breakfast and in room service. We also offer complimentary bottomless mimosas during breakfast. Again, I am not trying to criticize your fine dining taste, as individual tastes may differ, but the vast majority of our guests appreciate the plentiful offerings of both hot and cold breakfast options. Also, the vast majority of guests appreciate the snacks we leave out during the day and even at night for the mid-night munchies. Moreover, our daily complimentary happy hour with small charcuterie options, fine wine, beer, waters are a big hit with our guests and well appreciated by almost everyone for the quality and the fact this is all complimentary for our guests. While it is true that we do not slaughter our own pigs for bacon and sausage or roll our own tater tots (when one of the potato options), this does not seem to be a problem with our guests and your experience is so different than the experiences of our other guests it is worth asking: are you right or are the overwhelming number of our guests over so many years? By your own admission, you chose to skip breakfast very day but your first day, so perhaps you arrived at the end of breakfast when everything was broken down and ready to be put away? Either way, we are thrilled that you were able to enjoy the many wonderful breakfast restaurants available in Key West within easy walking distance to hour home during your vacation stay. Lastly, as to the issue of value, your complaints of paying “around $300 per night” during our high season, we must agree to disagree. While I admit Key West is an expensive vacation destination, paying almost $300 per night to stay in a boutique historic guesthouse in the heart of Old Town Key West, with included complimentary breakfast, complimentary daily happy hour and a staff that is second to none in making sure our guests are well taken care of is actually a bargain. In fact, after receiving your review, I did check to make sure that we did not make a mistake in pricing because that rate is far below our customary rate for high season and well below the rate charged by our peers and other hotel establishments in Old Town Key West during the very height of high vacation season. While I am sorry you feel you did not get your moneys worth, I am satisfied that the vast majority of our guests understand the pricing in our remote island paradise and greatly appreciate our efforts to provide a wonderful vacation experience at a tremendous value. So, while we are disappointed that you did not enjoy your vacation stay with us, we hope our response addresses many of your concerns. I still wonder if some of your words were written out of context, anger because you felt you were entitled to leave early and get a refund for the last night stay. Out of pure curiosity, I would love to see written receipts showing us where you stayed on the last day you abruptly left just to confirm if my hunch that you left early to see Miami or somewhere else is accurate. If you would not mind, please kindly forward your receipts of your last day stay in Key West so we can compare daily rate paid (value), whether complimentary breakfast/happy hour was provided, location (Old Town or New Town or elsewhere) just to determine the veracity of the issues raised in your review. I would gladly review same, apologize, consider changes to our procedures, amend our review and even reconsider our decisions regarding the issues raised above. Nonetheless, thank you for taking the time to post your review and we hope you otherwise enjoyed your vacation stay in Key West. Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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Just got back from a 5-night stay here and will definitely stay again next time we’re visiting! Great complimentary breakfast and happy hour daily. Beautiful house/property and well-maintained. The staff was wonderful and accommodating. The location is excellent- just 1-1/2 blocks from Duval St. and not more than 10-15 minutes’ walk tops from just about anything you might want to do in Old Town Key West. There are only 7 guest rooms in the house, so there aren’t a bunch of people coming and going all the time. Just a very relaxing, quiet and comfortable setting. There is nothing either my wife or I could say that was negative. We loved sitting out in the back garden area and on either of the first or second floor balconies/porches. Highly recommended!
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Date of stay: March 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don’t bother with a car. You can quickly and easily Uber or Lyft for longer distances, but Key...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 1 week ago
Frobishfamily, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Awesome Place to Stay” Review of The Artist House. We appreciate your kind words about our “great” complimentary breakfast and happy hour. While Key West is an expensive vacation destination, we do our very best to provide an excellent value for the money paid. It also warms the heart to know you appreciated our location adjacent to Duval Street and the Historic Seaport. Everything and anything one would want to do in Key West is a short stroll from our home. Thank you especially for mentioning the efforts of our amazing staff who you describe as “wonderful and accommodating”. Shawn, Sophia, Yamilla and Jose are the best in the business and they go above and beyond to make sure our guests are well taken care of during their vacation stays. So it is nice to know they did not disappoint. So thank you for your patronage and kind words. We look forward to hosting you again the next time you come to Key West. — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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We love, love, love the Artist House! We've been visiting Key West 25+ years and this was our first stay here we have found a new KW "home". The home is lovely and quaint, beautifully decorated with a special historic feel. It has an interesting history and story (Robert the Doll) but we didn't experience anything unusual - even though I kind of hoped we would. It was kind of funny to see the Key West Ghosts and Gravestones tour bus ride by occasionally. The home is ideally located in Old Town and an easy walk to everything going on in town. Our room was clean, well appointed, and extremely comfortable (including the bed and clawfoot tub). They also keep snacks & miscellaneous staples you may need available after hours - extremely convenient! The front porch affords a spot to enjoy the activity and the rear courtyard is quaint with a small dipping pool - a great location for breakfast and afternoon happy hour (both included in our stay). Sophia, the Manager, and her staff were so sweet - knowledgeable about the area, helpful, friendly and went above and beyond to assist us and accommodate any request we had. If you're looking to stay in a special B&B with a true "Old Key West" feel and a lovely, kind staff the Artist House is a must. We've already booked our next stay. Thank you, Sophia and team - we can't wait to stay with you again soon! :)
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 14 Nov 2024
Inspire, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Beautiful Historic B&B and Awesome Staff” Review of The Artist House. We are thrilled that you have found yourself a “new KW home” at The Artist House. While we love all of our guests, we particularly love when long time visitors to KW stay with us and fall in love with our home. Why? Because as someone who has been coming to Key West for decades, you know of what you speak and can compare us to other lodging choices around town. As you mention, our location is smack dab in the heart of Old Town Key West, a short stroll from everything and anything anyone would want to do while in Key West. A stay at The Artist House also comes with a daily complimentary breakfast and evening happy hour, our way of saying “thank you” and providing our guests with an excellent value for the money they spend. Most importantly, however, is our dedicated staff which goes above and beyond to make sure our guests are well taken care of during their vacation stays. We really appreciate you mentioning Sophia by name as it is always nice to know your efforts are appreciated. So, thank you again for your patronage, kind words and we hope to see you back soon on your next visit to Key West. — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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My wife and I just stayed at the Artist House for a quick 2 night stay. We have been here a number of times over the years and like to stay in the Sun Room. It was our first time visiting since the room had been renovated and we enjoyed the larger, upgraded bathroom. We love the Artist House for its great location and endearing quaintness. This time, they also stepped up their included breakfast which was really nice. Their outdoor patio area and plunge pool are very relaxing. And bonus: the place was decked out for Halloween! Given the house is older, you can definitely hear road noise from the Sun Room. They offer a sound machine in the room and ear plugs are available if needed. We enjoyed meeting the owners, Jason & Lori, who were friendly and kind. We will stay at the Artist House again. Thank you!
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 25 Oct 2023
SGDoc, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Always A Great Stay” Review of The Artist House. It was a great pleasure meeting both of you and we just loved your Zombie Grease Lightning costumes for the Annual Zombie bike ride. We always have fun at The Artist House but this time of year leading up to Fantasy Fest is something special to experience. For prospective guests who have never visited Key West, we are sometimes referred to as Key Weird; and we embrace the title because Key West is like no place else on planet Earth. So we are thrilled that you enjoyed yourselves and approved of the changes to the Sun Room, our exterior room that some call a private tree fort in the sky. Although it is our smallest room, the Sun Room is done up right with it’s Shabby Chic French Silversliper decor. So, thank you for your patronage, kind words and the pleasant conversations during your short stay with us. We certainly hope to see you back soon! — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of the Artist House
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My husband and I enjoyed our stay so much last year that we booked it again this year. It’s such a cozy stay and in a fantastic location. Sophia and Sean are great!! They are so friendly and welcoming.
My husband and I enjoy staying in the Sun Room because it is quiet and has a separate outside entrance. The room is bright with a good amount of space. The shower pressure is spectacular and bed is comfy with lots of pillows. The stairs to the room are very steep and narrow so just something to keep in mind for anyone who has difficulty with stairs.
Breakfast is decent (a mixture of packaged, premade, fresh made items) . The spread contains a nice variety of hot and cold options that change daily (tea, mimosas, coffee, juices, pastries, fruit, eggs, sausage, biscuits, hash browns, bread, potatoes, cereals, etc.)
We loved the cute little added touch of having a kitchen filled with snacks and fruit. There is also a complimentary daily happy hour 4-5pm with a mini charcuterie spread that includes wine, seltzers, beer. The back patio area is a nice and shaded space to enjoy meals or just relax.
Overall another fantastic stay! The history of the house makes it even more exciting. We had no clue the first time we booked but love it even more now. We loved hearing the stories from the ghost tours that stop by at night. We will definitely continue to stay here when in Key West!
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Book in advance!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 5 Feb 2025
Kim and Brian, Thank you for taking the time to post your “Comfortable, Welcoming and Amazing” Review of The Artist House. It warms the heart to hear such nice things about our home, dedicated staff and interesting local history. Prospective guest should know that The Artist House is a cica 1890 Queen Anne Victorian mini-mansion turned into a boutique historic guesthouse smack dab in the heart of Old Town Key West. A stay at The Artist House comes with a daily complimentary breakfast and happy hour. While there are so many wonderful breakfast options in Key West, we do try to offer a diverse breakfast offering, a little of everything, hot and cold offerings, to appeal for those wanting to stay on premises for their complimentary breakfast. Our daily happy hour is also an excellent way to meet other travelers, share stories of Key West experiences, and make lifelong friends bonding over such Key West memories. It is unfortunate that many of the historic guesthouses in Key West have been bought out by larger corporate interests and have done away with their breakfast and happy hour, which not only contributes toward the guesthouse experience, but also adds value for the money paid. So, thank you for returning for another stay, your kind words about our property and we hope to see you back soon! — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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My Husband and I booked two days at this historic home for our 17th wedding anniversary vacation on the 19th and 20th of May. We booked the Anne Suite, one of the most expensive rooms at Artist House and also paid extra for a “relaxation package for two” as we wanted our time at The Artist House to be special for our anniversary.
As it turned out, our two night stay was far from relaxing! According to Savanna, the manager, a large group also happened to be staying at the property. The guests in The Sun Room are connected to our Anne Suite were loud and obnoxious on both nights that we attempted to get some rest. On BOTH NIGHTS, these guests were making quite a bit of noise in the little pool after 10 pm, slamming doors and in addition to quarreling and fighting in The Sun Room.
This put us in an awkward position to call the cops on the second day and stint of pool noise after 10 pm and fighting in the connecting room seemed to get intense. The walls are pretty thin, so we could hear them pretty well.
The following day, my husband phoned Savannah and explained how unhappy and frustrated we were with these guests. As my husband made his way downstairs to look for Savannah he was confronted by these people and was verbally told by one of the guys that he “was going to knock me out”.
To add to all of this, we kept seeing people try to get into The Artist House after hours and use the stairs and doorway that Anne Suite uses. These people did NOT have a key and were simply trying the door anyway for easy of access. They ended up joining the people who rented the Sun Room.
This has tainted our experience at Artist House and frankly, we are shocked by the rudeness and lack of ability to keep the rooms safe and quiet for us. We asked for a refund for one of the nights were were staying and the manager apologized and DID refund one of our nights stay.
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:No parking is provided by The Artist House. You are on your own to find a spot in crowded Key West.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 29 Aug 2023
Ms. Giannotti, It is regrettable that your 17th wedding anniversary did not turn out quite as you had hoped. As you can see by the extraordinary number of positive guest reviews about The Artist House posted on the Trip Advisor platform, your reported experience is most certainly not reflective of the vast majority of guests staying at The Artist House. To the extent we failed in our efforts to provide an enjoyable vacation experience to you and your husband, please accept our heartfelt apologies. However, with that said, while we do welcome all post vacation feedback, and see all guest comments, both positive and negative, as an opportunity to improve the overall guest experience at The Artist House, we do believe some of your comments are not accurate, and potentially quite misleading to prospective guests looking to experience a relaxing and enjoyable vacation stay while visiting Key West. First, as you mention, you and your husband reserved your stay in the Anne Suite. Although you did not mention this in your review, prospective guests should know that the Anne Suite is a very quiet second floor guest suite located in the rear of the house. The Anne Suite, my personal favorite guest suite, is one of our most popular guest suites in the house. This suite is a large space with a king size bed, a small sitting area, historic Victorian furniture, antiques, paintings and has many original features to include the original decorative mantel fireplace, voluminous high ceilings and a jaw dropping completely renovated bathroom containing both a large rainfall shower and original circa 1890 claw footed bathtub. It is quite unfortunate that you were not able to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Anne Suite during your anniversary. vacation stay as it is most definitely the most beautiful and most romantic guest room in the house. As for the security concerns mentioned, prospective guests should know that we take security at The Artist House very seriously. Without going through too many specific security details, prospective guests should know that our property has staff on premises from early in the morning until the late afternoon. In the evenings, our premises is locked, allowing key access only to registered guests, and monitored 24/7, 365 days per year. In addition, more than one of our employees is housed immediately adjacent to The Artist House and there are monitors/patrols of the property both during and after hours. In addition, each and every one of our guests is provided a 24/7 emergency phone number to call, as well as emergency first responder information, if there is any problem during their vacation stay. With that being said, in all the years of operation, The Artist House has never had a single solitary episode involving security or a life-safety issue during a vacation stay. Moreover, overall, one of the big draws to Key West is the fact that our little island paradise is still considered a very safe community, a place where one can walk anywhere at any time, day or night, without fear or indecent. As such, prospective guests should rest assured that a vacation stay at The Artist House and Key West generally is considered to be a very safe place to vacation. To the extent, you felt unsafe for whatever reason, we apologize if there is anything we could have done to reassure you of your safety during your vacation stay. As to the specifics mentioned by you, it is worth pointing out that our subsequent review of the surveillance video covering the dates of your stay did not show any break ins by unregistered guests or any security incidents whatsoever. Also, our subsequent inquiry with the Key West Police Department and our after hours emergency numbers did not show any calls or complaints made by you or anyone else relating to any disturbances on our premises during your vacation stay. This, of course, is consistent with our conversation wherein you specifically told us that despite observing what you believed was a violent assault and battery, you did not take any action whatsoever to stop this alleged violent encounter nor did you call anyone to report this disturbance. it is quite interesting that you are now alleging the complete opposite, indicating that you called the police. Nonetheless, whatever did or did not occur during your vacation stay, the common courtesy of other registered guests is assumed no matter where one chooses to stay on vacation; and it is hardly the fault of the business establishment, especially when it is not brought to the attention of the business establishment until after the fact upon check out. Perhaps if we were made aware of a disturbance at the time, there is something we could have done to rectify the situation. Lastly, in regard to the general complaints and specific complaints alleging that we were somehow rude to you, I would like to address this issue and apologize that I must be so honest and direct. Prospective guests should know that the first interaction with you and your husband was with Savannah, our employee, who greeted both of you as you arrived. As per Savannah, your husband immediately began berating her in a rude and very intimidating manner over something to do with parking. She reports that you tried to calm your husband down more than once during this initial encounter. When Savannah offered to give you a tour of the house and walk you to the room, our custom, your husband rudely snatched the keys to the room and walked away. Frankly, I was not there to observe this encounter. However, if I was present, I would not have allowed you to check into our hotel. With that being said, I was also not present during the supposed threats made to your husband by the other guests. However, in light of his aggressive initial encounter, as described by Savannah, it does color my view of exactly what happened during your vacation stay. Generally, people vacationing in Key West are laid back and looking to have a nice time. It seems odd to me that a group of guests for no apparent reason would threaten to do bodily harm to another guest for no reason whatsoever, no provocation, etc. Again, I was not there to observe any of what you describe. However, I can report that I left your husband two messages to address the complaints made upon check out to Savannah, and the demand for a one night refund, but I never received a call back. Yet, our General Manager, Jessica, a female, called and received an immediate call back from your husband. As per Jessica, your husband was rude, aggressive, hostile and cared more about retribution than having a rational conversation about the events that supposedly occurred during the vacation stay. As someone who unfortunately has some past experience with explosive verbally abusive people, and those around them constantly walking on egg shells and enabling, I find it very interesting that you were assigned/tasked with the chore to write this negative review, some of which was relaying second hand information, rather than your husband who seemingly was involved directly with these conversations/incidents. Nonetheless, I once again apologize that we were not able to provide the anniversary trip you were hoping to experience. I also apologize for being direct and to the point in my response, not aimed to embarrass but rather to set the record straight with prospective guests. We did refund the one night stay as per your request and I am happy to have a conversation with you or your husband about what occurred, this review and how we can improve in the future to assure wonderful vacation stays for all of our guests. Jason G. Barnett, Owner of The Artist House
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This was a splurge for me but upon arrival I had no regrets. My room was the Sun Room up a rather steep flight of stairs but nothing scary just maybe not the right room choice if you have more than carryon luggage.. This is the smallest room but very pretty with a silver painted , ornate bed and louvered windows on 2 sides. got a tour of some other rooms, bigger and more expensive but really lovely and well decorated in a Victorian style. Anne and Sean were very warm and welcoming and I enjoyed chatting with them. They made me feel at home. Breakfastoffers many choices hot and cold and mimosas ! afternoon happy hour with good choice of wines and beers. A jacuzzi pool in a beautiful setting with garden tables and chairs and a beautiful front porch with oversized Alice in W onderland chairs and purple floodlights where I enjoyed sitting in the evening. Just a block off Duval, great location. Rooms have coffee makers fridges, plenty hot water in the shower, very clean. cookies left out in the evening. reception closes at 5pm but after hour arrivals can be arranged. Wonderful stay and I can't wait to come back.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:this is a destination in itself.see the sights but spend some time enjoying this lovely house and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jason Barnett, Owner at Artist House
Responded 26 Sept 2024
Ruth, Thank you for taking the time to post your “A Little Bit of Paradise” Review of The Artist House. It was very heart warming to read you review because you touched on so many things that make a stay at The Artist House special. As you mentioned, Key West is a very expensive place to visit and for many it is out of reach to stay. We have done our very best to make a stay at The Artist House worth every penny paid, especially compared to our peers and the resort hotels in town. The Artist House is not only competitively priced but we are one of the few lodging establishments that still includes a home made complimentary breakfast and happy hour to enjoy. Regrettably, many of our historic guesthouses have been bought out by professional management companies and the first thing they have cut out is the complimentary breakfast and happy hour. Most of the big box hotels are charging rates up to 100% more than our daily rate. So thank you for recognizing the extra efforts of our staff and the high quality extras included in your vacation stay at The Artist House. So, thank you again for your kind words, patronage and we certainly look forward to seeing you back soon at The Artist House. — Jason and Lori Barnett, Owners’ of The Artist House
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we do carry that...just let us know when before you arrive so we can stock up more....
wow I cant believe we did not see this in NOV...its not a site i look for emails...so sorry
Carlos
Are you really a relative of Eugene Otto? If so, how are you related? If you are really related, I would love to chat with you about your relationship and inquire if you have any items that link Eugene to the House (ie pictures, paintings, etc.). We have acquired a couple of Eugene’s works and may be purchasing more of his paintings. As for the tour, of course! Even if you are not really related, we would love to give you a tour of our home and our gardens.
Gary P, Just let our manager know you need more towels and we will happy to oblige. We hope you bring them back from your trip along with plenty of incredible pictures and memories.
There are more places to choose from in the Key West area.
PRICE RANGE
RM 1,140 - RM 1,655 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
artist house hotel key west
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaFlorida KeysKey West
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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