The Southernmost House

The Southernmost House sits at the literal end of Duval Street, where the road runs out at the Atlantic Ocean near the Southernmost Point marker. The mansion at the center of the property dates to 1897 and has served an unusually varied history over the decades, including stints as a private residence, a casino and, according to the property, even a speakeasy during Prohibition. That kind of layered past is common to a handful of Key West’s oldest buildings, but few have been converted to lodging as directly as this one.

Today the property operates as an adults-only oceanfront hotel, with an infinity pool positioned to take advantage of the water views and an adjacent structure known as the Ramos Lopez House adding further guest capacity. The on-site Seaside Cafe gives guests a restaurant option without leaving the grounds, a genuine convenience given the property’s location at the far end of Duval, a longer walk back to the heart of Old Town’s dining scene than guests staying closer to the middle of the street.

Because of its position directly on the water and its history hosting visiting dignitaries over the decades, the hotel trades heavily on prestige and setting rather than positioning itself as a budget option. Rooms lean toward elegant, historically inflected decor rather than a beachy, casual style, in keeping with the mansion’s original character.

For travelers who want to stay at the literal southern end of Duval Street, directly on the ocean, with the historical weight of an 1897 mansion behind the property, The Southernmost House is one of the few Key West lodging options that can genuinely claim that exact location and backstory.

Guests wanting the classic Southernmost Point photo can walk there in just a couple of minutes, since the marker sits almost directly outside the property, which makes early morning or late evening visits to the buoy considerably easier than for guests staying elsewhere in Old Town during the busiest midday crowds. The oceanfront infinity pool offers a different vantage than the courtyard pools common at properties further from the water, and rooms on the upper floors of the mansion can catch genuine sea breezes that inland Old Town guesthouses simply cannot offer. Because the hotel sits at the far end of Duval, a bicycle or short taxi ride is worth considering for guests planning to spend most evenings near the Historic Seaport rather than walking the full length of the street each way.