A Slice of Heaven in Islamorada

Welcome to Casa Morada, our own little paradise. It is a charming and historic boutique hotel with 16 guest suites. There is an expansive and private garden full of native and exotic plants and private little nooks for exploring or reading, and on our private island, we have a freshwater pool, boathouse bar, and hideaway loft. Guests can get a glimpse of manatees or dolphins while watching our stunning sunsets.

A creative confluence

The Concept

Casa Morada was originally a 1950s motel designed with classic art deco lines and motifs, cream exteriors, and clean decor lines that spoke of Florida’s rich history of architecture and interior design. It was then purchased by Miami furniture designer Robert Pariente and Guy Posschelle, and they single-handedly transformed it into what it is today, Casa Morada.

Their original concept was to design an aesthetically pleasing hotel that renewed travellers’ energy and connections with each other by transforming the rooms into spacious suites that prioritize conversation, intimacy, and shared relaxation. The hotel doesn’t feature a restaurant or bar as they wanted to convey the feeling of visiting a home away from home and has Mediterranean-style features, simple decor, and delightful furniture pieces, many of which were made by Pariente and his brother Marc, also a furniture designer, at their studio in Mexico.

Pariente describes his concept for Casa Morada as 'serenity confirmed by reassuring items that are not too modern and not too stark'. The walls are serene colors—peach, green or blue. Often, they are devoid of decoration except for a mirror or a couple of framed photographs. Think terrazzo floors; sheer floating white curtains on black metal rods; funky metal clothes trees shaped like a woman; mini armoires with shutter doors (for TV, dishes, coffeemaker and small refrigerator), Greek-inspired mahogany benches with leather webbing, wrought iron canopy beds, and Artemide contemporary lamps. Together, they convey a sense of lived-in simplicity and relaxation.

The Look

Part of the charm of Casa Morada is its extensive gardens and private island, which is accessible by bridge and houses our outdoor bar area and pool. The designer of our outdoor space is renowned landscape architect Raymond Jungles (yes, that is his real last name). He describes his work at Casa as ‘one of the best things he’s ever done'. His creative impact is evident as soon as you pull up to the 1.7-acre site and see how he transformed an asphalt parking lot with a hodgepodge of plants and trees into an intimate garden space anchored by a trio of painted concrete monoliths framed with gumbo limbo trees and the Aechmea ‘Dean’ bromeliads. These dense and lush plants convey a sense of rich tropical jungle and dense plant life, and have also inspired many native birds, butterflies, and reptiles to call the garden their home.

On the flip side of the main building, Jungles created a limestone grotto, which creates a cool micro-climate. He moved big trees to other locations on the property, tore down the old boathouse to enhance the water view, and built a bocce court. He tore down the concrete wall that separated Casa from our private island and instead installed a small sand beach for the comfort and delight of guests. What had previously been a small and sparse garden between parking spots is now one of Casa Morada’s biggest features, with small reading nooks nestled amongst the foliage, and thriving wildlife to delight and enchant all guests.

If you are interested in hearing more about Raymond Jungles and his concepts, he has recently published a book named 'The Colors of Nature: Subtropical Gardens' (Monacelli Press, $50). It is a compendium of 24 gardens illustrated by 180 color photographs. The projects range from an informal green space in Panama’s Pearl Islands to a home on the Indian River in Stuart that features Florida plants and noninvasive species from the tropics and subtropics.

Objects of Desire

If you like it, you can buy it. To-die-for comfort of a Beautyrest mattress ($450) on a mahogany platform bed ($1,900 for California king) that makes watching TV in bed nirvana. The secret: Underneath the headboard’s washable terrycloth slipcover is the same elastic webbing used on the base of a sofa. Also, candelabra tree ($280 for floor model and $190 for tabletop) and shaker-style nightstand ($950).

Amenities and Offerings

Casa Morada is committed to providing the best in home comforts as well as wellness treats and options for you and your fellow travelers to optimize your Florida Keys vacation. Along with the amenities that are available in every suite, every guest can expect a yoga mat in their rooms for stretching and meditating under the suns bright rays (or for joining our yoga classes whenever possible!), as well as access to our stash of paddle boards, kayaks, and bicycles for getting out and about on surf and on turf.

The grounds at Casa Morada are optimized for relaxation, so be sure to explore and find swings, hammocks, pillowed conversation pits, and more, including the pool on our private island. We firmly believe that wellness and adventure can go readily hand in hand, so we invite you to explore the best we have to offer in terms of personal optimization and relaxation.