Enjoying the Beautiful Faro Blanco Resort on Marathon – Peaceful AND Fun

Staying at the Faro Blanco Resort is a whole vibe. It’s the yacht club decor with the beach club amenities. The Faro Blanco Resort is a quiet escape on Marathon or it can be a fun family hotel. I really this property and it feels unique among the many resorts we’ve tried throughout the Keys.

Have you gotten to spend a few days here at the Faro Blanco Resort? If you haven’t yet, perhaps you’ll consider it once you see just how pleasant it is. Pleasant: that’s the perfect way to describe our time here. If you have any questions about our stay at the Faro Blanco or planning your visit to Marathon, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a memorable, relaxing visit to the Florida Keys.

Why Stay at the Faro Blanco Resort

I really have come to prefer a quiet stay to a party place, even though I do love the vibes of an afternoon pool party. I think that’s what I enjoy about staying at the Faro Blanco. You have ample quiet space but if you’re in the mood to be someplace more upbeat you’ve got the marina pool and the open air bar. If you’re in recovery mode from having several days of non-stop activities in Key West (like is the case for us whenever we have a stay on Marathon) you can easily find a shady hammock or poolside chair to fall asleep reading in.

The Faro Blanco Resort is mature but also welcoming. It’s mellow, but also located in a great spot for having a very active Florida Keys vacation. The only thing I wish the Faro Blanco Resort had is a beach, but with two pools and plenty of other ways to unwind, it’s not a problem that there’s not immediate beach access. Also, THIS hotel has a partner hotel just a hundred yards away on the same marina, the Faro Blanco Courtyard Marriott, which guests also have access to. This means you have double the space and amenities, including another fun pool area.

As a bonus, if you’re like us and like to travel within certain brands and take part in loyalty programs and such, the Faro Blanco Resort is actually a Hilton Curio property (like Baker’s Cay on Key Largo).

Book the Faro Blanco Resort here!

Room Options at the Faro Blanco Resort

There aren’t a lot of room type choices at the Faro Blanco Resort, but the rooms are quite large, so hopefully you’ll be comfortable. There are either rooms with two queen beds or one king bed, and all rooms have a very comfortable sleeper sofa. Really, the rooms are very long with a great amount of space, desk space, large bathrooms… They’re great. They don’t have balconies or patios, but have floor to ceiling windows with wonderful light.

Faro Blanco Resort Amenities

The Faro Blanco Resort is located just off the marina so the very first thing that comes to mind as an amenity is boat moorage and boating access. We don’t have our own boat so it’s not something we need, but we do sometimes do charters and different boat tours, so being able to to go right from the property is a luxurious option. Again though, I don’t know how many people need moorage. T

he pools at the Faro Blanco Resort are lovely. There are two directly on the property: one next to the marina and the other set back away from the main resort grounds. I like this second pool the most as it’s more quiet and has lots of lounge space. The marina pool is great too, and it’s fun, but when I’m in decompression mode, a quiet area is my goal. Also, remember that as a guest you also get swimming pool access to the Faro Blanco Courtyard Marriott next door.

There are lots of hammocks and outdoor seating areas around the Faro Blanco Resort, including a large fire pit area. Nightly s’mores are a nice touch when you’re staying here, and you don’t even need to be roughing it like when you get to make s’mores during camping trips. And yes, there is also a really nice fitness center located at the entry of the main hotel building. I love getting to maintain my workout routine when I travel, so this was nice to have.

Here’s the list of amenities:

• WiFi
• bicycle rental for 2 per room, limited availability
• beach chairs, umbrellas & coolers
• beach shuttle
  daily cocktail at front desk
• recreational equipment including pool floats, volleyball, ping pong tables & cornhole
• morning yoga/meditation session
• historical lighthouse tours

The Ocean Spa at Faro Blanco Resort

I’m all about taking time for myself when I can, and I think that’s a healthy habit, including when you’re already on a lovely trip and are in vacation mode. Newly opened in 2025, the Ocean Spa is a beautiful space here at the Faro Blanco Resort. yes, they have all the treatments you might hope for, from massages to skin treatments, but what caught my eye and I really enjoyed was actually being able to do a day pass to the spa.

After spending eight days on the road, checking myself into the Ocean Spa for an afternoon of quiet and calm was maybe one of my favorite activities during the whole trip. Moving from the steam room to the cool, quiet lounge space to the calming patio, enjoying my book… perfect afternoon. Access to the Ocean Spa is an additional fee, but I absolutely felt that my $25 pass was worth it (prices subject to change).

Dining at the Lighthouse Kitchen and Bar

The Lighthouse Kitchen and Bar at the Faro Blanco Resort is one of the nicest dining experiences I’ve had throughout the Florida Keys. We’ve eaten here when we weren’t staying and had several meals as guests and the experience is consistent. While dinner is lovely and the menu really leans into the readily available fresh seafood, my favorite meal at the Lighthouse Kitchen and Bar is actually breakfast.

The portions are hardy and the menu is FRESH. Between the wonderfully Florida Keys yucca or the crab cake benedict, or the EPIC avocado toast, the breakfast menu is the best I’ve seen in Marathon and really is one of the best dining values in the Keys. Happy hour over at the bar is also really nice. We enjoyed both bar drinks and beverages by the pool, taking advantage of happy hour pricing and special drink options. A great experience all around. No notes.

Tip: if you’re just looking for coffee and a pastry or breakfast sandwich, there’s also a small coffee counter located in the lobby called El Farito. They serve all day long.

Faro Blanco Resort Parking Information

The parking at the Faro Blanco Resort is convenient, located right next to the main hotel buildings. Self park is $20 per day and you’ll get a hang tag for your car. There is no valet parking, but you won’t need it because the parking is so close. There are EV charging stations if you need that.

Activities and Sights Near the Faro Blanco Resort

I like the location of the Faro Blanco Resort because it’s halfway through the Keys and is actually one of the bigger towns of the Florida Keys. There are lots of restaurants nearby and tons of things to do, from public beaches to guided tours. Here are our top picks for things to do near the Faro Blanco, all within a 20 minute drive.

• Historic Pigeon Key – really interesting tour and site
• Sombrero Beach – nice beach park with actual sand
• Crane Point Hammock – super cool trails, nature and fish pedicures
• Starfish Catamaran Snorkeling – my favorite snorkeling tour in all of the Florida Keys
• Kayaking at Curry Hammock State Park – very nice paddling trail with lots of wildlife
• Charter fishing – Marathon is THE place to depart from for fishing
• Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital – a great place to learn about turtles and the ocean ecosystem
• Coco Plum Beach – another nice beach park with good sand