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Inspired by the romance of Cuba’s Golden Age, Playa Cristal is a residential resort in Key Largo, blending elements of iconic Cuba with references to Hemingway’s fiction — a true balance of masculine life spent outdoors and the romance of Latin culture on the beach.Step aboard and set sail to the south, where the pages of time turn back to the richness and splendor of Havana at its height.
Experience the elegance, reverence and devotion synonymous with a Cuban way of life.
Carved from a 12-acre, waterfront hammock this piece of barefoot luxury features crystal-clear waters, sandy beach bottom and spectacular sunsets over Florida Bay. Located at mile marker 97.5 in Key Largo, less than an hour’s drive from Miami International Airport, Playa Cristal is situated in the heart of the “Diving Capital of the World,” sandwiched between the watery wilderness of the Everglades National Park to the west and the fish-covered coral formations of North America’s only living coral barrier reef to the east, giving way to an aquatic playground.
Authentic Cuban Architecture
Playa Cristal features four distinct residence options:
AQUA - Beach cottages where the front yard is Playa Cristal. Awake each morning and stroll from the extensive master bedroom to a lavish second-story porch overlooking the turquoise waters of Florida Bay. Then return in the evening to a front-row seat for the majesty and drama of your personal Florida Keys sunset. Downstairs, generous living space flows from a lush kitchen with island bar, and then outside where the back door literally leads to the sands of Playa Cristal.
FUENTES - Semi-private enclave of two-story cottages centered on gardens and water features as an expression of the beach. Outside views enjoyed from unique perspectives thanks to reverse floor plans. A large living room and kitchen spans the second floor, wrapped by balconies along two sides. Downstairs, two baths and two bedrooms open to private patios, while expansive window dormers flood stairwells with light.
QUINTA BUNGALOW & SUITES - Tucked into the thick preserve of a natural Florida hammock — the ultimate in secluded living. Privacy extends from inside to out, where gracious decks and balconies are carved from a canopy of Florida hardwood. These cousin residences share many features, including a single upstairs bedroom with exposed-beam vaulted ceilings and downstairs hot tub decks.
MARQUESA - Basking in eclectic Cuban colors, Marquesa Residences are found both on Playa Cristal beach and overlooking a lush, tropical pool with extended views of Florida Bay. Back porch lounging is highlighted by fanciful tile and private outdoor showers.
Kayaking, windsurfing and parasailing — every aquatic whim is available in this fishing, boating and diving paradise, just minutes from the first undersea park in history. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary encompass 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangrove swamps
Some of the best charter captains and fishing guides in the world work out of Key Largo, where battles reminiscent of Old Man and the Sea abound — sailfish offshore, bonefish along the Atlantic shallows and redfish and tarpon in Florida Bay.