Banana Bay Resort and Marina

Excellent service, clean and strong docks.

Banana Bay is the very best protected marina on the Gulf side of Marathon. We have been wintering here for 6 seasons and have already made our reservation for next season. For our first few winters, many of the same boats and friends returned. It's a very friendly and social group although Docktails where the dock meets the beach isn't as regular as it used to be to chat and watch the sunset. Our dockmaster has been very helpful and whenever a boat enters the basin, many of the residents scurry over to lend a hand with dock lines. Many of the tenants are very experienced mariners. There's one couple that has completed the great loop 7 times and written two books about it. The dock decking is Ipe wood and doesn't get any better than that. What you pay is all-inclusive. You get electric, water and pump-out. The WiFi is a bit of a challenge in some places. There used to be cable TV but cable boxes are no longer supplied. The large pool is quite nice and kept about 87°. The Jacuzzi is also lovely. Hotel management and policy seems to change more frequently than most places but most of that doesn't affect the marina much. The slips on the east side should be avoided in a North-West to North breeze. There are frequently manatee and lobster in the basin. Home Depot is directly across the highway and the two groceries are within a mile. There are good restaurants nearby. The movies and community theater are an easy walk. There are a fair number of places with live music on the island. Just ask your boat neighbors about where to go for just about anything.

Perfect, great location. Laid back, fun, and easy. Dock master is very helpful as is the rest of the staff.

This marina never disappoints…amazing and people…will come back

We stayed at the marina from early Jan2023 to Mar 31 2023, the dock master was great, wifi sometimes sketchy but facilities were great been staying during the winter since 2012, close to everything and great price. No tv but who needs it?

The 2 reasons. for this not being a 4 star review are extremely poor WiFi and no access to TV and no accomodations for either. The other aspects of our stay were very good.

Everything clean plenty of room nice helpful people.

i like the docks the water and power access where easy to reach the boat ramp on site was good a little short but if you launch and load on a high tide its very doable i have a 24ft Sea fox viper they also sell ice very convenient all in all it was a good experience

Our 10th year in a row keeping our boat there. Quiet, protective area with everything you may need.

Visit to Banana Bay Marina was excellent. Had slip 10 which was good and convenient to our unit at the Marathon Key Beach Club. Hope next year I can either have slip 10 or 12. Only negative was the wind blew 15 to 25 MPH every day which curtailed our offshore fishing. Lobstering was fair.

Kept our 27' CC at the Marina during Lobster mini-season 2022. It was good for our needs as we were staying next door at the Marathon Key Beach Club which shares the marina property. Doris the Dockmaster was very accommodating and friendly. Only reason not for a 5 star review was the boat ramp was not really usable for our size boat. As other reviews indicate, the ramp is steep, short, and tight. We used the 33rd Street public ramp down the road without issue and it was a short bat ride back to our slip.

The Mariana was clean on the smaller boat side but if you walk along the side with the bigger boats it does get messy. We enjoyed most of our stay at the Mariana except for people who fish off the rocky beach area and throw the fish carcass back in the Marina and two days when we were coming in we had people fishing on our slip and they acted like they did not want to move so we could pull into our slip. The ramp does need a good bit of improvement and we never even saw the dock master so I do not have an opinion on her.

Decent place to park your boat.

Look forward to coming back next year the Dockmaster is great. She’s accommodating and keeps tabs on your boats

The marina is decent but the boat ramp needs major improvement. You can’t get your boat into the water in a low tide so unless you plan on showing up super early your boat is not going in the water. There is a near by ramp you can drop off but it becomes really inconvenience.

The resort was more of a motel than a resort. However the front desk was nice and friendly and the rooms were clean. Someone in our building the front one by the road smoked weed the entire time we was there which I hate that smell and it was awful my kids kept asking what that was. As for the Marina I’m ashamed for the people that run that place. We were assigned slip 26 for our boat 1 week prior to our visit. When we arrived I confirmed with the female doc master that that was our spot and we launched our boat on the ramp that is very steep and short with a drop off into rocks. But that was fine we were happy to be there. After first day out someone was in our slip. We laughed it off and moved the small pontoon to back of our boat. Well then it started. Management came out and said they were calling law and we broke the law. I simply said this is the slip we were assigned. And showed the manager our email from docwa. The manager said that we could just leave if it were up to him. Finally we got it worked out. Next day out we come back in and shire enough the local charter boat was in my slip. So we just decided we were not welcome. And called front desk to get docmaster to open the cable gate for us to remove our boat. After about 15 minutes the dockmaster came out of her sailboat which is parked next to the dock shack and opened gate for us to leave. Not a word was spoken to is. 2 golf carts arrived im assuming property owners boat owners like we were going to move the charter boat or make a scene. I’ve never felt so unwanted in my life. This is a cult at that Marina they have a few long terms in there and they don’t want anyone in there and it shows. I hope the true owner of this Marina knows about how outsiders are treated here. We left 2 days early and paid nearly $500 for a boat slip that was never really our boat slip. I hate the new world we’re living in.

The dock master was supreme in her job. The marina was a great experience.

Simply perfect, Doris (dock master) is amazing!!! She run all marina in outstanding way! Because of her hospitality and marina facilities we prolonged our stay at banana and cancel the second marina that was reserved!

Hotel needs work. Needs to be cleaned. Pool area needs a refresh. Heater for pool needs to be turned off once the Air temperature reaches 80 or so. Was looking forward to a cool dip and it was warm, so not very refreashing. Vending machine didnt work. Website says "Marina" this is an absolute fabrication of the truth. There is a shack with an ice machine. The dockmaster was very nice so that was a plus. I called before hand to arrange a dock slip gave my boat size and that I was bringing it on a trailer. My boat "26ft" is the absolute largest this ramp will allow. There are 2 ways to get to the ramp make certain if you go you enter from the South "only" entrance while pulling a boat, then transition through the parking lot directly behind the main hotel to the North route to the ramp. I made the mistake of continuing through the South entrance. Nothing broken but EXTREMELY TIGHT. This boat ramp is very challenging to an experienced person, however there is another launch option North of the hotel. 33rd street has a ramp which I highly recommend. I used credit card points and got the night down to $160ish. The normal $400 a night is common in the Keys but way over priced for this Hotel. The Boat slip was an additional $4.25 or $4.50 a foot. So over another $100 a day for me with a 26 foot boat. I liked the idea if hotel "Marina" and boat slip. They fell way short of the experience and non existing Marina. I say go somewhere else.

Great little marina with pool and restaurants. Dorris is there for your every need and everybody is very friendly. Publix and Home Depot are walkable. Sombrero Beach is a short Uber ride. The marina could use some new shower facilities just for marina residents. Other than that, we had a fantastic stay.

The marina is lovely and easily accessible. Trailer parking on site. The boat ramp however is unusable. It’s extremely steep and loaded with 12 inches or more of seaweed. Literally no one uses it. We had to go down the street to a public ramp. Which was fine but we should have been notified upon making a reservation that there is not, in fact a boat ramp.

We got lucky and get their only open slip! We spent a week there and explored the Keys by rental car (you can use the Keys shuttle system too). The Dock Master, Doris, was friendly and helpful. The only knock we’re the bathrooms/showers. They were well below standard - dirty floors, toilets and showers.

We were a little misled…. The ramp is impossible to use. Had to use the public ramp to launch boat. No one told us it was for 12’ Jon boats. The water hose was 6’ long. Had to go to Home Depot and buy a longer water hose. The dock aster knew we were fishing and staged us at the opposite side of Marina from fish cleaning area. Very disappointed.

The dock slip was very convenient. As stated on Dockwa the slip had power and freshwater hookup. The marina lead directly out to the Gulf so very easy access. The only issue: It Should be stated very clearly somewhere on Dockwa that the Ramp is very short for launching a boat. My boat is 22ft and I could not launch at this ramp. I had to launch at the nearest public ramp, which was fine, but it should have been known ahead of time. Make a maximum boat size to launch listed for this marina.

I loved Banana Bay when I first arrived..the boaters were like family. In August, everything changed, as management shifted to some of the most arrogant, inexperienced people at the office and the dockmaster started barking orders without even knowing the people or having knowledge of the boaters there. On the second day of new management we were ordered that Everything was to be removed, bikes, dock boxes, our plastic chairs ect! We were told they were fire hazards!!! Right!!! Don’t talk to us or treat us like 3 year olds! Most of the live a boards are educated people. The fire hazards are the pedestals, 3 boats hooked into one at a couple locations as most don’t work. That is the true hazard! Cable is non existent although promised, the hot tub has been out of order for a year or more, and two weeks ago the pool was operating without a pump to circulate and clean(a major issue due to disease)…the bathrooms are disgusting…not sure how often they are cleaned in a months time…have yet to see a clean one … we are not allowed to buy ice from the Marina ice box…it is for the motel since no machines work there! Constantly being threatened to remove our items off dock (what they didn’t take (steal) from us..we were given 48 hours to remove or they would. Our fire hazard chairs went up to the employees house for them to use! (Managements Family I believe) …and they charge resort prices for the place..we had friends visit and stay there…I was so sorry we recommended as we didn’t know how lazy the front office can be, they don’t answer phones, take the front parking spaces that should be for customers and I could continue on! The little yard maintenance girl is the only one I’ve seen working her butt off…doing to many jobs with to many hats! Are we (the business) looking for a tax write off so we run the business into the ground??? So yes it was a good feeling to leave, before I’m threatened to be kicked out for saying anything to see fair treatment to your boaters, your clients, your livelihood…one star is to much for this dirty place!

Doris, the dockmaster, was very accomodating our whole 2 day stay. Her staff member, we think his name was George, gave us a ride to a marine store as we needed to fix a steering issue. The docks are nice, ice is available. We used instacart to have groceries delivered from Publix which was only .5 mile away. Will walk to HomeDepot today and leave tomorrow morning.

The resort were awesome. Clean and good.. The marina and slip were great. The only thing is the ramp is not suitable for boats over 19 or 20 feet. There is a deep drop few feet after water level. If you have a bigger boat or longer trailer you will lose an axle or unable to retrieve your boat. I have to launch it in a public marina close by. The 33rd Street public ramp. It would be good if the ramp can be filled and repair. Other than that the stay was great.

We stayed at the Banana Bay Resort in July for 6 Days. ( 4 Boats) The entire time we were there, there was NO DOCK Master. We had to walk out to Overseas Highway or call uber to go to the store and buy ice. Electrical and Plumbing on pedestals not working correctly.. Bathrooms Need updating. Pool had a very ugly ring of mold all around and a loose electric wire.

I think its ridiculous to have pay top dollar for a resort where I have to take out my own trash and ask for more towels. My room was over flowing with garbage. The dockmaster was fired so we had to argue with other boaters for our boat slip and plead that we paid for our spot. I spent hundreds on a slip and people were un tying our boat and moving it. Very unhappy experience. The cleaning people were very nice and helpful when you saw them. The ice machine was out of order the whole time in our hallway. Infind this every unacceptable. We had dirty towels everywhere and no where to put them. The rooms was nice but needed daily cleaning. The tiki was nice and staff was pleaseant. I enjoyed chatting with Troy the bartender. He was kind and professional. Office staff was friendly and kind.

Great place! Nice updated rooms and great marina. Only reason for not giving 5 stars was lack of ice and the pool needs a lot of updating. The 8 foot deep part of the pool is basically unusable for most people so everyone crowds into the shallow end. Not sure if a pool “cooler” is possible but the water is way too hot (like 95 degrees). Also the pool bar was never open. The bar on the point was great for sunsets!

I stay at Marathon Key Beach Club located on the same grounds. I rent a slip for a week and am satisfied overall. I have been renting a slip every year for 30 years. The harbor waters are always calm. The Dockmasters I have encountered are always friendly and helpful. They have water and electric hookups at every slip included with the slip rental. There are restrooms, showers, and laundry for renters. They have a a huge pool and hot tub that slip renters may use. Publix supermarket, Home Depot, West Marine, Sombrero Beach, and local restaurants and shops are nearby. The 7 Mile bridge is 2 miles west of the marina which leads out to the Atlantic Ocean and Sombrero Reef which is a beautiful snorkeling and diving site. Great Mahi Mahi fishing offshore. The bay side is ideal for watersports of all kinds. Overall, Banana Bay Marina is a great location in the middle keys for everything boating. Key West is only 49 miles west of the marina for those who like to sightsee, barhop, and party.

We come down here every year, and have to say the new dockmaster is very attentive and friendly. The wifi connection isn’t great at the marina but fair in the resort areas. We pass through Banana Bay specifically because the marina is well protected and you get access to the pool. Be back soon!

It wasn’t very clean. Trash cans not emptied every day. Docks weren’t blown off leaves on they. It wasn’t staffed at all.

Absolutely the worst marina experience in 13 years of boating. Where to begin? Shower/bath facilities are atrocious. Pump out only once per week, on their schedule. The entire facility is falling apart. Pool closed. Hot tub closed. Laundry room floods every time you do a load. Internet is down most of the time and if you do get a signal you have to be sitting in front of the dockmaster's office. We have been coming here seasonally for over 10 years and this will be our last.

A nice small marina on the NW side of Marathon. Since it is connected with a resort, the amenities of the pool, tennis courts, bikes, and lounges on the sandy areas were nice. It certainly was not at its peak and they could use a bit more maintenance all around the resort and marina but very satisfactory. It is a good location to get to Pubix, Home Depot and Marathon Park. Very nice tropical vegetation around. Bathroom/shower facilities were just okay, but we don’t usually use them, so not a big concern for us. We had some north, NE winds with which we were concerned, but we did not rock much at all, so we’re very pleased.

Place was clean. Staff was great.

Plus’s - slips are inexpensive with electric and water. Parking lot right next to marina. Sandy point and hammocks are pretty nice. To be fair, we stayed on our boat and didn’t see the rooms. Con’s - Harbor has a ton of accumulatesd smelly sea grass, no marina staff, no ice, jacuzzi wasn’t working, pool was cloudy and had lots of foliage debris. Thank God my boat has its own shower. Marina unsecured. Sandy point overtaken by locals and other non-guests to go shark fishing at night. They were still sleeping on the lounge chairs when we left the marina this morning. Good price for a slip, but I won’t be back.

Friendly staff, Marina was secure and had everything we needed. Will stay there again.

Great marina. Easy to access and nice to have not only power and water but pump out too right at the dock.

We stayed at Marathon Key Beach Club and kept our boat at Banana Bay's Marina. Couldn't have been more perfect! Really appreciated that water was included in the rate for the week.

There was no dock master, no one to tell us where to keep the boat. Never saw anyone all week. Called a left a message for the dock master that was provided my the hotel front desk and never got a call back.

My wife and I stayed here for a long weekend over the dates of May 7-10, 2010. What a relaxing place to stay. Our room had a view of the new marina with great sunrises and wonderful sunsets. the room was very clean and the bed conforatable. The new Dock Master Larry is very friendly and accommodating nothing was too much to ask for. The fresh water pool was wonderful and the Tikki bar was a nice pool side treat. The rum runners are the best I've ever had (special recipe I was told) The staff through out the property was very friendly and helpful. The GM has really turned things around since the last time we visited. We could see now why their tag line is "Where tranquility has a place" we can't wait to go back.