Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Little Torch Key / Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
Little Torch Key, Florida, United States · Independent · Apex Luxury
Charles Newton Munson settled this five-acre coral key in the 1920s and planted the palms that still shade it, and by Prohibition its remoteness made it a handy waypoint for rum-runners moving product through the Keys. In 1962 it stood in for a Pacific island in PT-109, the film of JFK's wartime story, and Joseph Kennedy had electricity run out just for his son's visit. Hurricane Irma swept away most of it in 2017, and a $34 million rebuild reopened it in 2019. MICHELIN gave it Three Keys in 2025.
- 30 rooms
- Opened 1988
- Neighborhood: Florida
- Rooms from 550 sq ft (51 m²)
About Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
- Bess and Harry Truman fished these flats back in the 1940s, when the island was still a private retreat.
- World Travel Awards named it Florida's Most Romantic Resort in 2025.
- The smallest published suite or villa start at 550 sq ft (51 m²).
History
Little Munson Island, as it was originally known, is a five-acre coral key in the Lower Florida Keys, accessible only by boat or seaplane and sitting in the shallow flats southwest of Little Torch Key. Charles Newton Munson, the island's first recorded inhabitant, planted the palms that still shade the property and built a house and cistern in the 1920s, establishing the self-sufficient settlement that gave the island his name. During Prohibition, the island's remoteness made it a useful waypoint for rum-runners moving product through the Keys. By the 1940s it had become a favored fishing retreat; Bess and Harry Truman were among those who came here for the offshore sport fishing that the flats and nearby reef systems provided.
In 1962 the island gained its most cinematically significant moment when it served as a filming location for PT-109, the story of John F. Kennedy's wartime exploits starring Cliff Robertson. Kennedy's father Joseph had electricity run to the island for his son's visit. The island was purchased by U.S. Senator John Spottswood and passed through private ownership until it opened as a resort in the 1980s under the name Little Palm Island. Noble House Hotels and Resorts acquired the property in 1996 and developed it into the adults-only retreat it remains today, with thirty thatched-roof bungalow suites spread across the island's five acres, a spa, a beachside pool, and a dining room in the Great House that earns serious culinary attention on its own terms.
Hurricane Irma struck the Keys in September 2017 with devastating force, and the island absorbed the full impact of that storm, with much of the physical plant swept into the sea. A $34-million reconstruction followed, and the resort reopened in 2019 with the Great House rebuilt and the bungalows restored or replaced, the same island in a renewed body. MICHELIN recognized Little Palm Island with Three Keys in its 2025 guide — the highest tier of its inaugural American hotel listing.
The setting
5 miles from National Key Deer Refuge. 29 miles from Key West International Airport.
Experiences
- Vintner's Voyage — Three-day wine and culinary weekend, 20–22 November 2026, marking Penfolds Grange's 75th anniversary with Chief Winemaker Peter Gago.
- Full Island Buyouts — Exclusive use of the whole island, offering complete seclusion and personalised service.
- Culinary Masterpieces — Elevated island cuisine with custom menus, curated pairings and creative details.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Beach
- Water sports
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Recommended (2026)
- MICHELIN Three Keys (2026)
- Andrew Harper Members Choice (2025)
- Florida's Most Romantic Resort 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
Open Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.