Key West: An Insider's Guide to Navigating the Duval Street Hotel Scene and Saving Big

When you're planning your trip to Key West, it's all too easy to be enchanted by the glitz and glamour of Duval Street. However, as enticing as it may seem, booking a hotel on this iconic street might not live up to your expectations. Why you ask? Well, it's a combination of old-fashioned charm, inflated prices, and a distinct aroma that reminds us of something best left unsaid."

"Let's be honest, who doesn't love a little bit of character? But these hotels on Duval Street take it to a whole new level. The rooms are filled with the sweet scent of aged glamour peppered with an overwhelming aroma of old urine. It's like stepping into a time machine that requires a hazmat suit. Seriously, when we booked into one of these hotels on Duval, we legitimately thought it was a kitschy motel replicating the experience of a post-apocalyptic world."

"To make matters worse, staying on Duval Street will probably cost you an arm, a leg, and maybe a kidney. The hotels on this street seem to operate on the principle that 'excessively overpriced everything' is the new black. It's as if they're trying to offset the smell of stale urine with the price tag. The real trick is to avoid these hotels and find alternative lodgings - like maybe booking a room in a less smelly, less old-fashioned igloo on the moon."

"If you thought Airbnb was your saving grace, think again! It's no surprise that many Airbnbs in Key West are more expensive than actual hotels. It seems like they saw what the hotels were charging and thought, 'That's cute, but it could be so much more extravagant.' For the price of an Airbnb, you could probably buy a whole week on Duval Street, but maybe, just maybe, you'd prefer not to live in a hotel room that doubles as a urinal."

"So if you're trying to navigate the Key West hotel maze, forget Duval Street. Instead, try the classic 'dealer's choice' on Priceline or Hotwire's 'hot rate' mystery hotels. You'll get better places for less money, and who knows? You might even end up in a hotel that doesn't smell like a public toilet. Plus, it's like playing a game of hotel roulette - except you win instead of passing out in a suspicious puddle."