As you pull into the driveway you realize immediately that this is no ordinary house. You are about to enter a unique experience combining a luxury vacation retreat with adventure and surprising fun. Designed with a serious “shipwreck” theme more for adults but can also be fun for kids!
As you open the handcrafted, custom-made oversized Spanish mission door you walk into a newly remodeled spacious open living area with wide open views through the huge sliding doors to the beautifully designed screened pool deck witnessing the quiet wilderness surrounding the canal behind the house. As you focus on the room at hand, you begin to notice that this house is a “ship” – you've come aboard a living history museum dedicated to teaching the history of pirates and sunken treasure in our area, while at the same time providing a luxurious escape with endless relaxation and some surprising fun sprinkled in. (See below for more info on the Escape Room game.)
In this “1715 Fleet Room” you will find artifacts, paintings and explanations to introduce you to the Spanish fleet that sunk nearby, leaving hordes of treasure to be recovered over the years. Our professional designer spent countless hours researching the history of how Spain gathered and shipped treasure and how most of that treasure was lost at sea just a few miles from this house! Note the weathered ship beam on the wall, salvaged by the owners recently from a local beach. See the accurate replica of a Spanish galleon of this period to get the feel for the type of ship you are now boarding. Among the many authentic ship artifacts on the wall you'll see actual coins and items recovered here locally from the Spanish ships that sank in 1715. But this room is much more than a “ship museum.” High quality leather furniture provides both bar seating as well as a luxurious sectional sofa recliner, situated to provide ideal viewing of the stunning 85-inch OLED TV. Among the unique handcrafted decorating you'll note the teakwood root sideboard and the beautiful walnut live-edge ceiling beam. Even the high-end throw blankets show that every comfort has been well thought out and designed for your relaxation and enjoyment.
Here you'll discover the fully equipped kitchen includes everything you need for preparing meals, including all dinnerware, pots and pans, blender, mixer, glassware, oversized refrigerator with water/ice dispenser, a separate wine/beer cooler situated on its own delightful bar with modern oceanic design elements. The brand new full sized wall oven and microwave plus a high end Miele five-burner stove make it possible to prepare elegant meals for your group in style. Beautiful natural quartzite countertops and walls with a huge center island show that much thought went into the kitchen to ensure every last detail was provided to meet your every desire or need. You will be delighted to wake up to the smell of coffee from the high end coffee machine and separate grinder located in the special coffee bar island. If you want to make a special latte, use the Nespresso machine and included pods and milk frother to curate that handcrafted touch.
As you walk forward toward the heated pool you enter the “Pirate Room” and see the impressive oversized “rope” lounge chairs situated strategically to overlook the pool and canal. Open the huge 16-foot sliders to hear the splashing of the waterfall in the pool and enjoy the full experience of being outdoors while still in your comfy chair! In this room you'll experience the true history of four of the most famous pirates from the “Golden Age of Pirates”. Blackbeard, “Black Sam” Bellamy, Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings are all featured here with the detailed account of their lives from Privateers to Pirates looting treasure and various pirate deeds. Around the room you'll see authentic ship décor like the salvaged ship's wheel and the worm wood ship hatch that serves as a convenient office desk. Or, pull up a seat on the authentic teakwood stools and play a game of checkers on the custom wooden checkerboard.
As you pass through the massive handcrafted wooden barn doors (designed professionally and custom-made for this house by a craftsman in Wisconsin) you will have entered a special room of the ship. The “Anne Bonny” room features famous female pirates Anne Bonny, Mary Read and Ching Shih. After reading the fascinating stories of their courageously bold lives, relax in the solid walnut and leather chairs with a huge woven ottoman. Set against a backdrop of a hand selected reclaimed brick wall illuminated by flickering lamps, this room is perfect for a private conversation while viewing the jasmine-filled pergola just beyond the doors.
Adjoining this room you will find the “Kip Wagner” room, named for the man who pioneered modern treasure hunting. Combining genuine artifacts with primary historical sources and technology, this room will give you a thorough introduction to the man Kip Wagner and how he rediscovered the forgotten ships of the 1715 fleet and began the process of recovering their treasure. The king-sized bed includes luxury Belgian flax linens from Pottery Barn. The wall-mounted “Frame” TV provides beautiful artwork for your pleasure when not being used as a TV. For your ultimate comfort the room includes an ensuite full bathroom tastefully decorated with shipwreck gold elements, as well as a huge walk-in closet for your storage.
On the other side of the house you'll find the stunning guest bathroom featuring the ever fantastical Kraken and his oceanic lair in astounding fashion including the designer's Italian commissioned handmade Kraken light fixture and don't forget the driftwood mirror made especially for this room sent from Turkey. You'll see that no detail or expense has been spared in this room as the noted Kraken's tentacles are etched into the glass surrounding the porcelain-tiled shower with river rock floor.
Moving into the “Atocha / Mel Fisher” room, where an oceanic theme abounds with exquisite photos of deep sea shipwreck diving. Here you can learn about the famous Mel Fisher and how he discovered the long-lost Spanish galleon “Atocha” and retrieved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of treasure. Authentic Atocha artifacts with interesting driftwood effects will leave you speechless.
As you pass down the hallway you'll note artwork on the wall from local Key West celebrity artist Rafael. These pieces were painted and signed especially for The Pearl.
At the end of the hallway you'll find the “Wreckers” room. This room relays the fascinating history of the wrecking industry in Key West in the early 1800’s. You will step back in time with locally hand painted Old Key West photos adorned with lobster trap frames and even a fun rooster to set the Old Key West mood. The relaxation amidst luxury linens on the queen-sized bed follows into the room along with a discreetly hidden TV behind a cabinet designed to make you feel more at home. The bed frame, bench and nightstand are all made from reclaimed Indonesian boat wood, all handcrafted in Key West. Open the French doors for your private direct access to the hot tub and screened pool deck. In this rooms closet you'll also find an additional twin size rollaway.
As you stroll outside you'll experience the enormous 1500 sq. ft. screen cage surrounding the upgraded paver pool deck. This space is so large that there are multiple areas to gather and relax. A large gathering area provides seating comfortably for up to seven people in high-quality sturdy wooden furniture. Enjoy the trendy concrete side tables as you sip your poolside beverages after you finish basking in the sun lounging on the curvy pool recliners. Enjoy a snack or meal at the large hightop table with bar stools. Unwind in the brand new top-end hot tub with powerful jets to massage aching muscles. Enjoy a chat as you gather around the “octopus bar” while seated in the pool. Marvel at the shipwreck theme at the bottom of the pool. This entire pool deck and furnishings were newly constructed in 2023, sparing no detail or expense for the ultimate Florida pool experience. In the evening the pool will delight with multiple lights and soothing waterfall.
Walk outside the screen cage and you'll find special seating areas for small groups to enjoy a conversation or beverage while immersing yourself in the natural wilderness surrounding our canal. Specially crafted teak furniture includes bar seats with table and a relaxing 2-seat swing, where you'll almost certainly drift off into a blissful nap. Wildlife abounds around you and you will most likely spot dolphins, manatee, cormorants, osprey, cranes and much more! Perhaps you'll want to get even closer to nature by using the kayaks and easy to use kayak launch we provide to explore the canals of the Banana River and the Thousand Islands wilderness area! At night these areas turn magical with palm trees alight. Also outside the cage on the south side of the house you'll find more special private seating areas, as well as a fun game of cornhole bags! Also on this side of the house you'll find a spacious shed containing two beach cruiser bicycles plus all the toys and equipment you'll want for the beach, along with a cart to carry everything.
NOTE: Built into The Pearl is an “escape room” game for your group to play together. The game provides a series of clues to lead you through an adventure of finding objects around the house and solving puzzles, seeking a hidden treasure left by the pirate Blackbeard! Our designer carefully selected antique artifacts to immerse you in this game experience as your group works together in solving the mystery. This expert-level amusement is included in the price of your stay at The Pearl!
