Bay-facing side of the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

The only hotel within Everglades National Park is the Flamingo Lodge at the southeastern end of the park. The original hotel at Flamingo opened in 1966, but it was damaged by a hurricane in 2005, as was the nearby Flamingo Visitor Center, and both facilities were closed for many years. The old hotel was eventually torn down, and a new hotel took its place, opening in 2023. Designed to last, it is made of steel shipping containers and sits off the ground on pilings. While that doesn’t sound all that cozy, the inside is like any other hotel room, so you’d never know you were sleeping inside a steel box. All rooms have windows and even a balcony overlooking Florida Bay. For more information and to book a room, visit the Flamingo Lodge website.

Parking-lot-facing side of the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

Balconies at each room of the Flamingo Lodge overlook Florida Bay, Everglades National Park

The lodge has 24 rooms: 8 two-bedroom suites, 12 one-bedroom suites, and 4 studio rooms. The suites have a separate living room / dining area, whereas the studios are just one room for sleeping, relaxing, and eating. Four of the rooms are ADA compliant and accessible by elevator. The non-ADA rooms require walking up stairs.

Living room in a 2-bedroom suite at the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

Bedroom in a 2-bedroom suite at the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

All rooms regardless of size have a kitchen with refrigerator, cook top, sink, microwave, cookware, dishes and utensils, and even a dish washer. What might be a blessing for some and a bane for other is that there is no TV in the rooms. There is WiFi, but it is not really strong enough for streaming shows and movies.

Kitchen in a 2-bedroom suite at the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

Bathroom in a 2-bedroom suite at the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

The Flamingo Lodge also has an adjacent restaurant and bar that is in the same building as the hotel office where guests check in. My family and I ate there many times for breakfast and dinner during our stay, and I can report that the food is actually pretty good. There is seating inside and outside on a balcony. The place gets very crowded on the weekend during the tourist season, and waits can be up to an hour. There is no room service, but you can order food and take it with you.

Restaurant and office for the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

Interior of the Flamingo Lodge Restaurant in Everglades National Park

Restaurant bar at the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

Balcony seating at the Flamingo Lodge Restaurant in Everglades National Park

If restaurant dining does not suit you, perhaps a cookout will. In the yard facing the bay are three picnic tables, each with its own charcoal grill. These are open to all guests on a first-come, first-served basis.

Picnic table and grill at the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

There is on-site parking, with some spots underneath the building. If those fill up, there is a large parking lot in front of the restaurant. There are a few spaces for vehicles towing a boat trailer. There is also parking at the Flamingo Marina, which is a ten minute walk from the hotel.

Parking spaces underneath the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park

My family and I stayed at the Flamingo Lodge for five days and had a great time with no complaints. If you have the money—it isn’t cheap—it is a great place to stay if your trip to Everglades National Park mainly centers around the Flamingo and Royal Palm areas, and to a lesser extent, Shark Valley. If you plan on seeing the Gulf Coast area as well, it is more than a three-hour drive from Flamingo, so get a hotel in that area when your travels take you there. If you want something more affordable that is also feasible for visiting all sections of the park, get a hotel in Homestead. The closer you are to Miami, the more expensive things are going to get.

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