By Tony Adams
You may not know his name, but Paul Murray is the welcoming smile behind the front desk when you check into Island House Key West. You may simply know him as the person who assists with anything you need during your stay. You may also know him as the kind and helpful man who’s got your back if you misbehave or get messy. In short, Murray is how Island House cares for you—and because he does his job so discreetly as assistant general manager, you might never have known his name. But now you do. Beyond that front desk, Murray plays a much larger role in Key West tourism: He is president of the Key West Business Guild.
Paul Murray remembers stepping off the plane that brought him to Key West on Nov. 1, 1992.
“The instant I breathed in that intoxicating air, I knew I was home,” he says. “I was surprised that the island was flat. I thought it would be mountainous like Cuba. I had planned a weekend vacation, but the island embraced me from that first moment, and I knew I had to live here. The kindness, acceptance and generosity were overwhelming. The weekend turned into six weeks. I had to go back to Pennsylvania to tie up loose ends and to get my car, which I had left at the airport! I was happy to find it still there, and it started! I thought about what my father always said, ‘Never leave an airport unless you know where you are going to land.’ I had no doubt that the next time I flew, I’d be returning to Key West for good.”
Back in Key West, good things happened for Murray.
Shortly after arriving, Paul Murray connected with Michael Stewart, owner of the popular Square One restaurant, and soon found himself entertaining guests there as a pianist and singer. He also ran a sundries store, which he purchased using his retirement savings. When a large drugstore chain arrived, he sold the store and launched a home electronics business specializing in TV and audio installations. Although Hurricane Wilma disrupted that venture, Murray rebuilt and operated it for several more years.
His electronics work led to a key opportunity with Island House, when the hotel needed help relocating its office electronics. Recognizing his skills, owners Jon Allen and Steve Silva brought Murray onto their team. He started at the front desk and was promoted to manager within weeks, selling his electronics business to focus on hospitality.
As Murray puts it, “That project was the beginning of a whole new chapter.”
Murray also had previous experience in the gay hospitality business. In 1979, he met his first love, Marc Bowman, who had purchased the Grand Hotel in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Together, they transformed it into “The Marc 1,” the largest and most fabulous gay disco in central Pennsylvania. They made it dazzle, selling it in the mid-’80s. Eventually, in his next career managing a posh and conservative country club, rumors about his lifestyle as a gay man became destructive. Even though everything he managed had become profitable, he was not comfortable in Johnstown.
In Key West, Murray found love with Steve Smith.
“I met Steve within a couple of years of moving here,” he says. “I knew he was the love of my life, and as he got into the tourism industry, so did I. Steve was brilliant at what he did for Key West gay tourism.”
They bought their home in 1996. In 2022, Steve passed away—a loss Murray describes as losing “a titan” of tourism. Since then, he has felt driven to continue Steve’s legacy by becoming more involved. Two years ago, Murray was elected vice president of the Key West Business Guild and now serves as its president.
He acknowledges the challenges ahead.
“Gay travel is changing. It’s more than just little gay flags in hotel lobbies—I call it ‘political tourism,’” Murray says.
He emphasizes that while the gay dollar is coveted worldwide, Key West remains unique as a safe haven where the community stands firm for its rights, supported by iconic gay establishments.
“The future of gay tourism is in our hands, and we are up to the challenges,”he says.
Murray is optimistic about that future but recognizes shifting attitudes among international visitors. He notes many are puzzled by recent political decisions in the U.S., and Key West could feel the impact if foreign tourists decide to stay away in protest. Still, Island House maintains a strong international clientele.
“They joke with us about politics, but beneath the surface, there is some tension,” Murray says. “Once they are here, they find the same fabulous and welcoming island they hoped for. We will keep it that way.”
Murray says Island House is his soul.
“I love spending my days with genuinely fun people. I could have retired, but when you’re doing something you’re passionate about, you keep on doing it,” he says.
Recently, Murray watched the SS United States sail past his home in Key West—a poignant reminder of his own journey aboard the ship in 1967, when, at age 13, he left England with his parents for a new life in the U.S. Like many who call Key West home, Murray celebrates the island’s unique magic and welcoming spirit. He remains committed to making everyone feel at home here—whether they stay for a weekend, six weeks, or a lifetime.
