Islamorada salon grows into wellness hub with family roots

A family business with a local heartbeat

Inside Ciao Bella of Islamorada, a small handwritten message says, “Love yourself.” That simple note captures the logic of the place better than any slogan could: this is a salon built not just on appointments, but on care, consistency, and the kind of personal connection that keeps people coming back in a small island community.

Gilda Rroshi and her younger sister, Bella Morina, brought that idea with them when they moved to the Keys from Albania more than 20 years ago. Over time, the business they co-founded grew into something larger than a beauty shop. In Islamorada, where reputation travels fast and repeat business matters, Ciao Bella became a trusted part of daily life for residents and a stop for visitors looking for wellness services that feel rooted in place.

From salon chair to wellness destination

Ciao Bella describes itself as a “Salon, Day Spa, Wellness & Yoga” business, and that broad identity is central to its appeal. The business says it is located at MM 82.9 oceanside in Islamorada, and the Florida Keys visitor directory places it at 82913 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036. That location puts it squarely in the Upper Keys tourism corridor, where businesses often succeed by serving both locals and travelers moving up and down the island chain.

The directory lists a full spectrum of services: haircuts, skincare treatments, massage therapies, yoga classes, and bridal services. That mix matters in a market like Monroe County, where the strongest businesses often adapt to changing customer needs instead of relying on a single service. Ciao Bella’s evolution into an upstairs wellness space with yoga instruction shows how the business has expanded without losing the family-centered identity that made it work in the first place.

Why the model fits the Upper Keys

The Keys reward businesses that feel personal. In a tourism-heavy economy, where many visitors are only passing through, trust and familiarity become powerful assets. Ciao Bella’s story shows how an immigrant-founded business can turn that reality into an advantage by pairing professional service with a sense of belonging.

That approach has helped the salon become a community anchor rather than just a commercial address on Overseas Highway. Customers are not only booking hair or spa services; they are entering a space shaped by family memory, long-term commitment, and a clear point of view about what wellness should feel like in Islamorada. The handwritten “Love yourself” note reinforces that message in a way that feels intimate and unmistakably local.

Recognition that reflects repeat confidence

Ciao Bella’s reputation is visible in more than anecdote. The business says it was voted the #1 salon and spa in the Florida Keys, and a February 25, 2026 post on its site says it was named Best Overall Business in the Upper Keys in the Best of the Upper Keys Awards. For a local business, that kind of recognition matters because it signals a rare combination: strong customer loyalty, a wide service mix, and a brand that resonates beyond a single niche.

Public review data also point to a strong following. A Tripadvisor listing shows Ciao Bella at 5.0 stars with 64 reviews and ranked #2 of 12 spas and wellness businesses in Islamorada. In a small market, those numbers carry weight because they suggest both consistency and volume. They also fit the broader picture of a business that has not just survived, but built a durable reputation across years of service in the Upper Keys.

An immigrant-founded enterprise with staying power

The sisters’ backstory is essential to understanding why Ciao Bella has endured. A Keys Weekly obituary and profile of Bella Morina says she and Gilda Rroshi immigrated from Albania, raised their children, and co-founded Ciao Bella together. It also says the business had been operating successfully for 19 years at the time of Morina’s death. That history gives the salon a deeper meaning than a typical profile of a polished local brand.

In Monroe County, where businesses often depend on weather, tourism cycles, and shifting consumer traffic, longevity is a form of achievement. Ciao Bella’s staying power suggests that family leadership and personal consistency can matter as much as capital or scale. The business became established not by chasing trends, but by building a stable place where customers knew what to expect and could return year after year.

What Ciao Bella shows about business in the Keys

Ciao Bella’s growth reflects a larger lesson about the Upper Keys economy. Lasting businesses here tend to do more than sell a service. They create a sense of place, build relationships over time, and adapt without abandoning their identity. In that environment, authenticity is not a marketing angle. It is a competitive advantage.

For Islamorada, the result is a salon that functions as a wellness hub, a family legacy, and a small institution all at once. From the oceanside location at Mile Marker 82.9 to the upstairs yoga space, Ciao Bella has turned care into a business model and memory into value. That is how a salon becomes part of the fabric of the Keys, and why this one has lasted.