The beach chairs and umbrellas were wonderful for relaxing close to the surf. The hotel breakfast basket allows guests to start their day at their convenience. In addition to pool and ocean, there is plenty to do on the island and the desk staff was extremely helpful. This hotel is an excellent value.

This was also our first visit to Sanibel and we're so happy we chose the Seaside Inn and look forward to staying here again on our next vacation. While the air conditioning unit was rather loud, the room was clean and comfortable, especially the beds with their down comforters and pillows. The beach chairs and umbrellas, along with the beach towels provided were a huge plus. A true home away from home stay with the super-friendly staff, washers and dryers on-site and complimentary books and magazines for reading on the beach. The breakfast basket was also a nice treat. Overall, I would highly recommend the Seaside Inn and cannot wait to visit again.

A sleepy, earlier time feel, to the hotel. Very relaxing. Not a resort but a hotel that has many things that you can use if you like. The beach seemed less crowded than other beaches that I went to also.
Rooms are medium sized but all the furnishings seemed fairly new. I would return to this hotel.

This was our first visit to Sanibel and it is a beautiful island– the sea is warm, sand is soft and covered in shells, idyllic!

I hate to say it, but upon arrival The Seaside Inn was a bit of a disappointment. We had booked a beachfront guest room which from the website gave the impression that it had recently been renovated, but I’m not sure that is correct (it may have had a new carpet based on comments by other reviewers about theirs being stained, but the paintwork was scuffed & scratched). Generally it was quite clean. There was just a tiny closet which is only half length so impossible to hang anything longer than a t-shirt so we ended up not bothering unpacking our cases and living out of them instead. The beds are reasonably comfortable (unfortunately this room had 2 queen beds, we would have preferred one king size instead) but the air conditioning unit was so noisy that our sleep kept being interrupted every time it kicked in and despite trying to adjust the temperature control so it didn’t happen, we were unsuccessful. There’s a fridge (rusty with all the door compartments missing), a microwave, coffee-maker but no kettle. The bathroom was small, a bit dated, but ok and plenty of towels were supplied. We had a private screened balcony with two chairs and a table and a fabulous view of the beach & the Gulf beyond - it could have benefited from a ceiling fan though, cos it was very warm out there. Generally the walls are very thin so you can hear your neighbours, especially when the sliding doors to the balcony are opened & closed – luckily our neighbours were not especially noisy, but you could hear every time someone coughed or sneezed. There’s no guest information in the room, so you’re left on your own to find out about the facilities although the guy at reception did give us a leaflet upon arrival detailing local restaurants. Our room was on the first floor and had a direct view of the beautiful beach and Gulf – this is the best thing about the establishment. Umbrellas, beach towels and sun loungers are provided on the beach which was a real bonus.

The outside of this place really needs some love & attention. Maybe it’s meant to be a bit rustic, but a handrail on the wooden staircase that you can’t actually touch because it’s covered in dirt and sticky stuff fallen from the tree above is just unacceptable. Parking is limited and our first night was difficult because the hotel must have been pretty full but the following nights were not a problem.

The breakfast basket alluded to on the hotel website didn’t materialize at all on our first day and then we found a note telling us that due to unforeseen circumstances it wouldn’t be delivered ready for the next day either. We did receive one for our last day, which was helpful and meant we could get straight out onto the beach without having to go out for breakfast first.

Would love to return to Sanibel Island at some time in the future, but probably wouldn’t come back to this hotel, it’s just a bit too basic for us and in our opinion, more akin to a motel which is overpriced for its facilities but it has obviously traded on its spectacular location - which you really can't argue with - for years. With a bit more care & attention, it could be an absolutely brilliant place to stay, and it did grow on us over the few days we were there.