We traveled to Sanibel Island for a romantic getaway and were a bit disappointed in what we experienced. Our hotel was very quaint and was right on the beach, which was gorgeous.

Over our stay we only had a few issues with the hotel itself.

We were told that we would be upgraded to a different room type upon arrival. Unfortunately, there were no rooms available and we had to stay in the janitorial closet that had been converted into a room.

We had to check out early. When we spoke to the manager the day before, it was expressed that we would only be charged a specific amount. When it came time to check out, the staff informed us that we were doing to be charged for three full nights plus a $149 cancellation fee, even though we only stayed two nights. The staff was hesistant to contact the hotel manager, but it was finally resolved.

The hotel property and amenties were not in bad condition, but I would not label this a resort. It was rather plain and unexciting. If I were to ever come back to Sanibel Island, which I probably never will, I would stay here again, but upgrade to a suite instead of the gulf view room.

SANIBEL ITSELF: The island is very cute and the beaches are beautiful. There are plenty of things to do outside; nature walks, bike riding, shelling, etc. However if it rains, lets hope you brought your laptop and some DVD's. There isn't much for you to do indoors. (We experienced this our WHOLE stay)

We found that many of the restaurants are extemely expensive; example: My husband and I went to a local family tavern. McT's-There wasn't anything on the menu under $17.99. My eight fried shrimp were $17.99. We live on the Atlantic Coast of Florida; fresh catch should not be this expensive. There was nothing upscale or fantastic about this dinner. We found this to be the case with many of the restaurants. The crabcake would be $6.89 for lunch and $18.99 for dinner. So please do your research before spending $55.87 on two hamburgers (which happened!) We also found that many of the local shops did not take debit, so do carry cash around. These were all rather minor inconveniences, but when they all add up, it made for a not so pleasant getaway.

What a delightful treasure. We've stayed at other resorts in this chain (Sundial, Sanibel Inn) and again were very happy with our choice. Although the resort appears a bit older on the outside the room was spectacular. Clean, updated, just great. All the staff - reception, housekeeping - were wonderful - helpful, courteous, and a great sense of humor. The grounds, especially the pool and beach, are very well-kept. We will return!!

This was a wonderful resort and a great value. The rooms were very clean and up to date (fresh paint, flat screen TV). The best part was the friendly service. Sandy at the Front Desk was delightful and gave us great suggestions at check-in. The housekeepers were very effcient and friendly. Pool and landscaping were beautiful and well kept. Free beach chairs and umbrellas were an unexpected bonus. This resorts was one of the best I ever stayed at and we will return again.

I booked The Sunset Beach Resort based on reviews from Tripadvisor.com. We had never been to Sanibel Island before, so we did not know what to expect. The Island and the hotel was wonderful! The rooms and the pool were very clean, the staff, including housekeeping were also wonderful. We loved how close the beach was, we had plenty of towels, chairs and umbrellas were always available. We rode the bikes around the island a couple of times. We could not believe how clean and lush the island was. My two boys loved looking for shells. We ate at Island Pizza, a couple of times, it was great. We also took the Refuge Tram Tour. We loved learing about the Island. Sanibel Island is a beautiful, peaceful, and friendly place. We highly recommed this hotel and island for a vacation.