My family and another traveled to the Sanibel Inn. We specifically requested "newly renovated" units as we had been told that some were renovated after the 2004 hurricane season.

Apparently, the "renovations" were new countertops and flooring. The rest of the place was a dump. The bedding was stained; the box spring of the master bedroom was broken; the pool was algae stained; the "free" bikes were about 30 years old; luggage carts were hard to find to get stuff up to the 3rd floor unit; the undergound parking had 6 feet clearance (no suvs); the screen of the screened porch was torn; the couch and loveseat were filthy; the dining room chair cushions were filthy; there were hand prints and smudges on the bathroom walls.

We lasted one night and left for Captiva, where we rented a house. The staff, although pleasant about checking us out, advised me upon leaving that the unit I had rented was for sale so "the owner wasn't putting too much money into it." Nice. That would have been nice to know before I checked in.

Save yourself from this dump and go to Captiva. Plenty of upscale houses for rent. We rented a 4 bedroom house in the village, short walk to the beach, for just a few hundred bucks more for the week than the Sanibel Inn.

We refer to the Sanibel Inn now as our "home away from home" for so many reasons. This is probably the best hotel experience we have ever had, and although we had not previously written a review, this was our second stay because of our enthusiasm last year.
This lovely inn is situated next to its own section of beach and includes all the amenities common to most other hotels in the area, including a nice pool, which we didn't use because we were there for the ocean. The grounds are charming with lush vegetation, palms, and even a butterfly garden. The room set-up is efficient and attractive, and the beds are absolutely the most comfortable beds of any place we have ever stayed, possibly better than my bed at home.
The staff was always friendly and helpful, and when we experienced one night of a "noisy neighbor" issue, security was there promptly to address the situation. It was resolved right away. At one point, the air conditioner, which cooled perfectly and quietly, began dripping on the carpet inside, and when we reported it, maintenance got it fixed immediately--conveniently while we were out enjoying the beach.
If you're somewhat overly-paranoid about your valuables when you're out all day, like I am, the in-room safe is an awesome feature.
The room was always kept clean, and housekeeping was quick to provide any extras we needed: towels, cups, coffee, etc. I also appreciate the attention to "green" practices; for example, the "option" to limit bedding changes which saves unnecessary and excess laundering.
Overall, we can't imagine staying anywhere else when we go to Sanibel. Not only is the island a favorite place, but this inn is, too. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with Sanibel Inn. Enjoy!

This was our family's third stay at Sanibel Inn and we never been disappointed. The staff is always pleasant, the grounds are well maintianed, and the rooms are clean and beautiful. It is conveniently located to all the hot spots on the ISland, and even has complimentary bikes to get around on the island. I would highly recommend Sanibel Inn if you are looking for a clean, convenient place to vacation!!!!

The Merritt Family

After spending quite a bit of time online reading reviews of hotels, I decided to book the Sanibel Inn because of the location and price. I was pleasantly surprised! I was so very nervous because of the few "poor" reviews I read, but I took into consideration that not everyone is easy to please and that everyone has different experiences. We (my boyfriend and I)personally had a great experience at this hotel. I had booked a beachfront guestroom with a king bed request (apparently not all guestrooms have a king bed) and it was granted. The room (Jasmine building-room 3625) had hardwood floors, granite countertops and it was beautifully decorated. The view from our balcony was amazing which overlooked the surf and sand. The bed was actually very comfortable and the room was clean. The only downside I could report was that there was a bleach smell upon our entry, but hey! that means it's clean,right? The A/C was amazing (we were very cold at night) and the room also had a ceiling fan. The grounds were kept beautifully and there were free beach chairs(put out on the beach daily), towels and bicycles for the guests. They rent the umbrellas but we chose not to use one. We did not use the restaurant on the grounds nor the pool but both looked nice. We decided to go down to the Bubble Room on Captiva one evening and the Island Cow the next, what great food!!! I highly suggest the coconut shrimp at the Island Cow! It's not cheap to eat on the island, beware! But we didn't mind being on vacation. The sunset can only really be viewed at the end of Captiva Island so make sure you are in the right place at the right time! Check in and out was a breeze at Sanibel Inn and Tom was wonderful! What a nice guy and he had such great suggestions for us. Parking was free and no problem. Room service did a fantastic job and made sure we were stocked with what we needed. There is a small fridge,microwave and coffee pot (1 cup) in the kitchen, a DVD and tv in the room and a hairdryer in the bathroom. There are also bbq's and free ice located on the premises. We found beautiful shells on the shore and in the water. We went to a few of the beaches on the island looking for shells but keep in mind that the majority charge for parking! It's $2.00 an hour (which I find very expensive) and we actually got a $35 ticket for going over our alotted time by 1/2 hour, they do enforce it! Overall we would definately go back, we had a great time!!! Very romantic.