I have been going to Tortuga Beach Club since I was 20 days old. It has been a constant in my life, and never once has the resort disapointed me. I am grown and married now and my husband has become a TBC convert as well. We look forward to it every year. Even though we are FL residences, going to Sanibel and TBC is like going to our own private island. The staff is excelent, Joann the activity director is an institution and always has a smile a witty quip. The decor is very tropical, it really creates a island ambiance, I wouldn't decorate my home that way, but I find it really enhances the experience. While there make sure to check out Cheeburger, Cheeburger- it's an amazing kitschy reasturant with AWESOME food!!!! Great cheeburgers and out of this world chocolate shakes. If you are looking for an island 'home', Tortuga Beach Club will not disapoint!!!

We have owned at Tortuga since 1983. It is as wonderful today as the day we bought. We have never traded! We have used our week every year for 25 years and have made lifetime friends there; for us and our children (who are now adults!) We look forward to "raising" our grandchildren there now!

We have stayed on Sanibel Island many times over the years. This is the first time we stayed at the Tortuga Beach Club Resort and we loved it. The grounds surrounding this resort are spotless and beautifully manicured with flowers and trees everywhere. Our unit was comfortable and well decorated. Access to the beach was an easy walk via three board walkways. Personel were so friendly and accommodating. We will definitely stay here again! Just wish our stay had been longer!

We booked the Tortuga Beach Club through Redweek.com for the second week of February. We got a great deal at only $300 a night compared to the rates you will find online.

Being that it is a Hilton Grand Vacation resort, we had high expectations. We were not disappointed.

This was our first trip to Sanibel Island. It was so beautiful and tropical! The resort was everything we expected it to be. The grounds were very nice with plenty to do on-site. There is a shuffleboard area, tennis courts, a nice pool and hot tub, several barbecue stations and even a shell cleaning station! The clubhouse offers lunch and drinks on most days for a small fee or donation. They had a party for guests on one of the days. What was really nice is that you can swim or enjoy the hot tub at any hour as long as you sign in with the security guard.

The resort is just steps from the beach. Our area of the beach was not crowded at all. We did learn that to find the best shells, you must be up at dawn! There were actually people on the beach at 6am! The tide was out most mornings and we could walk along the sandbar. We saw several live starfish and collected a few shells. There are shells everywhere but we found that most were small and it was tough to find whole shells that were worth keeping. Of course, we are spoiled by shell collecting in Navarre last year where the shells are rather large. The lighthouse was a bit of a long walk from the resort but was nice because you are on the beach.

(One word of caution, we did see two big sharks just to the right of the resort in only a foot or two of water. It was the day after a big storm and it was raining. They were between the beach and first sandbar and literally inches away from where we were collecting shells. We did see some small fishing jumping in the surf...perhaps this should have been a warning.)

We came for the beach and island atmosphere but the condo itself was really nice. They provide you with absolutely anything you may need. You could cook any meal in this condo as every cooking utensil and appliance is there. They have barbecue utensils and even a potato masher! Trust me, it is all there.

Our condo had one bedroom downstairs and one upstairs. It was very clean and furnished nicely. The patio was screened and did have it's own sink area. It was a nice place to relax when we weren't on the beach. The washer and drier combo came in very handy! I could easily see myself living there for a summer!

Our only disappointments were that the upstairs bedroom did not have a television and the internet service was continuously down.

Unusual for a resort, we never saw or met a staff member on the grounds during our week long stay. We arrived after hours to get a key from the box. We didn't take advantage of the clubhouse lunches and it was otherwise empty. Had we needed something, I am certain that we could have located someone in the office. It was almost more private than some of the other resorts where the staff is everywhere. We felt like we lived there rather than being a guest.

Our favorite restaurant was by far The Island Cow. They had a great selection, everything was very good. There was a one man band, Jimmy Buffett style music, on the patio and it was just a great time. They also have a good selection of frozen drinks. There wers lots of restaurants to choose from but we spent most of our meals in the condo.

We tried both grocery stores, Bailey's and Jerry's. We like Jerry's the best simply because they had a good selection of organic and gourmet foods. They also had a great selection of steaks and other gourmet meats if grilling is an option for you.

If time, drive out to Pine Island and then all the way to the tip where you will find Bokeelia. Then stop at Capt'n Con's Fish House. We stumbled upon the place and they have the best seafood chowder I have ever had. It must not be a secret though...they had a good crowd and people were coming in and ordering the chowder to go! It's a scenic drive and something not to miss.

All in all, we had a great time! Tortuga Beach Club is also an RCI resort which is part of my Bluegreen membership so I am certain that we will stay here again!