My family and I stayed at the Island Inn for the first time in December 2007. I read many reviews on different hotels on internet sites and finally decided on the Island Inn. I booked through Expedia and got a great rate and I highly recommend them. After I booked, I called the Island Inn and asked that our room be one of the recent refurbished rooms and they said no problem!
The check-in process wasn't real smooth because we used our bank (debit/credit) card. I didn't think they were going to take it at first, but they ended up taking it when I agreed to pay in full at that time. We also had to use a regular credit card to hold a $50 deposit on for incidentals (beach chairs, etc.). The people at the front desk were very friendly.
Our room was on the 2nd floor and the balcony overlooked the beach. We couldn't have asked for a better location or view. We had 2 double beds, a TV, table and 4 chairs, a snack bar that separated the small kitchenette area from the beds, a full size frig, 3 burner stove and sink. All dishware, cookware and utensils were provided along with a microwave and coffee maker. There was a small bathroom and the sink was located outside the bathroom which was nice because one person could get ready while the other was bathing.
There were three patio chairs on our balcony and a small side table. The room was non-smoking, but you could smoke out on the balcony if you chose to do so.
Laundry facilities were located on our floor and they were only a few doors down from our room. Washers were $1.25 and dryers were $1.00. They were decent equipment and I never had to wait to use them.
A newspaper was left outside our door every morning free of charge. Cleaning service was provided daily, but we just opted for clean towels and having the trash emptied. Dish soap, hand soap and bath soap were also provided.
Our room decor was a beach theme and the room and bathroom was clean. It wasn't a 5-star, but there was no signs of bugs and the beds were okay. We also had a double sliding door closet to hang clothes and a safe was provided free of charge in our room. There was a lot of storage space so were able to unpack 4 people and store our luggage.
Chairs and umbrellas were available for $10/day (2 chairs/1 umbrella) and beach towels were free to use. There is a heated pool and a Tiki bar at the pool area. The bar closes very early, though so don't plan to sit out there during the evening and drink a few. You'll have to walk down the beach for that. The beach was very nice and clean and we walked up and down it every morning. We found a lot of shells and many sand dollars in the water. We watched dolphins that were in close to the beach and could even see them from our balcony.
There is a computer in the lobby and it has internet service. Guests can use it free of charge. There's also free coffee in lobby along with flyers for restaurants, etc.
SOUR NOTE: We saw the general manager speak to a desk clerk in a very rude manner in front of hotel guests. We felt this was very unprofessional and we were embarrassed for the clerk.
