Avoid South Seas Resort, Captiva, Florida
 

Just wanted to warn people...Stay away from
South Seas Resort on Captiva Island. My family just returned yesterday and were very disappointed. We expected construction due to hurricane, so we were okay with that. But here are the things we were not okay with after paying $350+/night for a 2bedroom Beach Villa:
1.Although our condo was on the beach, the actual resort beach with chairs, umbrellas, towels, drinks, food, etc...was about a mile away by beach, closer to two miles by car...so anytime we wanted to just run out the the beach...we had nothing to sit on etc.
2. Their on property market consistantly charged twice as much for items as the island store two blocks away in downtown Captiva...I hate being nickeled and dimed.
3. And finally the thing I hated most was the fee charged to use the tennis courts. My two boys (10 and 12) have just started getting into tennis. We specifically chose SS because of they had many tennis courts. HOWEVER, to use the courts, you were charged $15/day per person! So for the four of us to go have a hit, was $60! I have never in my life been charged to use a resort/hotel tennis court! Outrageous!

I will close by saying that the staff at South Seas was very friendly and the only bright spot at the overrated, overpriced, resort.

Thanks for the report. Please, you should send a letter to management expressing your specific disappointments ... it's the only way things will change.

(The tennis charge ... outrageous!)

I guess they're trying to make up for two years of lost income from being closed down. Outrageous.

imme, I feel your pain, and that's why I've learned to ask a million questions of any resort now, before I go. The on-property market prices don't surprise me (that's not uncommon, I'm afraid ...) nor does charging for the tennis. It doesn't seem right, but it's a fact of life with many of the better resorts now. And the beach thing ... they'll never tell you that kind of thing if you don't ask about WHERE you'll be in relation to THEIR beach. By the time you get there, it's too late, and they darn well know it! I looked at the website for this resort, and it is very deceptive, really. They say the chairs, towels, etc. are "Sunset Beach" only, but don't say where the beach is. Were you able to ride their trolley to Sunset Beach?

We just have to learn lessons from these experiences, and when my husband looks at me like I'm nuts when I ask hotels some of the questions I do (when making reservations), I just tell him that I've learned from the past!

Better luck with your next resort!!! I hope you had some good family fun, despite the resort policies! :-)

I'm so sorry to hear that. A good alternative on Sanibel is Forty-Fifteen. They are directly on the gulf, so no problems getting to the beach. They have a free tennis court, plus a nice pool. I never saw anyone playing tennis when I went, so you probably could have easy access. Our one-bedroom cottage (with full kitchen) was $900/week. We did not have a gulf view but the property is on the gulf; for a gulf view, I think it's like $1100/week or so. The website is http://fortyfifteen.com/ -- I have no relation to the except as a happy customer.

imme, you also might want to look into the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort on Longboat Key. They have something like 21 courts and a wonderful beach as well. The staff is wonderful as well.

We wnet to South Seas in April. After many people warned me about it, we went anyway. What a MESS! We got a refund after looking at 3 different rooms, and like you we saw the Beach front was not beach front at all. Their website is a joke...I don't know where those pics were taken but not at the resort.

What we did do is go directly to the Tween WAters Inn. Not only did we have THE best time, but the rooms were 185 per night (and that includes breakfast)...beach front. Just an FYI for next time, they have beautiful tennis courts at no charge. We loved it so such we returned 6 weeks alter and had an even better time. The place is just great. If you read anything about the rooms in need of renovating, they are being renovated next month. I thought they were just fine though. We were in an efficency gulf view both times and loved it. They also have beautiful cottages of all sizes.

another vote here for fortyfifteen - we've been there every visit of our 6 trips. Units 1 & 2 are directly on the beach and one bedroom - you cannot get any closer to the beach than this. Units 9&10 are 2 bedrooms and slightly further back but have a great view. The units 3& 4 have very limited views and the others don't have any beach view at all... but they are a very very short walk to the beach. They have tennis (as mentioned) and a nice pool and since they're owned by the same owner as Mitchell's sandcastles, you can use the facilities at both resorts - so you have 2 pools to choose from. There is also a small fitness center and a business center with 2 macs and a printer. All are FREE :)

So why bother with the big resort?

Mitch Aunger
http://sanibelpedia.com - the one stop Sanibel information site
http://web.mac.com/maunger/iWeb/Sani...r/Welcome.html - the 2007 Sanibel Calendar

I haven't really been keeping up with progress out at South Seas. They still have a long way to go no matter what they portray. Biggest problem stems from them being sold in the midst of the restoration and the unusual structure of the resort. It's not like a normal resort owned by a large hotel company. Lots of individual owners of units that are rented as well as time shares and single family homes. It is a concept that is not working. Costs are out of control. I'm not familiar with the resort mentioned here on Sanibel but I do know Tween Waters and it remains what it has always been...a small resort from another, simpler time.

Was red tide there this weekend? I guess it is back. I was going to go this morning to walk the beach but there were too many dark clouds and I stayed home.

I hope that at some time I can report on South Seas and be able to say that it has met its potential. LMF

We drove through it once (pre-hurricane) and I thought it looked dumb! Not a resort at all - just an odd assemblage of stuff.

Leave your review on tripadvisor.com too.

imme, did you call the front desk and ask them to bring you chairs and umbrellas to your accommodations?

As for the tennis charges, most resorts have other companies run their tennis centers (hotels don't know much about tennis) and they get charged when guests use the facilities.

In fact, I've never heard of free tennis facilities at a resort.

Lastly, all hotel stores charge double and triple what free standing charge.

Have you ever stayed in a resort before? It is very expensive.

For what it is worth, ALL resorts are overpriced.

GT:
If you had ever been to South Seas you would see that it is really not a true resort.

Why isn't it a true resort?
It isn't one huge hotel building, but I fail to see what that has to do with it. It is a large sprawling area with dozens of buildings and hundreds of rooms, suites, and apartments-- some multi-unit and some individual; it has boat rentals, water sports facilities, tennis, beaches, several restaurants; it has concierge services; multi swimming pools. What is your definition of a resort?

There are a lot of complexes in Palm Springs area where units are individually owned. It is TYPICAL to be charged to use the tennis courts which are owned by the country club or tennis club on site($15 per person was the going rate in 2004).

A "resort" can be anything. Perhaps if it is a hotel such as a Hyatt they own the courts and they are free for guest use.

Sorry, I got no dogs in this race. Call it whatever you want. But if someone is picturing a classic resort -- this isn't it IMHO.

I have no dogs in this race either and wasn't trying to support South Seas, but now I'm really curious. To me a true resort is exactly what South Seas is -- an entire complex of facilities and lodgings with a wide range of activities. Wliwi, what do you picture when someone says "classic resort"?