going to Fort Meyers in May,have you been to Sanibel Harbour Resort?
Feb 17th, 2003, 02:52 PM
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going to Fort Meyers in May,have you been to Sanibel Harbour Resort?
We are thinking of vacationing at this resort hotel toward the end of May. Will we need a rental car or are we able to get around by bike? Restaurants in the area, pricey or moderate? Are there places to buy food to eat in the room if we want to breakfast in? Is the hotel well kept?Does the fitness center have classes and the lastest equipment?Thanks in advance for your help.
K.
K.
Feb 17th, 2003, 04:38 PM
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I'm hoping you know that this resort is not on Sanibel and has no real relation to Sanibel, except that it is on the mainland near the toll bridge and causeway that will lead you to Sanibel Island. I suppose you could ride bikes across the causeway and to wherever you want to go on Sanibel, but I'd normally think you would need a car.
Also there is no beach at all at this "resort". It isn't on the Gulf, but actually at the mouth of the River, and I'm not sure I'd want to swim there -- except in the pool.
There are no restaurants and not much around it.
Don't get me wrong it may be a very nice hotel, but frankly if I were going to Sanibel, I'd want to stay on Sanibel.
Also there is no beach at all at this "resort". It isn't on the Gulf, but actually at the mouth of the River, and I'm not sure I'd want to swim there -- except in the pool.
There are no restaurants and not much around it.
Don't get me wrong it may be a very nice hotel, but frankly if I were going to Sanibel, I'd want to stay on Sanibel.
Feb 18th, 2003, 05:51 PM
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I stay there every year. My sister in law gets to use a friend's condo every Easter and very kindly invites my family to join her.
The one drawback (for me, anyhow) is that it is not directly on Sanibel. It is just before the causeway. There is a lovely beach, but as Patrick mentioned, I wouldn't swim in the water because it is dark...due to a river emptying nearby. However, the beach is nice for sitting under a palm tree with a drink and a good book.
The condominiums are very nice. I did spend one night in the hotel, and the room was nice...not spectacular, but nice (and expensive). Actually, the entire resort is quite expensive. It is a large resort with several pools, bars, and beautifully landscaped grounds. Patrick was wrong about the restaurants...there are a few to choose from. Also, there is a wonderful spa (one of Conde Nast's top picks) that is open to guests only.
There are grocery stores nearby. I haven't used the exercise facilities, but I would guess they are up to date.
You'll definitely need a rental car. The resort entrance is next to the causeway, so it is a quick trip to the Sanibel beaches.
Hope this helps.
The one drawback (for me, anyhow) is that it is not directly on Sanibel. It is just before the causeway. There is a lovely beach, but as Patrick mentioned, I wouldn't swim in the water because it is dark...due to a river emptying nearby. However, the beach is nice for sitting under a palm tree with a drink and a good book.
The condominiums are very nice. I did spend one night in the hotel, and the room was nice...not spectacular, but nice (and expensive). Actually, the entire resort is quite expensive. It is a large resort with several pools, bars, and beautifully landscaped grounds. Patrick was wrong about the restaurants...there are a few to choose from. Also, there is a wonderful spa (one of Conde Nast's top picks) that is open to guests only.
There are grocery stores nearby. I haven't used the exercise facilities, but I would guess they are up to date.
You'll definitely need a rental car. The resort entrance is next to the causeway, so it is a quick trip to the Sanibel beaches.
Hope this helps.
Feb 18th, 2003, 06:04 PM
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My advice? Don't bother. Skip it, and stay on Fort Myers Beach. I recommend the Diamondhead Resort-which is directly on the white powder beach, has cabanas, has a great beach bar and grill and its one bedroom condos have spectacular views of Gulf sunsets, on a huge enclosed patio-great prices in high season, and unbelievably good prices during summer. I go almost every year, when I need a beautiful relaxing beach getaway. Sanibel, on the other hand, is boring and dull and has Australian Pines that hide the beach -instead of palm trees-making you feel as if you're up north somewhere, instead of in the tropics. Not my cup of tea at all-except that Sanibel does have fairly good restaurants-however, so does Ft. Myers Beach.
Feb 18th, 2003, 06:16 PM
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We stayed there in June for six days. The resort was wonderful. The room was beautiful--and the cleanest hotel we have ever stayed at. I am a clean freak--so this is very important to me. We had a rental car, but there is a free shuttle that takes you to Sanibel and brings you back. You can sit on your balcony and see Sanibel Island. It only takes you five minutes from the resort to the toll bridge. The pools were never crowded and the health spa was great--my husband -who isnt much into exercizing wanted to go and workout every day. We ate meals on Sanibel. This resort was much nicer than the ones on Sanibel and much less expensive. Their website is www.sanibelharbourresort.com --Have a great trip.
Feb 18th, 2003, 06:42 PM
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This resort has so many people reporting back on their pleasant stays, and it always surprises me, because if I'm going to that area, or any beach destination for that matter, I'm going for the beach, not "almost beach". I don't want to have to get in the car, drive, and pay a toll to go to the beach, or to eat. I do want to be able to walk out my door and walk the beach. That's the beauty of a stay in that area, IMHO. That causeway out to Sanibel is long...it always surprises us on return visits, and inevitably one or the other of us will comment on that as we drive it, always laughing that we seem to forget the length each trip.
I believe the hotel is probably pretty nice. I do have some affection for it simply because it was developed initially and run for some time as a Sonesta Hotel, and Sonesta was where my husband got his career start. Their properties were/are always very nice. We know the opening GM, who loved the area...but his "love" was to get over to Ding Darling for the nature and kayaking--not to stay mainland side. Perhaps we are just too much beach people, no longer into tennis, so we'd always be leaving the resort to do the things we wanted.
If everyone goes into a stay at the resort with the knowledge that it is not Sanibel, you won't want to swim there, that it is some drive to Sanibel and there is a toll each time you drive onto the island, and that is fine with you, then all may be well for a wonderful stay. It would be a terrible shame, though, for anyone to arrive and not be aware of those facts, thinking, because of the name, they had come to stay at Sanibel. It's close...but no cigar!
I believe the hotel is probably pretty nice. I do have some affection for it simply because it was developed initially and run for some time as a Sonesta Hotel, and Sonesta was where my husband got his career start. Their properties were/are always very nice. We know the opening GM, who loved the area...but his "love" was to get over to Ding Darling for the nature and kayaking--not to stay mainland side. Perhaps we are just too much beach people, no longer into tennis, so we'd always be leaving the resort to do the things we wanted.
If everyone goes into a stay at the resort with the knowledge that it is not Sanibel, you won't want to swim there, that it is some drive to Sanibel and there is a toll each time you drive onto the island, and that is fine with you, then all may be well for a wonderful stay. It would be a terrible shame, though, for anyone to arrive and not be aware of those facts, thinking, because of the name, they had come to stay at Sanibel. It's close...but no cigar!
Feb 18th, 2003, 07:26 PM
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Ft. Myers Beach? I once owned a home and lived on Ft. Myers Beach for about a year and a half. It's ok for a beer drinking party crowd, and OK for a low budget holiday. The beach itself is fine, but don't expect many decent restaurants or any shops above the T-shirt and seashell art variety. On a scale of 1 to 100 if Sanibel is a 90, then Ft. Myers Beach would be about a 15.
Words and phrases like "resort hotel", "fitness center", "latest equipment", and "get around by bike" just don't sound like things that even belong in the same thread as Ft. Myers Beach.
Words and phrases like "resort hotel", "fitness center", "latest equipment", and "get around by bike" just don't sound like things that even belong in the same thread as Ft. Myers Beach.
Jun 25th, 2004, 11:06 AM
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Ft. Myers Beach is great. Really- I don't even bother with Sanibel, for the reasons I gave in the previous post. You want a beautiful white powder sand beach, that's not at all noisy, but with a laid-back, old-Florida feel, then you go there. Low-budget, beer-drinking crowd? Don't know what Patrick is talking about. I've been going there for years, and that is something I DON'T see where I stay on the beach. As far as restaurants, I really like Anthony's on the Gulf-sitting outdoors, having a good Italian meal, and watching the Gulf sunsets there are most enjoyable. I've not stayed at Sanibel Harbour, but I've heard very positive reports from friends who have. I would always choose Ft. Myers Beach over Sanibel, any time-staying at one of the Sunstream Resorts, either Diamondhead or Gull Wing-quite lovely and relaxing. It's interesting, when I left Sanibel for FMB because I was bored and didn't like my accomodations, the front desk personnel at Diamondhead told me they get that all the time- people leaving Sanibel to be where some action is on the Beach.
Also, FMB has some great beach bars- Barking Shark, Junkanoo's- good drinks and great fun and location just a few yards back from the Gulf. Met a couple from Naples who said they always come to FMB to hang out at the beach bars- more fun and less pretentious than Naples. I think Patrick's information about Ft. Myers Beach needs updating.
Also, FMB has some great beach bars- Barking Shark, Junkanoo's- good drinks and great fun and location just a few yards back from the Gulf. Met a couple from Naples who said they always come to FMB to hang out at the beach bars- more fun and less pretentious than Naples. I think Patrick's information about Ft. Myers Beach needs updating.
Jun 25th, 2004, 03:36 PM
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I'm surprised by gaileyann's response, which said: "This resort was much nicer than the ones on Sanibel and much less expensive. Their website is www.sanibelharbourresort.com"
The web page is actually http://www.sanibel-resort.com/ - when I pulled up the webpage listed, it took me to some weird site.
But, I also checked out the room rates for May 2005. They were $299/night. This is less than what's on Sanibel? I'm sorry, but I stayed in a great little place on the beach at Sanibel for about $1000 for the whole week. I can't imagine that a beautiful resort like Casa Ybel, again directly on Sanibel, would be charging $299/night in May.
My advice is that if you are taking this trip to see Sanibel, then stay on Sanibel. There are a wide range of accomodations, from extra-fancy to laid back, and you won't have to fight the traffic on the causeway every day. You can bike to your destinations if you choose.
But if you are going to this hotel for the spa, then it does beat anything on Sanibel - it's supposed to be one of the best in Florida.
The web page is actually http://www.sanibel-resort.com/ - when I pulled up the webpage listed, it took me to some weird site.
But, I also checked out the room rates for May 2005. They were $299/night. This is less than what's on Sanibel? I'm sorry, but I stayed in a great little place on the beach at Sanibel for about $1000 for the whole week. I can't imagine that a beautiful resort like Casa Ybel, again directly on Sanibel, would be charging $299/night in May.
My advice is that if you are taking this trip to see Sanibel, then stay on Sanibel. There are a wide range of accomodations, from extra-fancy to laid back, and you won't have to fight the traffic on the causeway every day. You can bike to your destinations if you choose.
But if you are going to this hotel for the spa, then it does beat anything on Sanibel - it's supposed to be one of the best in Florida.
Jun 26th, 2004, 04:47 AM
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spa is very nice. There are much better in SW Florida at this point, especially Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt in Estero. (The Hyatt calls it Naples but it is much closer to Fort Myers than Naples).
We are responding to a post from February for a trip that was completed in May.
LMF
We are responding to a post from February for a trip that was completed in May.
LMF
