I'm looking for a little remote cottage on the beach anywhere from Sarasota down through the Keys for a 3 night getaway. A special friend of mine is coming in from Africa and a quiet, intimate cottage setting sounds perfect. I found Little Palm Island but way too expensive. We're going late April or early May.

Check out Casa Morada or The Moorings in Islamorada. Both have that 'feel'.

There's also a resort property at Hawk's Key thats on a wildlife preserve... Don't remember the name but try a search on www...

Check out rentals on North Captiva Island.

I second the idea of North Captiva. It's certainly secluded. I don't know if they do 3 day rentals but you are in the shoulder season so they probably would.

Captiva Island proper is my favorite quiet, romantic getaway. The island offers the feel of rustic, natural seclusion, but still has some nice dining options available for evening. My favorite place is 'Tween Waters Inn, which may be a bit larger than your looking for (although they do have turn of the century cottages for rent on the property). Jensen's On The Gulf and Jensen's Twin Palm Cottages and Marina are both smaller, and seem like they might fit your bill.

Casa Morada is awesome. I think it will fit your requirements very well, but it might be a little chic for your requirements.

Captiva Island is still a mess. Tween Waters is open and refurbished but I do not know about Jensen's. Their accomodations are a little bit of a dump. The polar opposite of Little Palm Island.

Much of Captiva is struggling and needs the tourists badly. Andy Rosse Lane is fully recovered but South Seas is closed and will miss another full season.

A remote cottage on a beach is a difficult request in Florida anymore. This will send this request up again. LMF

You might want to try this place:

http://www.seahorsecottages.com/index.htm

I don't think that Sea Horse Cottages (in the message above) is on the water. I would recommend a waterfront place on Sanibel instead - for example, we stayed at Forty Fifteen and loved it. Very quiet part of the beach, nice cottages, plus you are beachfront - view of the Gulf of Mexico from your cottage. The rates were very reasonable when we went - $800 for a week in May. I don't know if they do nightly rentals. If not, you could check Blue Dolphin Cottages, very close to Forty Fifteen - again, quiet and right on the Gulf of Mexico. They do nightly rentals. You could also check out Mitchell's Sandcastles on Sanibel - right next to Forty Fifteen and now owned by the same people.

I really like that area of Sanibel (on West Gulf Drive) b/c it's so quiet and peaceful. The beach is not very busy and you are in a residential area, so it's not very touristy. Of course, that also means you can't walk to restaurants.