Earlier this year, we had our first-ever stay on Sanibel Island. As longtime Captiva Island visitors, this was a new experience for us. We found our stay at The Island Inn On Sanibel to be just what we needed when Captiva Island was full.
Staying At The Island Inn on Sanibel
This past spring, we decided to celebrate our anniversary on Captiva Island. But the island had other plans; no lodging was available for our dates. We love Captiva and Sanibel. Quaint and charming, we feel so at home on Captiva. But, it was time for Plan B.
Luckily, Sanibel is bigger and naturally has a wider variety of resorts and hotels. We were drawn to Sanibel’s Island Inn resort for several reasons. First, it had openings for our trip dates. It’s situated away from the densely populated island resort hub with public beach access. The Island Inn also has no resort fees and free parking. With less than fifty rooms spread across the ten-acre property, it’s a spacious, low-key gem nestled in the middle of the island.
Related: Sanibel Island Resorts
Accommodations – Kimball Lodge
We stayed in the Kimball Lodge at the Island Inn. Our room included a kitchen suite so we could prepare our favorite local seafood from Molly Malone Seafood. Don’t feel like cooking on vacation? The Kimball Lodge also has two-bed suites that don’t include kitchens.
Our one-bedroom suite had a small kitchen, cafe table for two, sofa, queen bed, and two TVs. The bathroom is nearly as large as the living quarters and includes two sinks, and a large closet.
All rooms in the lodge include a private screened-in patio with an uninterrupted view of the gulf. A great place to enjoy the view in solitude.
The highlight of the Kimball Lodge is the expansive, open-air balcony that overlooks the Gulf of Mexico. Every morning we enjoyed coffee and breakfast here, and a few happy hours. This balcony is open to all resort guests, even those not staying in the Kimball Lodge building. It felt like our own little private oasis as we had it all to ourselves.
In addition to the Kimball Lodge, the Island Inn has newer lodges, with space for four to six people. If you’re looking for more privacy, the Island Inn has beach cottages for rent. Five cottages sleep up to six people, with room for 12 people in the Zyreep Beach House. The cottages are complete with a full kitchen and separate living, sleeping, and dining area.
All the buildings at the Island Inn form a U around the resort’s courtyard. This design gives each unit a view of the beach and gulf. At the center of the U is the main office, which also houses the resort’s well-known restaurant, Traditions on the Beach.
The Beach
The Island Inn lies on 550 feet (167.6 m) of Sanibel’s sandy beach. The beach is much more narrow than the beaches on Captiva, but there’s still plenty of room to spread out. The resort has free beach loungers for guests, lined up near the beach entrances each morning. We never had to worry about contending with other guests for chairs.
Island Inn also features a tiki hut to escape the sun if needed. You can even rent beach umbrellas; the resort gives you a flag to mark your spot on the beach. Staff members will place your umbrella at your chosen spot early in the morning. I did go for an early morning beach run and the Island Inn already had the umbrellas lined up for its guests; well before nearby resorts.
The large lodges feature shower and foot washing stations outside the beach-front entrances, helping you limit the amount of sand in your room.
You’ll even find a shell washing station and a place to photograph your shelling treasure.
You can check out the view of the beach on the resort’s beach cam.
The Pool
The resort’s beachfront pool is located in the heart of the property. Powered by geothermal heat, you’ll find the clear pool water is a perfect temperature for relaxing; not too warm, and certainly not too cool.
We spent far less time in the pool than on our usual visits to the area, since ours was a kid-free vacation. But, we still enjoyed taking a quick dip and floating in its crystal clear waters.
Other Amenities
If you stay at The Island Inn, there’s plenty to do, other than lay at the beach.
Paddleboards and kayaks are available to rent. An extra-large Adirondack chair is featured in the courtyard; a picture-perfect photo op to make your friends and family back home a little jealous.
Challenge your family members to a game of tennis, volleyball shuffleboard, or ladder golf.
The resort even has bikes for rent (our favorite way to explore the islands!). If you don’t have a rental car, these beach cruisers can get you where you need to go. And if you want to make your own meals, the Island Inn offers grills in the courtyard.
If you need some serious rest and relaxation, one of the courtyard’s hammocks will help you unplug and forget all your worries.
The one amenity we didn’t get to take advantage of was the guided beach walks. Each morning, staff from the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum come to the Island Inn and walk the beach with up to 15 Island Inn guests. The guides will showcase the natural beauty of the area and explain the shells, wildlife, and plants seen on the beach that morning.
Traditions on the Beach Restaurant
The Island Inn is home to Traditions on the Beach, a fine dining restaurant open for dinner and features a full bar. The hallmark of a good resort restaurant is its ability to attract non-guests for a meal, something Traditions does well. Ask almost anyone on the island and you’re sure to hear Traditions on their list of best restaurants.
Island Inn has complimentary valet parking for all Traditions guests. The menu is seafood forward, as is most of the local restaurant scene. Raw seafood, pasta, steak, lamb, veal, and prepared seafood adorn the menu.
While we didn’t eat at Traditions, we did enjoy a nightcap at the bar. So far, it’s the best rum punch we’ve ever had!
Overall Impressions
If you’re looking for a place to stay on Sanibel Island, definitely check out the Island Inn. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the spacious grounds that help you get away from it all, including the busiest tourist spots on the island.
What: The Island Inn Sanibel
Location: 3111 W. Gulf Drive Sanibel Island, FL 33957
Website: https://www.islandinnsanibel.com/
