Island Inn

We have stayed at the Island Inn many times. However, this was our first stay since the hurricanes hit Sanibel. The rooms in Matthews Lodge were just as great as ever. The beach had a great many more shells. The chairs and umbrellas made sitting on the beach very peaceful and enjoyable. The staff was as friendly and welcoming as ever. While so much has changed, we were glad to support the Island Inn and all the other familiar businesses on Sanibel. It is important to show your loyalty to such a wonderful place and the people who live and work there. We will be back again in the near future!

My husband and I stayed for three nights in April and had the BEST time! Our room was clean and well stocked, and the view just couldn't be beat. Ken and his staff were friendly and accommodating, and the best part...having a room that was directly on the beach! We sat on the balcony at night and enjoyed the sound of the water, went shelling each morning and found our space at the Inn as a welcome retreat from our very busy lives back home.

Sanibel took a direct hit from a powerful hurricane several years ago, but the island is recovering and well worth a visit. Island Inn is a gem and has one of the best beaches on the island. Comfortable rooms, great shelling within steps of your room and conveniently located close to everything yet private.

We just left this wonderful inn. The people were so kind and welcoming, the room (actually more of a condo) was beautiful and had everything we needed. The beach in front of the inn was beautiful and had better shells than most places on the island! The balcony, which was screened in, was beautiful, we ate breakfast there every day! There were chairs and umbrellas on the beach. You can’t beat the sunset as well. This was our first time back to Sanibel since the devastating hurricanes. There were plenty of restaurants open and lots of shops are coming back too. We’ll be back!

Taking a road trip through Florida and stayed at the Island Inn during memorial Day weekend at the Matthews Suites which had full kitchen, great views of the ocean, long sand beach, good shelling, very uncrowded, casual kick back vibe, with bike rentals. The room was clean and spacious and had a large screened balcony with walk out stairs to the beach. Be aware: Hurricane Ian (2022) took out the pool and restaurant and when biking around the 28 miles of bike paths you can see significant destruction that is presently being repaired. I would estimate that 50% of the structures on the island have had damage. Fortunately, retail appears to have bounced back and the residential repairs are in progress. Everyone we met on the island was friendly and helpful.

The Island Inn is an exquisite getaway on one of the best beaches we have ever been on! Accommodations and staff are top notch and the rooms have everything you could ever need and a few you didn’t know you needed! The shelling was as advertised as well. Just a great place on a great island-we are booking for next year as well!

My husband & I stayed at the Island Inn as 1st time visitors to the island and we instantly fell in love. Every one we encountered on property was kind and helpful. We loved our room, which walked right out onto the beach, it was the perfect getaway for the 2 of us! Can’t wait to return!

Island Inn was a great place to stay. We had a gorgeous view of the beach and a screened in porch with a ceiling fan. The suite was beautifully decorated and had plenty of towels and toiletries provided. We could not have been in a better location for shelling as there were numerous huge stacks along our stretch of the beach. Finally, Glory was very patient and knowledgeable with my many questions.

Another successful stay at the island inn. This is our fourth time over the last year. The staff is friendly and helpful. The beach is right here. There are grills and chairs and umbrellas. Rooms are clean. Come and enjoy!

Quiet, clean, a slice of peace with a beach to match. Thank you for a quiet night and a peaceful day. I had a perfect day here.

Very good beach for shelling. We had one stormy night which brought out a lot of shells. We had a room with an ocean view and only about 60 feet from the beach. We had a two queen bed foom with a fridge, sink, and microwave. The place looks like it has been remodeled recently. With a screened in porch, we came back from the beach and left our sandy shoes there. The pool is not huge but it is kept at a comfortable temperature year around. They have a person who teaches you about shells and shows you how to find them. (Beginners class) which is free. If you are interested in a beach wedding, they have a person who will work with you on the planning. All of the staff are helpful and made our stay enjoyable.

We were so happy with our stay. Everyone was so accommodating; from our early check-in, to getting us access to power out cart, and the daily friendly smile of our housekeeper. The room was great, resort has everything we needed and the beach was just serene. Our new happy place. Thank you.

This was my first time visiting Sanibel and I truly think we stayed in the most perfect spot!!! As soon as you pull in the driveway you're immediately inside of an oasis and it stays that way no matter where you are on the property! I like that the Inn offers different types of rooms/cottages/lodges. It's pretty well maintained by the FRIENDLIEST staff who never fail to say good morning or ask you how your stay is. We stayed for 6 days and I wish we could've stayed forever. It's a beautiful place, right on the beach with breathtaking views of the sunset and the ocean is right there!! They have beach chairs and umbrellas to use too. If you wade out a little bit, you'll surely find a million sand dollars! There's a great pool and kayaks and games like shuffleboard and corn hole to play too. Right on sight is the amazing restaurant called Traditions. We are there several times and they have live music nightly. Again, the friendliest staff inside the restaurant and delicious food and drinks. So fun!!

I stayed in "Matthew's" cottage September 2020. Great experience. Nice bathrooms, super comfy beds and the air conditioner worked great. (ie) it didn't blow right over the bed etc.). There is a large drop off to get to the kitchen. I didn't have a problem with it, but my friend who has had knee surgery wasn't thrilled, but she restricted in using the kitchen. Inside the cabin, you can see the gulf but you see more of the beachy grounds more. Attached photo is from outside the front door. I found the view to be peaceful and beautiful.

Unfortunately after staying at the Island Inn for a few years, and understanding the rustic history of the inn, and offering suggestions on how to improve I will not be returning. The inn is located on a great stretch of the beach in Sanibel, however the management nor maintenance staff are not keeping up with maintaining the property. The hand rail and exterior of the main building where guests check in is all dirty and badly needs painted, the beach chairs are rusting away and fabric is ripping. Our tub was chipped, and the tub faucet coming out of the wall. And finally our screen door was ripped and deteriorated. These problems along with the addition of no longer offering continental breakfast (blame Covid?) and no pass to Ding Darling, no discount card, and no complimentary cocktail at the bar have earning the Island Inn a one star review. I tried my best to point out things I noticed over the years as I watched the Inn allow its buildings to become run down, and Chris the manager would rather request I stay somewhere else, than make repairs or offer an explanation. As of May 2021 I would suggest you look for other accommodations as well.

We have stayed here several times in the past and never had a problem. It's a nice, quiet location. We booked a three night stay with two rooms, but needed to shorten the stay by one day. I've stayed with many hotels and they are generally very understanding especially if you been with them multiple times in the past and spent as much as I have done with the Island Inn over the years. This trip I booked two rooms and was staying with my family as a little holiday/getaway/staycation/get out of the house expedition. I was informed of the change in policy when I checked in, BUT it sounded like they were going to work with me to resell the last day of my stay, so that I didn't have to pay for it, which is typical. I asked the clerk checking me in if they had been busy and he said yes, that they were very busy. But, as I could tell from the numerous vacant rooms, I don't believe that to be accurate. I was also informed that they changed their policy on bike rentals and kayak rentals. When I have stayed there in the past, these extra items were all courtesy. I also found out that there was no longer a complementary breakfast. Here is the most confusing part, they say they will not charge you for the extra night, if they can resell that night online. But, how can anyone be expected to know if they are simply booking rooms and intentionally avoiding renting out your room to still bill you. Also, if they were truly as busy as they said they were, then why the big deal? Or, if they are dead, like I suspected why not treat your paying customers with a little more respect and courtesy? I just booked two rooms for two nights and spent $200 in the restaurant. And that is another problem I have with this establishment. I have eaten at Traditions numerous times with no issues. This time, all the food tasted stale. It was like it was on a warmer for too long or overcooked. To be fair, I did call the Island Inn to request a reversal of the charge before posting this review. They would not cooperate. All told, I spent over $1200 on this stay alone at their establishment and this is how I get treated. I will certainly take my business elsewhere next time. I recommend that you do the same. This place is not even a shadow of what it used to be.

All in all, I liked the Island Inn. It was good, but there are several things that could make it great. Our first room that we were given had an extremely sour smell in it. Initially, because they were all out of the same rooms that we had rented, they were going to charge us to move us. Clearly, that was not an issue that should've been put on us considering they attributed the smell to their cleaners cleaning with dirty mop soap. Eventually, they did rectify that, and not charge us. If you're looking for a place to take your family that is following rigorous COVID-19 precautions, this place would definitely be it. They took mine and my son's temperatures, asked us some simple questions. I did appreciate all of that. So thank you! The beds were very comfortable I must say! They do need to work on stocking their kitchen more appropriately. They didn't even have a pizza cutter, which I think would be a staple when you're traveling. Everybody likes to have that quick meal, especially with kids. The private beach that they have on site, it's not really a beach as in "going to lay out with your family", it's approximately 5 feet of walking space before you hit the ocean, if that. The toilet ran all night long, which eventually ended up being quite an annoyance. As you can see, there are many positive & negatives in my opinion. If they could fix these few things, this place would be phenomenal and I would definitely be back!

Absolutely a hidden gem! Perfect location, exceptionally clean. Staff was beyond friendly and helpful. I was blown away to see how all staff, from front desk, to cleaning, to lawn care staff all went way out of their way to anticipate guest needs before we even had them. Best run hospitality business I have ever seen. Feel was quiet, intimate, and charming. Will definitely be back ASAP. Wish we could have stayed much longer!

This truly was a very pleasant surprise... it says it's a three star establishment but it's more like five star if you ask me. We stayed in a room with an ocean view and private entrance from the beach. Room was huge, had a living room and kitchen and a beautiful outdoor terrace equipped with table, chairs and even a sink. Whole place is sparkling clean... I had a lot of reservations while staying in a hotel during a raging pandemic, however, this place truly did make me feel safe and comfortable. They follow strictly CDC guidelines. The staff of this place is great, special shout-out to Angie who was super sweet and helpful, all The ladies and gentlemen are but I dealt with Angie most and really appreciated her help. The place is located on a beautiful beach and while sitting on the balcony we could hear waves crashing. It's a dreamy relaxing clean place... cannot recommend it enough. Our friends stayed at another location and their place didn't even come close to this. Island Inn is best place to stay!!!

Fantastic stay despite the weather. Room and building is brand new. Expensive: 1660.00 for 4 nights but oh so worth it. Front desk very accommodating mostly with the A/c. Private screened area is a must. Can't say enough- go now!

We stayed in Matthews Lodge for our first time in Sanibel. The suite had everything we needed and we'll stocked. The view was gorgeous. We loved the screened private deck and short walk to the beach. We received a 10% discount card to so many stores and the Captiva Cruise to Useppa Island. We were provided with an informational packet with tote bag so we were able to navigate to all the cool stores, restaurants, museums and Bailey's food market. So nice to have a short walk to the restaurant Traditions on the Beach. Carlo made us our complimentary delicious tropical cocktail. Mike served us with delicious tapas. Paul waited on us with a fabulous dinner. All three men were super friendly and accommodating. Office staff and Ana J our room service employee were so nice and helpful. A nice shell tour is provided with a guide at 9am each day. Covered parking for each guest and elevator provided for the Matthews Lodge. Can't wait to visit again!

On Sanabel island it doesn't get much better than this. A little piece of heaven that will make you wanting to come back. The location is literally right on the beach. The rooms were spotless. The staff was friendly. And the amenities were great. Prior to staying here I was at a well-known chain hotel considered to be high end. This place blows it out of the water. No pun intended. We were also able to enjoy a nice dinner at the restaurant on property. The food is phenomenal and the service is fantastic.

Every year my mom and I spend a few days in sanibel to relax and collect shells, every year we try a new hotel or inn. This one is it. 100%! The suites are great, you have a balcony with a view, which also has a wet bar to rinse shells! Ample room to sit and relax.. 5 second walk to the beach. I really loved the room set up, you can have it as a open floor plan, or if someone needs privacy to sleep you can slide the huge doors shut and make the bedroom private. Full kitchen. Full sized fridge. The restaurant had great food and it's steps away from your room. Centrally located, This place really is my favorite stay on sanibel island so far. The ONLY downside is it still has that older dates feel, however that is sanibel charm! Nothing fancy about this island and I love that.

We enjoyed our stay at the Island Inn!! The property is amazingly clean, the staff friendly and helpful. The beach is WOW lovely - lot of shells to choose from!!! The water is not crystal clear but it is clean and warm! White sands.... great times at Island Inn - we will come back definitely!!! Suggestions: bring water shoes if you don't like to touch the shells under the water and repellent for no-see-ums (small mosquitoes) - the front desk sells the repellent in case you forget.

Really terrible experience. We booked our stay for the Island Inn a couple months ago. During our booking conversation we specifically asked about a cancellation fee and were informed that there was only a cancellation fee tagged on when cancelling within 5 days. With that in mind we booked. Around a week later, we learned of the red tide that hit Sanibel Island and the thousands of fish that were turning up lifeless on the shores of the inn. Obviously, this was an unfortunate circumstance that caused us to cancel our stay. After doing so we were charged a cancellation fee. I called thinking this must be a mistake after being told on the phone we'd only be charged if cancelling within 5 days. The woman on the phone could not have been any ruder. She even said we should have been charged double because we booked two separate rooms. In regards to this point, I informed her that this was based off the hotels suggestion due to the lack of availability of rooms. So to suggest this, didn't solve our problem and only serves to frustrate the customer even more. Due to the women's lack of empathy and care to the situation, I asked to speak to her manager. She told me no one was around. Then I asked for his email and she gave me the wrong one at first. Fortunately, I was able to find the right one and ended up emailing the manager who said he was 'within an earshot of the front desk person' the whole time and unfortunately he couldn't do anything. So clearly, an overall sense of apathy towards their customer's concerns and a deceptive practice around their cancellation fees. I would not recommend doing business with them.

I made my check out today; I stayed at the beach house specifically zyreep beach house #275; terrible house; very old with a strong damp smell; I actually had to go out and buy scent candles and Tina's attention at the reception was good but Gloria was not friendly; at a front desk, customer service must be impeccable; was terrible experience in this property :(.

Very clean, loved view and steps to beach. Service was fantastic. Great choice for right price.

What a lovely experience the Island Inn provided! We really enjoyed the quaint and personal feel of the resort rather than some of the larger properties. We opted to splurge a bit and stayed at the Matthews Lodge and so glad we did! There's just a different feeling of stepping out of your cottage immediately onto the sand and having the additional space of 2 bedrooms with their own bathrooms. The property felt very homey and safe and our kids immediately felt at home here. Every staff member was wonderful, kind and friendly and really seemed to take pride in their work. The manager Chris was amazingly responsive to all our concerns and questions and provided first class treatment. Even the maintenance crew was superb and super engaging. Our few complaints: (1) There is a charge to use bicycles -I know this activity is included in the room rate at some other resorts. (2) The twin beds were very uncomfortable (the king was just fine). Both my daughter and I had a rough time sleeping on the twins. (3) As everyone else has mentioned, the breakfast is just OK. They do provide the basics but I ended up just cooking breakfast in our cottage.

My wife and I loved the Island Inn. We were upgraded to the new Matthews lodge which faces the gulf and the suite was first class all the way. The property was also perfect, low key and intimate enough to get along with other guests, relax on the grounds, swim in the pool etc. The restaurant and bar looked a bit old school but was charming. Only had breakfast there which was typical of continental breakfast there consisting of pastries, hard boiled eggs, coffee, and juice. Would have eaten there for dinner but ran out of time. I guess I would have given 5 stars but we were a little shocked to see that they were still using a key system, which is not very secure. Especially given that the building we stayed in was new, a key-card system should have been put into place. Also, not a fan of the continental breakfast, although it was pretty good considering. Other than that, this place is a real gem. Looking forward to returning someday.

Love this place. We visit a few times a year. We love to shell. Obviously Sanibel is the best shelling in the world. Island Inn is right on the gulf. Cozy, quiet, romantic place. Nice restaurant. Up at sunrise for early morning shelling. Back to the resort for a very good complimentary continental breakfast. Then a day at the beach. Followed by a romantic dinner. We try not to leave the property. The rooms are very clean. Bed was great. Going back in October. Cant wait!!!

I went to the island inn during the pandemic. They were very careful to follow guidelines and make sure everyone was safe. I came with my 2 kids 10 and 12 and we had a great time. Very central location. Great food and excellent staff and customer service.

My husband and I recently stayed at the Island Inn and we will definitely be back! The property was extremely clean, staff was all wearing masks, and our temperatures were taken at check-in. We felt so safe. Our room was immaculate and absolutely beautiful. Can't beat the view! This is the best place we've stayed on the island and can't wait to return. Thanks for a great stay, Island Inn!

What a hidden gem! A combination of historic buildings, cottages and condo-style rooms on an amazing parcel of land kept natural. I was here for a board meeting and didn't want to leave. The rooms are beautifully and comfortably arranged with kitchens so you can stock up on daily essentials while here. Although we mostly ate in. We did visit the restaurant on the grounds (Traditions) which offered a wide variety of local seafood and meat options. We had oysters and shrimp appetizers, Cesar salads and the grouper and tuna. The dude next to me had the lamb chop which he said was insanely good. Loved everything about the meal. I didn't expect that quality of a kitchen in a small resort, but apparently it's a hot spot with the locals, as the restatement was packed. There's no lack of things to do from walking the beach and picking shells to fishing for snook and tarpon(I jumped three) from shore to hanging at the pool or grabbing a bicycle and cruising the island. The staff was super friendly and casual, but quick to go the extra mile. They just really seemed to care about whether you you having fun and relaxing or not. I really loved my time here and would recommend it to anyone looking to wind down.

This historic beachfront inn exceeded expectations. From it's delightfully pleasant staff, to the immaculately clean, Gulf facing room we stayed in for three nights. The property is both spacious and chock full of modern ammenities. You must spend at least one night here, and experience relaxation in historic Sanibel style.

The positives: The staff was exceedingly warm and welcoming. Check in was impressively well organized. The room was clean. The beach was lovely. I enjoyed the guided beach walk where I learned all about the shells. We biked to Ding Darling Park, which was a 3 mile flat and scenic ride plus 4 miles of biking at the nature preserve. We stayed one night- would have enjoyed another night but they were already fully booked. They allowed us to use their beach and facilities as long as we liked after check-out, everyone was very sweet. The negatives: The rooms lacked character or elegance, but they were roomy and clean ( there was a kitchen and a screened patio!). Also the room and hallways smelled of disinfectant or bug spray, not sure which but I found it unpleasant.

I have mixed reviews about this hotel. The location is great--right on the beach, they have beach lounge chairs for free you can drag onto the beach which is great, and you can rent umbrellas, kayaks, bikes, etc. My reservations are that we only stayed here one night after having stayed at the marriott residence inn in ft myers just over the bridge and if I did it again i would probably have just stayed there all three nights! The bed was as hard as a rock and they only gave two flat pillows on a king size bed! I tossed and turned all night despite the gorgeous sounds of beach waves and breezes from our screened in porch. I had also tried to check in early around 12 instead of 3, to which a woman had a little bit of an attitude asked "did expedia tell you the checkin time?" (I booked through hotwire but they must have an attitude toward discount websites). She took my number saying she would call me when the room was ready, but even showing up there again at 2:30 there were tons of rooms ready, but no call. (The man that later checked us in and told us about the hotel was very friendly and nice, however). The facilities were very clean and if you're going with a family and rent one of their cottages seems like a great location, just bring a mattress pad and extra pillows! (And don't expect an early check-in or a late check-out).

This is a no frills yet clean hotel on the beach. The beach frontage is one of the best shelling on the island. You can sleep with your sliders fully open and have no fear of intruders. A modest roof deck is a good place to sip a drink and to gaze at the stars. Sanibel does not allow streetlights, so the island has the bluest and truest of nights to enjoy. A Continental breakfast available to hotel guests only is a basic buffet of Sysco choices. Yogurt, abysmal pastries weighted with preservatives, hard boiled eggs, juices. Service is brusque, but there is information available at the front desk that can lead to enjoyable recreation like bike riding, kayaking, boating, local museums and plays. There is a bar called Traditions with sketchy, local alcoholics mixed in with tourists. Live music is offered, but doesn't last very late into the evening.

Howard and I had a wonderful time on Sanibel Island, and the Island Inn was in large part, the reason. It started the minute we walked in the room and saw the kissing swans, bottle of champagne with glasses, and a lovely hand-written personalized note wishing us a happy anniversary. We stayed in a first floor room right on the beach in Kimball Lodge. Waking up to the sound of the waves rushing to the shore was as delightful as drawing the curtains and seeing them. The room was clean, spacious, and had all the necessary amenities (including refrigerator, microwave oven, dishes, and silverware for leftovers). The bed was comfortable, and the shower (my litmus test) had a strong flow, clear drain, and was easy to figure out (changing the temperature). We dined at Traditions and enjoyed it very much. The waiter even held up our dinner so that we could go out to the beach and watch the sunset after we had our salad. It was very convenient being able to rent bicycles right at the hotel. And the front office staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful (from taking time to answer our many questions by showing us on the map, to warning us not to walk under the tree when it's full of pelicans). We would definitely stay at the Island Inn again. When our four-night stay had come to an end, we were even able to extend it one more night! We will surely be back!

Amazing hideaway for couples and adults. Not really an entertaining place for kids (which is what I loved about it). Immediately I was reminded of the coziness of a bed and breakfast but with the luxury of private cottages or rooms. We went for a studio apartment so that we could cook our own meals checking in, we were already impressed. They provided us with real keys, a map of the island and a tide schedule so that we knew when the best time to find shells would be. They also have guided walks every the morning to look for shells. The room was beyond my expectations. Despite the great history of this hideaway, the rooms were updated and clean. The kitchen was stocked with pots, pans, plates and utensils but don't forget your own zip local bags etc. The beds were comfortable. The staff was amazing. Even though we were in a fully booked hotel, we usually didn't find any lack of privacy. They have shuffle board and horseshoes or you can rent kayaks or bikes. The breakfast started to late. We brought our own breakfast but went to check it out. They don't start until 8 but they have complimentry danish, toast and fruit. I highly recommend bringing bug spray and water shoes. The shells will hurt your feet and flip flops didnt cut it. The bugs, oh the bugs, will hurt every thing else but this is the entire island. Sanibel is known for the attacking noseums which have a painful and bite which is more itchy then a mosquito bite!

Gail at the front desk-very rude. I won't be back here again-that's for sure. I booked a room on the Expedia site and the rate for one person versus four is the same. I show up and she says that is an extra charge for each additional guest. I didn't want this lady ruining the short time I have here with my family but instead she is the type of person that likes to argue so she is pulling up things on the last time I visited. I tell her to stop wasting my time so I can forget about this incident and move on to enjoying the rest of the night....no she just doesn't want to quit. I told her normally you would want to have repeat customers instead of being rude and losing their business down the road..she didn't even answer my questions with the issue and instead was more worried about arguing...so yes ma'am you are right about everything. I know one thing for sure-we won't come back again.

It's really nice to be on the beach and be able to just walk over whenever I please. They have a pool if you're not feeling the ocean water to swim in. They offer wifi in the building as well as on the beach behind the hotel. The staff are all very friendly and nice! Betsy had helped us during our last stay and remembered us the next time we came! The breakfast in the morning makes up for its lack of protein options (no sausage, bacon, and only hard boiled eggs) with its amazing pastries! It is amazing considering that it is included with your reservation at the hotel. And the view from the spacious dining area is lovely! They also offer a super cool daily shell walk with professionals who educate the patrons with the different facts about the shells and animals in the ocean. Overall the stay was very lovely and we will be sure to stay here again.

We stayed 4 nights at the Island Inn. We enjoyed our room in the Matthews Lodge & the quietness of the area. Breakfast was very good including fresh fruit, yogurt, boiled eggs, pastries, breads, juice, coffee, tea...served graciously by ladies who kept it well stocked. Our room was clean & peaceful. The beach walk each morning with a naturalist was very informative. We enjoyed our first visit to Sanibel.

On an island full of spectacular scenery and amazing landscapes, it's almost impossible to choose a place to stay. However after having much fun doing some research, I discovered The Island Inn. I wanted a place where my with could relax, do nothing or everything. She cares for her elderly mom 24/7 in our home. She is dependent on food, medicine and hygiene. I try to get my wife way every once in awhile to collect herself and The Island Inn was a perfect selection. Beautiful beaches, amazing sunsets,great restaurant, friendly staff. Time went by slowly and quickly which I imagine makes some sense somewhere. Rick N

Just finished a three day stay at Island Inn. This was our second visit and we were in the same room with a cute welcome back note on the bed. This is a quaint, peaceful place with a warm and friendly staff. The rooms are a bit small and crowded but we find that part of the charm. There are cabins and larger rooms available. The on sight restaurant is wonderful. They serve amazing pastries at the complimentary breakfast. The beach and pool are great and the view of the sunset is perfect. We will be back. Come armed with something to fight off the no see ums. They were bad this year. The front desk has good stuff to keep them at bay. Give Island Inn a try if you like peace and quiet and being on the beach!

Fantastic inn right on Sanibel beach.Cant get much closer.Rooms are clean and our room has a very nice view of the ocean.Room has a kitchen so makes making meals quick to run back to the beach.Will be coming back!!

We stopped here for one night to catch the Key West Express. I had messed up scheduling dates for my family and Brian at the front desk was incredibly patient. He moved us a few times (from my parents being picky about a balcony) and he upgraded us for free. Has a large tiki bar right on site with live music, but you can't hear from your room. Right across the street from the beach! Great experience, I will be back.

We loved our stay at the Island Inn. It's a chill-out, family-friendly gem of a beachfront resort. It's nice, but not fancy, and it's clean, but not a cookie-cutter corporate hotel. Our room in Kimball had two queen beds (not double!) and a kitchenette with fridge, sink, microwave, dishes, wine glasses and other kitchen things like dish towels, cutting board, knife, and corkscrew. The room was on the smaller side, but the bathroom was generous with two sinks, and there was a small screened-in porch that faced a courtyard where we played cards and ate our lunches. The small-ish heated pool was 52 steps away (my kids counted) and the entrance to the beach about the same distance. There are other rooms with more space, but we liked Kimball enough to stay there again. This is a place to relax, but there is enough to do if you don't want to leave the grounds. There was a game room with puzzles and games in our building. They have suffleboard, horseshoes, and the most comfortable hammocks I've ever lain in. They also rent kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, but you have to drag them to the beach by yourself, and they are not in the best shape. They felt safe, just not high-end or new (they lent us life jackets when we rented, too). They also rent bikes which you can take off the property. There is no gym on the premises but I heard there is one nearby that tourists can use. Each day we paid an $8 fee and they set up an umbrella for us, we brought out their beach chairs (it's a short walk), and enjoyed the lovely February Florida weather. Though the resort was fully booked when we were there, nothing was crowded -- not the beach, not the pool, not the grounds. There were a few families like us, and many couples. It's not a rowdy crowd, and that's what we like. The free continental breakfast was the worst part. Boring and limited. Coffee/tea, juice, hard-boiled eggs, Yoplait yogurt, fruit salad, pastries, and toast. That's it. No oatmeal. No bagels or muffins. No other source of protein. And the staff started breaking it down early while we were still eating. We started calling it "the bad breakfast." I will say that the mini croissants were delicious, though. The restaurant on the grounds, Traditions, is very good, but only open for dinner also pricey. There is live music which was fun, but made it hard to talk. (There was a lot of live music wherever we went on the island.) I wish I remembered the names of the staff who helped us because they were all so friendly. We booked our rooms for next year before we left! Can't wait to go back.

The room was like a match box- very small and not easy to get around in. The room had a moldy smell. When, I called the front desk to ask questions, the staff member had the " it is what it is mentality." It was definitely not worth what we paid per night. I would not go back nor would I recommend this place.

Had dinner last evening with husband and two cousins at 8pm on a Friday night! First, the music was lovely....a good mix pop, Motown, etc. Our waiter, Bink, was superb and service very good! We had shrimp scampi, fruita da mar, salmon and the special grouper....drinks delicious, good wine list, and only bottled beer. Dinner prices are good, although specials were on the pricey side according to our cousins. We are used to Chicago pricing, and thought what they ordered and got was fair...all in perspective! They do have early bird specials for dinner between 4 and 6pm. Also tapas specials at the bar from 4 to 6pm.

This is a treasure. We weren't sure what to expect this year with Covid restrictions, but it safe yet relaxed. The atmosphere is lively and we enjoyed ourselves as much as we ever had in years past!.

THE GOOD: The Island Inn is on a beautiful piece of beachfront property. It feels less crowded than other places on the Island. The buildings are in a sort of U-shape, facing the ocean, creating a courtyard type space where children can run around and have some freedom within the safe confines of the resort. Actually, we live in Florida, and my kids say they prefer the Island Inn to Disney World!! There are bikes to ride, beach chairs to use, shuffleboard, a small pool, and, of course, the beach, with swimming and shelling. We saw dolphins both mornings we were there, on our most recent visit, which was a real treat. Having a kitchen and pull-out couch in the rooms is very convenient, especially with small kids. The restaurant is nice (if a bit expensive, especially for kids), with live music and dancing. THE BAD: The sand fleas can be terrible. My kids were playing shuffleboard and had to come inside because they just kept biting too much. I don't know if there is anything the Inn can do to help keep them at bay, but I've had this experience there more than once. Also - this may seem petty, but the Island Inn talks a lot about their traditions, etc. We visited for my 40th birthday weekend. My husband told the staff, and told them that my family has been coming for several generations, but they were not interested at all. Funny to see other pictures with personalized notes and champagne, etc - we had none of that, even though they definitely knew it was a special weekend. THE UGLY: Our cottage had a leaky roof. For almost $500 per night I don't want to have to sop up the floor with towels and have pans and buckets catching the drips. Some of the buildings are beautiful but some are just OLD. Unfortunately we only discovered it on our last night/morning as we were about to check out. When we made the front desk aware, there was no apology or adjustment to the bill, simply 'oh, we need to get maintenance over there'. I was really shocked. A leaky roof is unacceptable in an $89 hotel room. So in a cottage for several hundred dollars per night (which is a big stretch for us, but it was a special occasion) I really expect everything to be in good shape. It wasn't. We have had some really nice visits to the Island Inn, but I think after the last visit, we will look for somewhere else to stay.

This place is a small paradise. Staff extremely courteous, we could see the ocean from the room, the outside balcony was just amazing, We loved siting there and looking at the sunset. The only negative is the Breakfast, pretty poor. There is a small swimming pool and you can ring the chairs on the beach. Thank you for these amazing days.

Pros: On a nice beach, nice continental breakfast, clean and adequately sized rooms, spacious bathrooms, back porches, dual room entrances, friendly staff, bar and restaurant on premises, bicycle and umbrella rental available on premises, lots of restaurants and gifts shops nearby, plenty of shells and sea life, beach chairs available, quiet and less populated beach, guided shell tour available on premises too. Cons: Small pool - the pool temperature can get hot in summer, and if there aren't adequate storms and wind, then summertime can also mean warm, stagnant, foul-smelling, algae-filled ocean water. This is what we found when we arrived: a hot pool and a stinky, hot ocean. However, during the night a big storm came through and washed away the stagnant water, and we awoke the next morning to a cooler, cleaner ocean. We have school-aged children who enjoyed the shells and enjoyed the cooler ocean on day 2.

Based on some previous reviews, I was kind of skeptical about coming here because I do like comfort, cleanliness, good service and nice views (who doesn't) and honestly, this place had all of the above. We stayed at the Kimball lodge and it was very clean, didn't smell musty (as I read in previous reviews) and had a great view! This place had an old school feel and it was very relaxing! The breakfast was simple consisting of pastries, breads, fruits, yogurts, Non concentrated juices, coffee and hard boiled eggs! The beach is beautiful and if you like shells, look no further! The island has no street lights at night and most places close early (not for Party animals). Sometimes it's nice to just sit outside with a glass of wine and listen to the ocean waves crashing! This is a Great place to Relax. I will Definitely return here!

From the moment you walk in, front desk staff offers an informative and cheery welcome. Our room was perfectly clean, and the screened in porch was amazing. They offer fun games to play around the property. The bar offers a great key lime pie margarita.

Wife and I came down here for our Anniversary. We are staying in the Kimball area our room is Clean, great kitchen, bathroom and the back porch is Awesome. The double sliding doors that open up wide so you can enjoy the outside sounds of the waves from the Gulf. Staff has been great! Not far from Captiva and Other Great Restaurants beside the one on premises. They should call this beach Shell beach there are so many!!! If your bouncing back and forth between this one and others like I was Please do yourself a favor and stay here. My only thing I will tell you is to get one facing the gulf you won't regret it!

I chose to vacation on Sanibel with the family over Labor Day weekend after my usual spot on Lido Key wanted waaaaaaay too much money for a room. After doing a search on hotels.com, I found Island Inn and was pleasantly surprised by the awesome price, especially booking last minute. The description of the room was gulfview studio and the room itself was huge, with a kitchenette. The bathroom was a bit small but really, who is going to spend their entire vacation in the bathroom anyway? The hotel is broken up into several buildings and cottages. Our room was in one of the buildings with outdoor hallways but there was one very large building with indoor hallways, should you prefer that. The property is huge, with a private beach, tennis courts, bike rentals, restaurant (winter season only), croquet area, and horseshoes. There are several bike paths all around Sanibel and they are easily accessed from the hotel. The only downside to our stay was that our room was brightly lit at night so we would find ourselves waking up at 3am and feeling like it was 7! I believe darker blackout curtains would fix this or you can just drink yourself to sleep... whatever floats your boat! ;0)