The Best Hotels on Sanibel Island, Florida
Balmy tropical days await on Florida‘s tranquil Sanibel Island, where you can find views of the Gulf, fresh fish and impeccable service at the island’s best hotels, bookable on Culture Trip.
Out of towners take note: no two beaches in Florida are the same, and the shores of Sanibel Island are without question some of the best in the state. Buoyed by the Sanibel Causeway to the greater Fort Myers area, Sanibel Island’s sunsets, lighthouses and seashells draw in the crowds, but it’s the seafood, seaside suites and outdoor activities that’ll convince you to stay longer than you planned.
1. Island Inn
Inn
Island Inn is pure seaside bliss. At their Traditions on the Beach restaurant, fresh fish is cooked up before your very eyes. In fact, they’ll even cook up your own catch, and if you need advice on the best fishing holes or beaches for shell-hunting, their e-concierge service will answer all of your questions with a few taps of the fingers.
2. Sanibel Island Beach Resort
Resort
It’s a shame you can’t pay for your room with sand dollars and seashells, because the private beach at Sanibel Island Beach Resort is full of them. You can, however, pay a few extra dollars to have your four-legged friend stay with you in a comfortable king suite at this popular spot. Latch on a leash and walk along the private entrance to the beach where, hopefully, Fido can sniff out some buried treasure left behind by pirates.
4. Sanibel Inn
Inn
If it’s not the Gulf that brought you to Florida, then it was surely the golf. Sanibel Inn tees you up with an exclusive membership to the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club resort. Practice your short game on their 18-hole championship course, then brag about how much time you’ve spent away from the beach over spritzers and sunsets at the Clubhouse.
5. West Wind Island Resort
Hotel, Independent Hotel, Resort
We’d normally talk about the kitchens, comfortable living areas and enclosed balconies of the West Wind Island Resort’s suites, but there are just so many other things to do at this resort that you’ll hardly see your room. Parasailing, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing. waverunners, boat rentals, jacuzzis – this place really does have it all.
6. Casa Ybel Resort
Resort, Lodge
7. Shalimar Cottages and Motel
Boutique Hotel
Shalimar Cottages and Motel wants you to spend your entire stay under the sun. From kayak and bicycle rentals to basketball and shuffleboard courts, there’s always an outdoor activity at your fingertips. One-room motel-like suites are ideal if you plan on being on the beach everyday, but if you’ve got family and friends in tow, the apartments or cottages offer a little more room to relax. With fully equipped kitchens in all rooms and a heated outdoor pool, you can’t go wrong at Shalimar.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.