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About
4.5
#4 of 7 resorts in Sanibel Island
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Temporarily closed. Are you searching for that true Olde Florida charm and style? Look no further than Waterside Inn! You?re just steps away from the beautiful beaches of Sanibel. Amenities include a heated pool, beach loungers, on-site bike rentals, and BBQ grills. Come to relax and unwind in one of our small inns or cottages.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
We stayed in 128 grapefruit. Can’t beat it for location. Lying in bed you can watch the sun rise. Sitting on the balcony for breakfast you get the morning sun. Looking out the picture window you can watch the ocean. Out the back door you get a fabulous view of the sunset. You are steps from the beach with free chairs and umbrellas. You are a 10 minute bike ride to the grocery store and restaurants, with bikes to borrow for the day. Daily housekeeping was appreciated as they swept daily’s day tidied the bed/shook out the sand. The room was very clean as were the appliances. Only drawback was no screens on the windows or patio door.
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Date of stay: March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Driving in from Boca Raton for a 3 night getaway, Waterside Inn proved the perfect spot for us. Carol at the front desk was amazing; cordial, kind, and caring. We stayed at Pineapple Lodge in P117. The room was very clean, spacious and well equipped- we lacked for nothing! TV reception and WIFI were fine, and a relatively large hot water heater in the closet assured ample hot water at either the spacious, twin-sink, bathtub w/ shower bathroom, or in the full kitchen. Shampoo, conditioner and body wash provided, and a Mr. Coffee with coffee and condiments is also provided.
The room's location was just a short walk to either our car, the beach, or the front office. Beach chairs, towels, umbrellas, and bicycles are provided for free. You have an assigned parking space for your car (one per unit), so you never have to search for a parking spot.
We're already planning our second visit for September, so that should tell you how pleased we were with very aspect of the Waterside Inn.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Waterside Inn, General Manager at Waterside Inn on the Beach
Responded Jun 20, 2021
Thank you for the review. It was a please meeting you and were so happy you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to your return.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I very much enjoyed my stay at the Waterside Inn. I stayed in one of the standard guest rooms which had an ocean view from the balcony. I also stayed mid-week in mid-August so it was very quiet most of our stay which was exactly what I was looking for. As one would guess, the property was busier Friday and Saturday which is when I left. The person working the front office during most of my stay (I believe their name was Jeff but apologies if that is incorrect) was extremely friendly and helpful throughout our stay and made it a positive experience. Beach was steps away from the building our room was in. They thought of everything to make it a comfortable stay. I stayed for a few days so brought food for breakfast and lunch-room included working fridge and microwave, ice machine downstairs, paper towels, and even dish soap to clean out my water bottle. Beach towels, umbrella for the beach, and beach chairs were all available for free. They provided plenty of regular towels for the room for two people daily. None of this bothered me at all or affected my stay but the rooms could use some general updating as some fixtures and front door parts were rusty. The wall air conditioning unit was also on the louder side and the fan ran constantly which may bother some light sleepers. One other suggestion I might suggest for added security on those front doors is some sort of additional lock or chain. Also be sure to review the cancellation policy and when they charge you for the rooms. I did not have a problem with either policies but they are not as flexible as standard chain hotels. Overall, my experience was super positive and provided the relaxed beach getaway I was looking for!
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Date of stay: August 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Waterside Inn, General Manager at Waterside Inn on the Beach
Responded Sep 1, 2022
Thank you for the review and feedback. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This is the ripoff of the century they put a picture of a cottage with two chairs outside by the beach and make you believe that’s where you’re staying. Upon arrival I was told that “our room” not our cottage was in that building on the second floor. Not only that if you want clean towels paying $334 per night You have to come to the office to exchange them or leave them outside of your door for the maid to change them. There is no suite there it’s a motel room where the lock of the door has oxidation you open and there’s a strong odor of old and is outdated it’s hard to believe they can get away with charging those fees per night there’s no service inside the room because of Covid. Upon arrival they ask for my credit card and charged me ahead if time for the 4 nights I was going to stay and when I ask to cancel they refused. Be very careful this place is old, smelly and yes it by the beach but is not a cottage it’s a motel room. You’ll be very disappointed
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'd say read the reviews carefully to decide if this is the place for you. My husband and I stayed in Lime, a one bedroom gulf view cottage and enjoyed every minute of our stay. This is our 3rd time here, other stays have been rooms in the Pineapple building. This place is for those who are ok with things not being fancy. Our cottage was spotlessly clean and the king bed very comfortable. It is an old-style cottage and yes, could use some refreshing. For example, the calk around our bathtub is failing and needs to be redone. But the tub is being well maintained and there is no mold or mildew that sometimes happens in this situation. The sofa had a slight tear in the cushion. We didn't care. What we did love is that this place is not swarming with people; the beach is never crowded. The sunsets were beautiful. And there is a little salt water pool that is warm and clean. The front desk and house-keeping staff were super friendly. It is true that we needed to drag our chairs back and forth from the beach, but since that beach was only 100 steps from our door we really didn't mind. We'll be back.
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Date of stay: January 2022
Value
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Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Waterside Inn, General Manager at Waterside Inn on the Beach
Responded Feb 24, 2022
Thank you for the review we are glad you enjoyed your stay and look forward to seeing you again.
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Waterside Inn is wonderful place to stay. This is my third trip in 4 years. My room was great. This inn still uses small the hotel shampoo and conditioner bottle. The Holiday Inn does not do that anymore. I love that my room I have a kitchen. I save money by cooking my own food. The grounds and beach are Fantastic. Very beautiful and well groomed. My room was cleaned everyday and Extra Shout out to Carol at the front desk. We need extra towels and got them right away. I will be back. Great place to stay and have fun and relax.
Thanks
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Waterside Inn, General Manager at Waterside Inn on the Beach
Responded Aug 17, 2021
Thank you for the review. We look forward to your next visit!
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It was like being in a private spot - the entire place was booked but we hardly saw anyone - there is plenty of beach equipment and towels and a pool. Very friendly and helpful staff and great cleaning people. They will do as much as you want them to do but never intrude. Beautiful beach - very clean and beautifully decorated accommodations. We were in Mango and Lime cottages with our group. We were here before and are coming back next year!!
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Date of stay: March 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:We had an ocean view and were steps from the water.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I decided to take a spur of the moment trip to Sanibel last weekend, originally planning to go for the day and return home. We pulled into the Waterside Inn on the Beach just to ask them where the public beach access was and they were so nice and accommodating. They gave us all the information we were looking for and then some. So we asked them if they had any vacancies and they happened to have one open room, we snatched it up right away. They offered us a beach umbrella and bike rentals, complimentary with our room, which was very nice! The room was more than we expected, they had a full kitchen and a balcony which had a nice side view of the beach and the beautiful garden area. The beach was literally a minute's walk away from the hotel, which was lovely! We went right to the beach to enjoy the picnic we had packed for the day, and we also went back later in the evening for sunset and in the morning to see the sunrise. It was the perfect beach getaway that I never knew existed. We will definitely be returning in the future, we would even like to bring our families for a family beach weekend! The staff was so nice, they provided everything we needed, even a brand new, in-the-box coffee maker when the one in our room didn't work. I'm sure all the hotels on Sanibel are lovely, but if you're looking for a personal experience with a spacious room and a great staff, we would definitely recommend the Waterside Inn on the Beach. In fact, I've already recommended it to one of our friends!
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Date of stay: April 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:We had a second floor room and it had a great breeze!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Waterside Inn, General Manager at Waterside Inn on the Beach
Responded Apr 16, 2021
Thank you for the kind review. Were glad you enjoyed your visit and look forward to you next visit.
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We stayed there recently for 3 nites. We could not wait to leave. The place is Vintage 1950's. It needs to be torn down and built over to todays standards' The room was painted Tangerine by a blind painter. The front screen door is rusty and the door to the room was hard to open and close and so dirty i was afraid to touch it. For close to $400.00 a nite we expected much more. WPB
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Date of stay: February 2021
Value
Rooms
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Waterside Inn, General Manager at Waterside Inn on the Beach
Responded Feb 22, 2021
We are sorry to hear you did not enjoy your stay. Waterside Inn is an old Florida Style resort. If your looking for Modern this is not the place for you. Our guest have been coming for years and enjoy it again and again for its quaint charm and old southern style.
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So let me preface this as this was our first time visiting Sanibel Island. Way different from the usual Madeira, St Pete, Treasure Island spots we usually go. Sanibel is way more laid back, and instead of walking to get dinner or drinks, you have to drive to the Main Stip, Periwinkle Way. Not a big deal, but took getting used to. Waterside Inn (WI) is located right on the beach, about half way down Gulf Blvd. All hotels, and across the street are all houses. Nice and quiet and set back from the sreet. WI is an older set of buildings with their own history. Room we staid in was clean and functional. Water pressure in the shower was almost a trickle. A/C unit in the wall was noisy; but after the first night, it lulled you to sleep. Beds were comfortable, albeit a little soft for us. Downside there are no King beds, only queens. Other than that WI fit the bill for a no frills time on the beach. Staff were very polite and friendly. Overall a good trip.
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Date of stay: July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Waterside Inn, General Manager at Waterside Inn on the Beach
Responded Aug 17, 2021
Thank you for your review and feedback. We are glad you enjoyed your visit and hope to see you again!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Thank you for the inquiry. We do not provide basics such as aluminum foil or salt and pepper. No food products. We do supply Coffee regular and DeCafe along with packets of sweet and low and non dairy creamer packets. Bailey General store is just a few mile down the road from us for all your grocery needs. They do deliver and will bring groceries directly to your unit.
There are more places to choose from in the Sanibel Island area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
waterside inn on the beach hotel sanibel island, waterside hotel sanibel island, waterside resort sanibel island
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaSouthwest Gulf CoastSanibel Island
NUMBER OF ROOMS
27
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Waterside Inn on the Beach
Which popular attractions are close to Waterside Inn on the Beach?
Nearby attractions include Sanibel Island Farmer's Market (2.7 km), Bailey's General Store (1.8 km), and Sanibel Historical Museum and Village (2.5 km).
