Serene Sanibel Island Getaway - Colony Inn 18

We recently stayed at The Colony Inn over Father's Day weekend as a large family group. Because we booked multiple units, we were able to see a few different layouts and setups, which gave us a unique perspective on the property. First and foremost, it is clear how much hard work is going into recovering from Hurricane Ian (2022). The grounds are making a beautiful comeback, and the progress they've made is impressive. A huge shoutout to the office staff and housekeeping team—they were absolutely excellent, welcoming, and incredibly helpful throughout our entire stay. The Unit Setup Because each unit is individually owned, the decor and finishes vary significantly. While standard essentials like dishes and towels are uniform, the overall experience depends heavily on the specific room. We stayed in Unit C-18. The highlight of this unit was definitely the back patio, which offered a wonderfully private, peaceful view of the trees and lush greenery. However, compared to the other family units we visited, we found ourselves a bit underwhelmed by the interior details and functionality of C-18. Constructive Feedback & Suggestions for Improvement We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation and offer these notes not as a complaint, but as constructive suggestions for the owners to elevate the guest experience: The Bathroom: The shower water pressure was fantastic! However, the showerhead itself is a small square that barely pivots. Other units in our group had large rain showerheads with detachable wands, which are much more functional. Additionally, C-18 desperately needs hooks on the bathroom door for towels/garments, and the under-sink cabinet/shelf would benefit greatly from a shelf to maximize storage. Space & Electronics: The living room TV felt a bit too small for the space. More importantly, both TVs (bedroom and living room) take up valuable counter space. Mounting them to the wall would instantly free up much-needed surface area for guests' belongings. Amenities & Appliances: The appliances were new and fully functional, but very basic white models compared to the higher-end finishes in our family members' units. The room would also benefit from a luggage rack and a full-length mirror mounted to the inside of a closet door. Remotes & Instructions: We highly recommend wall-mounted holders for all remotes (TV, AC, fans). The remote for our sleeping area fan/light was missing, and the front desk's replacement didn't quite work. We made due just fine since it was summer, but holders might prevent these from misplacement. Furthermore, laminating a quick instruction sheet for the Roku TV and the mini-split AC units would be incredibly helpful. (We didn't realize the AC remote had a slide-down panel with extra buttons until two hours before checkout!). A Note on Other Units: My parents stayed in a different unit and had a beautiful electric roll-down shade in the living room. However, once we finally located the remote in a side drawer, it unfortunately didn't work. Final Thoughts Despite the minor details that could be improved in C-18, we had a wonderful Father's Day weekend. The Colony Inn has so much charm, a fantastic location, and a stellar team running the operations. We would definitely consider staying here again and look forward to seeing the property continue to thrive!

Fabulous stay! The unit is CLEAN and exactly as pictured. Staff on-premises are super helpful and friendly. The beach is a 5-minute walk, and we really appreciated the beach gear provided by the owner-- it came in super handy. Even though other families were staying at the Colony Inn, it was quiet and peaceful. We occasionally heard the upstairs neighbor walking or their TV, but nothing my brown noise machine couldn't drown out. Thanks for the great stay; will be back!

Too bad we couldn't stay longer! Would definitely consider this property again. Every thing was so clean. Staff was friendly and helpful. Beach access was close by. I didn't like how all our beach sand came in through the whole house. There was a wagon and other beach items on the porch.which was on the far end of the house. Would have been more practical to have a place outside the front door out of the way.

Highly recommended for anyone traveling to Sanibel! The surroundings were beautiful, but the apartment exceeded all expectations. Beautiful and spacious, equipped with all conveniences. Great apartment with very friendly and helpful staff. Highly recommended for anyone traveling to Sanibel!