Sanibel Island Beach Hotels

Looking for a place to stay on Sanibel Island FL? Well in our opinion the closer you can stay to the beach the better. Below is a list of some quality hotels near the ocean on Sanbel Island. We have them listed by proximity to the beach with a couple of hotels we especially recommend. Just click on the links to check prices and availability. Here are some additional maps and pictures of Sanibel Island and the surrounding area as well.

About Sanibel Island FL

The Sanibel and Captiva Islands chamber of commerce site has this to say about the area:

“Sanibel Captiva Islands Florida are the perfect choice for your vacation whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, a family trip or a nature vacation.

Our islands provide for the perfect vacations. Enjoy 15 miles of unspoiled beaches, 22 miles of bike paths, 50 types of fish, 230 types of birds, 250 types of shells and 0 stop lights. …

Sanibel & Captiva Islands are located off the coast of southwest Florida, just west of Fort Myers, Florida.

Sanibel Island measures roughly 12 miles long and three miles across at its widest. Little sister Captiva Island has more compact measurements of approximately four miles long and ½ mile wide.

The toll to cross the Sanibel Causeway onto the island is $6 per car; there is no toll to return to the mainland. Frequent visitors may want to opt for the transponder program, which works on a debit account system and offers discounted tolls of $2 per trip (plus an upfront charge for the transponder).”

The wiki on Sanibel Island provides these additional details:

“Sanibel Island is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 6,064 people. Located within Lee County, Sanibel is a barrier island – a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island.

The city of Sanibel incorporates the entire island, with most of the city proper at the east end of the island. After the Sanibel causeway was built to replace the ferry in May 1963, the residents fought back against overdevelopment by establishing the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 1974 helping to maintain a balance between development and preservation of the island’s ecology. A new, higher bridge without a bascule (drawbridge) having to open for tall boats and sailboats, was completed in late 2007.

Thanks in part to the new causeway, Sanibel is rapidly becoming a popular tourist destination known for its beaches, shelling, and wildlife refuges. More than half of the island is made up of wildlife refuges, the largest one is the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Island also hosts the Sanibel Historical Village and a variety of other museums and theaters.In August 2004 Hurricane Charley hit the island causing mandatory evacuation for the island’s residents and resulting in the most damage done to the island in 44 years.”

Area businesses of note