Dream Condo - Pristine Beachfront - May 2012 updates Unit #533

IDEAL FAMILY DESTINATION! The owner of 533, Michael, was great to work with and the condo was immaculate. The condo is comfortable, open, updated, and the views are great! Most appreciated was the kitchen eating area, washer/dryer, flat screen TVs, comfortable couches and luxurious king-size bed. It really felt like home for us and our kids. It was just perfect for what we needed.

Loggerhead Cay is in an ideal location, straight off the causeway, in a quiet area away from the traffic of the restaurant/hotel/condo corridor that is further up the island. The property is beautifully landscaped & maintained, with a large pool, tennis courts, & ample bike racks nested around the buildings. It is a few short steps to the beach with an outdoor shower to rinse off upon your return. The kids really enjoyed the heated pool when we weren't shelling at the beach.

Unit 533 was in a great location, on the 3rd floor, it has a beautiful view of the beach and the pool. The porch was a great place to relax and hang with the kids to talk about the day's adventures. Beach chairs & sand toys on the porch for our use was also appreciated.

We brought our own bikes and rode them everyday. It was a real joy to ride the numerous bike paths, as the island is set up for bikes and pedestrians to have the right of way. We biked to visit local shops, to the grocery, and the lighthouse. The highlight was a 6 mile bike ride through the “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Nature at it's best!

Other activities we recommend are the Farmer's Market on Sunday with fresh seafood galore and the "Sanibel Thriller" to see dolphins up close enjoying the boat's wake. If you are in Sanibel for New Years, the Sanibel Recreation Center hosts a fantastic Family New Year's Eve Party. Great food from a variety of local restaurants, lots of activities for kids. Our kids (17, 13, & 10) made lots of friends, enjoyed dancing to a DJ, and loved the countdown with a grand balloon drop. A night to remember.

A comment on food, we stopped at a Wal-Mart in Ft Myers to stock up for the week, next time we will shop at Jerry's Foods on the island; it has an amazing deli/bakery selection at fair prices. We ate out several times, our favorite was The Island Cow - great menu (coconut shrimp for me, gumbo for the hubby), reasonable prices, & a relaxed island atmosphere.

We highly recommend this outstanding unit on Sanibel. For our family this was an ideal home away from home!

We loved the location and the views! It was necessary to call the owner our first day but everything was handled and we were able enjoyed our stay. Considering staying again next year.

Found this unit exactly as described in listing and quite roomy compared to other 2 bedroom condos we've rented. The owner responded promptly to my questions. Found none of the issues mentioned in the February review. Everything was in working order. All of the following appeared to be new or almost new: Washer & dryer (both larger than my own!) stove, refrigerator, dining and living room furniture, light, airy draperies, TVs in living room and master bedroom.In the interest of writing a helpful review for potential guests, I will say if it's important to you to that every detail of your rental unit be completely up-to-the-minute , you should look elsewhere, but be prepared to pay either pay much more or sacrifice location. It was obvious to us after reading previous reviews and comparing them with our stay that the owner has made continuous updates since acquiring this unit. The only things left to update appear to be the two bathrooms and the carpet, all of which were clean which is more important to us than brand-new. There was one stain on the carpet about the size and shape of a potted plant, again not a big deal for us. What is a big deal for us is comfort and the furniture here really exceeded our expectations. The sofa and loveseat cushions are soft and full, the kind you can just sink into, and the upholstery is washed cotton. It felt wearing a favorite shirt. I have issues with my lower back and sleeping in any bed other than my own is always a gamble. The king-size master bed in this unit is one of the most comfortable we have ever slept in. We woke well rested every morning with no back pain. Also love the Adirondack chairs on the lanai where we had breakfast every morning. A more substantial table on the lanai would be great. Coded entry is nice - no digging around in my beach bag for a room key. One suggestion for owner when ready to update carpet - consider tile instead? More pet-friendly,lower maintenance, and stays nice-looking longer. Overall, a really nice unit that is obviously getting better all the time. Would recommend to all but the most hard-to-please ...