Sundial Beach Resort & Spa | A Sanibel Island Luxury Getaway
Dreaming about a luxury island getaway away from the hustle and bustle in Southwest coast of Florida, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa located on the barrier island of Sanibel has plenty to offer. From the miles stretch of shell-strewn beaches to spacious accommodations to world-class amenities, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa is one of the best resorts where I’ve stayed recently.
My husband and I took a weekend getaway to Sanibel Island last month and stayed at Sundial Resort to rejuvenate from our busy lives and let me give you a complete review of how my stay went!
Getting To Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
The nearest airport is Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers which is around 25 miles from the resort via Interstate 75. If you’re flying into Miami, Ft. Lauderdale or Orlando airports, you need to head west on I-75. If you’re traveling from Tampa International Airport, Sanibel Island is South of I-75.
We drove from Miami Beach via I-75 N and it took us around 3 hours to reach the resort.
About The Property
Established in 1974, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa has been a tradition for many families to vacationed throughout the decades, bringing along new generations. The property is owned by R.L.R Investments. A multi-million dollar property renovation has been done in 2014-2015. There are 223 units in Sundial resort program ranging from studios to three bedroom units. However, there is a total of 407 units on the property including residential condos. If you’re interested in buying a condo in Sundial Resort, the sister company Royal Shell Real Estate can assist you with purchase.
My First Impression Of The Resort
A plenty of lush greenery surrounded with tall swaying palm trees, a laid-back Florida vibe!
The Lobby & Check-in
Stepping inside the lobby of the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa sets you into a vacation mode as soon as you enter. A magnificent staircase is a centerpiece of the lobby that leads to the spa on the second floor. The staircase divides the lobby into the sitting area on one side and reception desk on the other side. A beautiful chandelier on the ceiling spreads a positive aura inside the lobby.
The lobby leads to Sea Breeze Cafe which offers one of the best views of Sundial Beach Resort & Spa. Let the below picture speaks for itself!
We were greeted by a gentleman at the reception with a warm smile and had a quick check-in. He gave us Sundial wristbands that we need to wear every time whenever we were strolling inside the property. The wristband gives access to all the guests to enjoy the resort’s amenities.
Our One Bedroom Coastal Residence
Our One Bedroom Coastal Residence was around 920 square feet and on the fourth floor in one of the resort’s buildings. As soon as we entered our condo, we felt like a home at its first glance. There was a living area, dining area, bedroom, balcony, walking closet as well as a fully equipped kitchen. Our condo fulfilled all the goals of a perfect beach vacation home.
Let me give you a virtual tour of our suite!
i) The Living Room
The living room had a sitting area, dining area and a kitchen facing a balcony with a Gulf view. The beach-inspired decor screams vacation from every corner of the room. The neutral walls with turquoise colored beach paintings on the walls and pillows blend perfectly with the Gulf water outside. There was also a wide-screen plasma television with other modern amenities.
ii) The Kitchen
The fully equipped kitchen was one of our favorite parts of staying at Sundial Beach Resort. The kitchen had all the necessary utensils, dishwasher, microwave, oven, toaster, blender, coffee maker and double door refrigerator to meet your goals of home-cooked meals on your vacation.
My husband and I had so much fun cooking together some of our favorite food which we haven’t tried in years. But in case if you’re thinking whether we carried grocery and spices on our vacation, then let me tell you that we didn’t take anything from home. We bought all the groceries, spices, pasta and other stuff from Bailey’s — Sundial’s in-house grocery store that offers pretty much everything to make your own meal while being on vacation.
Bailey’s Marketplace also offers a grocery delivery service. So, you can pre-order groceries online or on your phone and they’ll put everything in your condo before you arrive. Isn’t that amazing?
iii) The Bedroom
From turquoise colored lamps to mirror to seashells & starfish painting on the wall, our bedroom had a perfect beach setting decor. The bedroom was nicely furnished with a comfy bed and a flat-screen TV. The mattress, sheets and pillows were clean and soft. The bedroom also faced a balcony with a Gulf view. Our bedroom was the perfect place to soak the Gulf vibes when the outside temperature was in the 90s during our stay. The only thing that I missed was a free socket near the bed as I had to pull out one of the lamp plugs to charge my phone. Though there were many free sockets available in the entire suite.
iv) The Bathroom
Our bathroom had a separate shower area and vanity area. However, there was no bath-tub. The toiletries were from Beautifullife by Kay Casperson in sufficient quantity. The towels were clean and everything was neatly organized.
v) The Balcony
The view from the balcony was splendid. From watching swaying palm trees to pristine Gulf water, I’ve to admit that I spent quite a lot of time in the balcony just soaking the outside view.
One of my favorite things about the condo was that it had a private router & WiFi connection. It was just incredible for a digital nomad like me who carries work everywhere I go. I loved working in a secure network where I didn’t have to bother about data security.
Food & Drinks
If you’re not in a mood to cook on your vacation, Sundial Beach Resort offers multiple dining options to satisfy the palate of everyone in your family.
i) Breakfast with a view
No stay to the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa would be complete if you don’t have a buffet breakfast at Sea Breeze Café! My favorite thing about buffet breakfast was the omelet station where you can get your customized omelet the way you want. If you want to have your breakfast with a view with an al-fresco dining experience, just sit outside and enjoy the Gulf view!
Sea Breeze Café also serves lunch and dinner serving signature entrees, seafood, salads, sandwiches and classic favorites.
ii) Pizza by the pool
Slice of Paradise provides casual dining options for beachgoers, sun seekers or pool lovers. Grab a quick meal such as pizza, hotdog, meatball or a scoop of an ice-cream and you’re good to go!
iii) Pool Bar
There’s also a Turtle’s Pool & Beach Bar near the main pool that offers hand-crafted drinks and menu items at the bar.
iv) An upscale Seafood dining experience
If you’re fond of an authentic Japanese dining experience, you must visit Shima Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar. The restaurant has been voted as the best sushi, best steak and best chef on Sanibel & Captiva Islands. Unfortunately, as I’m allergic to seafood, I couldn’t try any delicacies but some of the popular dishes that you can try during your visit are Hibachi Scallops (people rave about them), Shima Grand (Filet of Beef and Maine Lobster Tail), House Special (Chicken and Shrimp), Panther Rolls and the Imperial Filet Mignon.
v) Sushi Grab N Go
Shima Grab N Go is located in the main lobby and offers made-to-order sushi and more; the sushi menu is also available at Sea Breeze Café and Turtle’s Pool & Beach Bar.
The Pool
There’re five outdoor pools throughout the property. The main pool area faces towards the Sea Breeze Café where all the action takes place. The main pool is always buzzing with energy. Whether you want to lounge near the pool or read a good book or grab a bite, you’re going to love spending time here. You can also book a private rental cabana for the entire day.
The activity center is adjacent to the pool where Sundial Resort has allocated the resort’s Activities Department. An entire team of employees ensures that you have fun during your stay. The department’s Activities Calendar includes daily activities such as table tennis tournaments, shell painting, poolside bingo, T-shirt tie-dyeing etc. During my stay, I saw employees organizing log rolling in the pool, water balloon toss as well as ceramic painting for kids/adults.
The Beach
For all the beach lovers, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa has miles of secluded shell-strewn Gulf beach in front of the property. The resort provides complimentary beach towels, umbrellas and chairs to all its guests. You’ll also find a Sundial Shelling Bag kept inside your room as a part of welcome amenities. The resort wants all its guests to collect seashells and take it as a souvenir back home. I was fortunate enough to find some amazing seashells during my stay!
If you dream of having a beach wedding with such a surreal beach setting, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa would be your ideal choice. The untouched Gulf shoreline with gazillions of seashells and the cool sea breeze is no lesser than the wedding in a paradise itself!
Other Amenities & Activities
The resort also has a luxury spa, a fitness center and tennis courts and also provides complimentary kayaks, paddleboards, bikes, specialty bikes, tennis & pickleball equipment and beach volleyball during your stay. If you or your kids want to learn about local sea life, the Sanibel Sea School’s classrooms are open to all the resort’s guests. Sanibel Sea School’s half-day programs are designed to teach children to love and respect the ocean and wildlife and include active, hands-on learning with topics like Manatees, the Calusa Indians, Dolphins, Sharks and more. Programs are available for kids ages 4-13. Discover Beachcombing beach walks and Paddlesports tours are available for adults and older children. Summer Camp is also offered for select summer weeks.
My husband and I went on biking a couple of times during our stay and explored Sanibel Island on our two wheels. Do visit the Sanibel Lighthouse as it is one of the first lighthouses on Florida’s Gulf coast north of Key West and the Dry Tortugas and the most iconic attraction in Sanibel Island!
Final Thoughts
We came to Sanibel Island a few years ago on a day trip but glad that we came again and stayed at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa to experience untouched Florida away from the crowd. My husband & I had a wonderful time and we absolutely loved our stay. We felt like our home away from home and can’t wait to come back in the future!
Many thanks to the entire team of Sundial Beach Resort & Spa for their wonderful hospitality and excellent service!
Perfect for: Family vacation, couples getaway, friends/girlfriends getaway, conference, events or a wedding destination.
If you’ve stayed in Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, do share your experience in the comments below? If not, what do you think about this property?
Till then, happy wandering!
Ana
Disclosure: We were hosted by Sundial Beach Resort & Spa but all the opinions are 100% of my own. For more information on my Disclosure Policy, check HERE.
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Thelittlelai: Beyond limits
June 13, 2019Everything about this Resort is like heaven on earth. You really seemed to have a lovely stay in Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, and the room looks really spacious and amazingly beautiful. What I truly love is the view of the Balcony, which I can work here for a day without getting drudging. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
View CommentYukti
June 13, 2019Sundial beach resort and spa looks a complete luxury package with all nature around it. I loved the size of room, pool area, balcony, fully equipped kitchen and even the interiors of lobby. Thanks for sharing a great stay in Sanibel island.
View Commentshreyasaha1987
June 9, 2019The room, the food, the pool, and all the other activities you got to enjoy during your stay in this resort make me consider staying here when I will be around. Thanks for the share.
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