Chamber celebrates reopening of historic Sanibel inns
On Nov. 16, the SanCap Chamber hosted ribbon-cuttings at three small and historic properties on Sanibel: sister properties the Palmview Inn and Sandpiper Inn and the Parrot Nest Cottages.
“The return of 16 more accommodation units is huge for Sanibel Island,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. “We especially love seeing the comeback of our small inns and cottages that are so iconic of the charm and warmth Sanibel is known for.”
Rosen Vacations manages the Palmview Inn and nearby Sandpiper Inn, which altogether account for 10 cottage and apartment-style units within walking distance of the beach.
“The inns are two of the oldest public accommodations on Sanibel Island still standing following Hurricane Ian,” manager Catalina Pistol said. “Our most central mission in reconstituting the inns was to preserve their historic and vibrant island character.”
The properties date to the 1950s and sustained near total damage from Hurricane Ian, requiring complete strip-down and refurbishing operations.
“With our nostalgia for historic Sanibel top of mind, we ushered the inns into the 21st century by integrating modern furnishings, floorplans and technology into these vibrant Sanibel landmarks, while retaining as many original features of the property as we possibly could,” she said.
Built in the 1960s, the six cottages at the Parrot Nest lie within walking distance of the Lighthouse Beach Park.
“The damage was considerable with 7 feet of water intrusion; however, the cottages are solid concrete and built incredibly well,” Breakaway Vacation Properties owner Kim O’Brien, which manages the property and other island accommodations, said. “Given the destruction of Ian, we held up well.”
The Parrot Nest Cottages officially opened on March 1 and has been operating at 95% occupancy. Many guests are repeat visitors, along with a young demographic seeking experiences with their vacations.
The Palmview Inn is at 706 Donax St., Sanibel.
The Sandpiper Inn is at 720 Donax St., Sanibel.
The Parrot Nest Cottages is at 1237 Anhinga Lane, Sanibel.