Chamber welcomes back iconic Anchor Inn
The ribbon has been cut, the website is live and the iconic Anchor Inn & Cottages on Sanibel will begin accepting reservations on Feb. 1. The SanCap Chamber kicked off the celebration with a ribbon-cutting on Jan. 20.
“What a festive occasion it was,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. “Everyone on the island has been watching the transformation of one of Sanibel’s most unique and historic properties. The result truly garners pride and admiration for all.”
“With its historic A-frame cottages and sprawling two-acre property, we just felt like we couldn’t say no to the opportunity and adventure to move to this beautiful island and raise our kids here while owning and operating such an iconic piece of its history,” owner Erica Markham said.
Those iconic, retro A-frames turned out to be their greatest challenges. Rickety spiral staircases, a lack of natural light and issues with elevating the buildings for resilience did not defeat them, however. The Markhams made the property as stormproof as possible by raising equipment, returning to the original terrazzo floors and installing impact windows.
“It seemed that just about every part of this renovation — from the pool to the block building to the landscaping — presented plenty of challenging surprises, but we got through them all and couldn’t be happier with the result,” she said.
The owners have restored all 12 units while keeping their vintage charm. They added to the “islandy” feel with a nautical vibe and local art, notably works by Rachel Pierce.
Built in 1959 originally as the Villa Capri, the property has changed ownership and names several times through the decades, a nostalgic reminder of the island’s endurance.
“The community on Sanibel has been amazing. We’ve felt so welcomed and supported and everyone has been so complimentary, it’s been incredibly humbling to see how many people are rooting for us and the Anchor Inn,” Markham said. “It shows how tightknit this community is, and that has made this journey so much more rewarding.”
The Anchor Inn & Cottages is at 1245 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel.