My husband and I needed a last minute weekend getaway. So we chose Island House which is only an…read morehour from us. I chose this hotel for the price and the proximity to the ocean. I read some negative reviews but decided to give it a chance. We were quite surprised of how quaint and clean this property was. It isn't anything fancy which is perfect for a beach getaway in a charming fishing town. We're definitely going back. Marilyn, the manager was a sweetheart too!!!

This was a great secluded location. We watched dolphins swimming in the ocean from the patio. The…read morerooms are updated and very nice. We were ready to jump right in to the relaxation immediately after brought in our bags. I would highly recommend this place. We are already planning our next trip to stay in this house.

My family enjoyed a relaxing 4day getaway in this well-appointed, lovely beach themed studio. The…read morepool, dock, kayak, fishing rods, Ping Pong table, short walk to a beautiful uncrowded beach, kept us entertained. The owner Amy was great with tips, suggestions and checking in on us. We will likely be back before we know it. VRBO.com Property # 1817041

Palm Island Resort is a beautiful place I've visited many times since childhood, and returning this…read moresummer with my own children brought back wonderful memories. Although we weren't overnight guests on this trip (we rented a beach house on the non-resort side of the island), we were paying customers--dining at Rum Bay Restaurant, visiting Coconuts and the gift shop, and enjoying the island. Unfortunately, the general manager, Rob Brown, confronted our group with unexpected and shocking hostility when we inadvertently drove our golf cart beyond the restaurant area. Instead of calmly explaining that the road ahead was restricted to resort guests, he engaged in an argument, used profanity in front of four young children, made an obscene hand gesture, threatened to call the police, and then waited in the parking lot in his vehicle to watch us leave. The children were frightened, and the entire group was shaken by the interaction. I made multiple attempts to communicate my formal complaint privately and respectfully through the proper channels before posting publicly, but I received no acknowledgement . That silence has been just as disappointing as the incident itself. I've always held this resort in high regard, which makes this experience especially painful. I hope leadership begins to take guest concerns more seriously. Families deserve better.

If you plan to stay on Palm Island you need to be aware that Palm Island Resort doesn't have any…read morepublic docks. If you want to do a Fishing Charter, Dolphin Tour or Sunset Cruise with a Captain of your choice, there isn't any place to get picked up other than the Rum Bay Restaurant dock. If your tour operator picks you up there the Rum Bay Water Taxi operator gets pissy and tells them it's a private dock and they aren't allowed to pick passengers up there even if the party is staying in the resort. So, after taking one of the most expensive and shortest ferry rides in the world to get on the islands , which can take over an hour, they expect you take the ferry back to the mainland to take a boat tour instead of getting picked up on the island. You may want to consider staying in one of the Islander Properties rentals - https://islanderproperties.com/. Most of their properties have access to a dock where the tour operator of your choice can pick you up and drop you off instead of requiring you to take the ferry back to the mainland. Tour operators may charge a small fee for this service but it's much less than the ferry's fees and way more convenient. Update: Well Rob, you need to look up the definition of "Public". According to Chris, the head of your transportation department, the dock at Rum Bay is private and if I drop off passengers there to eat at the restaurant I will be arrested for trespassing. I realize that without a court order that won't happen. Fortunately, there are plenty of other restaurants with better food and way more menu options in the area that are happy to see me pull up to their docks with a group of hungry passengers. It would be interesting to hear Chris's explanation to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol as to why Rum Bay Restaurant's dock is public to everyone else but suddenly private when I show up with restaurant customers. You should check out Cabbage Key Restaurant when you get a chance. They serve over 1,000 lunches a day in season and welcome dozens of charter boats that bring passengers to their docks every day without requiring anything of them. From my observations, it appears as though over half of their patrons arrive by charter boat. I'm taking a group there tomorrow if you would like some photos of all the charter boats dropping off passengers.

My reservation confirmation from Expedia said it was $86 For…read moreone night. Lemon Bay Lodge charge was $144.

At first glance it isn't too bad. I was in a hurry...getting into town an hour later than…read moreintended. I did take a look at the room briefly, but felt rushed. It just isn't clean...anywhere. After I took my shoes off, the floors have small stuff that's hard to see but I sure did feel it on my feet. They claim to be newly remodeled, but there's a broken picture glass, broken blinds that are repaired with packing tape. Please see pics. Frankly, I'm so creeped out I'm afraid to lay down on the bed & of what I might take back in my car & to my home. The one positive is they let me have my 5 lb chihuahua stay.

Dear Pelican Shores, For decades my parents - The Brandts -…read morerented the big cottage on the left at the entrance to your safe haven by the sea. Months, weeks and especially Memorial Day Weekend every year. From the time we were obstinate brats just out of our teens and on forward to the days that saw my own parents become grandparents. Thirteen cottages, apartments and homes clustered together in a tiny conclave. Each residence is decorated differently (and updated regularly) and we have stayed in most of them as we eventually outgrew sharing the big cottage with our parents. But it remained the focus of our visits as we rented our own spaces within The Shores. All of the rentals are fully stocked with linens, cookware, flatware, dishes, pillows, beach towels, you name it. One of my favorite cottages is causally seated close to the stairs that lead directly down to the beach. It is clean and comfortable and reminiscent of the seaside cottages that still dot Cape Cod - wood paneling, small, compact appliances, screened porch and groovy mismatched patio and lawn furniture. (That's the ultimate beach compliment). All you need is an old transistor radio that can reach back in time and holler out some 1970s gold to complete a lazy afternoon of sunning. Cast a line into the sea from your own private beachfront, the local pier or rent a little skiff. Fishing is a big pastime as is grilling what you grab. Most cottages have grills you can use. The public beach is a walk up the street where you can also find great little places to eat and shop and even booze it up. After all, you're on vacation. The grocery stores (Publix, Winn Dixie and a local favorite - Sweet Bay), fancier eateries and fast food are a very quick drive. Pelican Shores is a place to go to and then go back to, in order to make some of your own family memories. Every Memorial Day for decades, my family squatted in the shared party pavilion (with huge community grills - just pick up your own trash!) and cooked for anybody and everybody who was around. My brother and I grilled lobster, shrimp, chicken, steaks, corn. My sisters served amazing salad creations and my Mom manned the camera as well as barked orders to keep it all moving. I have hundreds of photos from those holidays. One of the kids in the family, now a mother herself, caught her first fish at The Shores with Grandpa. She was so proud until it was time to filet him and she insisted he was thrown back. Every new baby that arrived in the family ended up playing in that sand. My nieces recall telling the grandparents they couldn't make it one year and surprising the family by arriving late at night and camping on the porch, sprawled across blown-up beach floats and scaring my Dad as he left early to go fishing. ("Who ARE you guys? The Manson Family? Get in the house before the neighbors think we're a cult!"). My grown son says some of his earliest memories are of the beach at Engelwood and being dragged across the sand on a board by his older cousins. My parents have gone on to their next vacation and even the words Pelican Shores make me a bit teary now. I miss those vacations that ended not so long ago. The last photo I took of my Mom in Engelwood was the one she would want YOU to see and NOT BE TEARY-EYED, but joyous as you pack up and head to over to The Shores. She's lazily floating in the water and calling toward the shore, "Come on in, the water's just right!" And of course it is. That's Pelican Shores. Now it's your turn!

Great place to vacation. Perfect views of the ocean. Beds are comfortable. AC inside the cottages…read moreworks good. Pelican Shores brand ambassador Margaret Fuson is a great hostess. Chief operations manager Danny was fantastic. Call "Ernie" for a good time. Highly recommend staying at the Pelican Shores cottages.

The best Eagles club that I have ever been to. They run a tight ship and very very clean. The…read moredrinks are generous and they always have food on hand. The Entertainment is second to none around this area. From classic rock to jazz to karaoke to bingo, etc. Make this your stop.

The rebuilt, huge new Tiki hut and bar is beautiful spot on the water. It a made for a lovely…read moresunset listening to a live band sipping low price drinks ...two sodas, and one bourbon ($7) There's no kitchen but two food trucks outside self-service offered quality meatballs & hamburgers ($13) or Asian food. The banyan tree side was beautiful and there's picnic tables right on the water. And nice evening at the Elks.

The Pearl Beach Inn is a cozy, relaxing, and secluded place to unwind and enjoy the beauty of the…read moreGulf Coast. We had an amazing time there with our family. One of our favorite things was being able to walk right out of our room and step directly onto the beach, which made it easy to spend our days soaking up the sun and enjoying the water. The weather was beautiful, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and the peaceful atmosphere made for the perfect getaway. Watching the breathtaking sunsets each evening was truly unforgettable. We loved our stay so much that we've already booked our trip for next year. We can't wait to come back!

I cannot say enough about The Pearl Beach Inn! Everything about this place is great! From the staff…read moreto the rooms to the surroundings, all went above and beyond my expectations! My wife said that we have never stayed anywhere as clean and well manicured as the Pearl! A return visit is definitely in our future!

Unit #13 for BEST VIEW! It was so relaxing and the PERFECT…read morelocation. You could walk right to the beach from your room! Everyone was super friendly. The pool makes for a great addition. I loved waking up to my view everyday! I would recommend this to anyone! 10/10

We have stayed here if not every year every other year with our family reunion with 8 siblings plus…read moregrandchildren since 1989 when our parents started the tradition. We've loved it, the location, & being together to play cards, swim in the pool & ocean.HOWEVER, this year one sister got booted out of our room despite a deposit b/c owner's niece gave 10 day notice of staying there. What good is deposit if not honored. She was given another room not to her choosing or liking since she had 3 grandchildren to share with. We fought for a discount but this doesn't meet the dissatisfaction & disappointment considering our long history of repeated business with the same management. Our family has elected not to renew our business with this location b/c of this, sorry to say. Many of the rooms have not been updated, most of the mattresses of small beds are not comfortable to sleep. In addition, the WIFI in the individual condos is virtually non-existent on the 2nd floor unless you sit outside & what is the point of that at night!