My family have been coming to the Island House since the 60's. This year, my 2 year old daughter came with us, which makes her a 4th generation family member to have experienced Siesta Key and the Island House in 60+ years now. We had a fantastic time. Nothing much has changed about the place and I mean that in a good way. Hopefully she'll pass on the tradition and bring her children here someday. We only live 3 hours away in Gainesville, so Sarasota is always a car ride away, but every time we have to leave Siesta Key and the Island House, it always seems to take a while for us to stop missing the experience and the overall joy we feel when we stay there. No other beach or place in Florida seems to create that sort of feeling for us. Can't wait until our stay next year! Hopefully the pool table will be back! ;) read more

Island House Beach Resort - Resorts Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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COCKROACHES We had stayed here in 2022 with no issues, we loved the place! But when we came back in 2023, apparently under new management, on our second night we found 5 cockroaches starting at about 10 pm. We killed three, and they just kept coming. Jill, the property manager, was not at all concerned, and said they were palmetto bugs, and that those are not cockroaches. Surprise, they absolutely ARE a type of roach. She also claimed they come in through doors from outside as you open them, but we did not open any outside facing doors between finding the first roach and leaving for the night. They were located mostly in the bathrooms and under the dishwasher, pretty clearly coming from drains and water lines. Jill kept doubling down on this just being a thing in Florida, and there's nothing to be done about it, but we have stayed in probably 50 different places in Florida over 30 years and NEVER had a problem, let alone one this bad. The front desk attendant in the morning was very helpful in getting us moved to a new villa, and made us feel heard and like this is a problem worth being upset about. Unfortunately, in the new villa, we had the exact same problem. About 8 pm, there were two roaches in the shower trying to get out from the glass door, so I firmly believe this is an issue across the entire resort. To top it all off, there were termite droppings in both units as well. That wouldn't have affected our day-to-day experience as much, but just goes to show the lack of care taken with this new management. Jill, do better. read more

Island House Beach Resort - Palmetto bug, aka roach, in Villa 36 - Resorts Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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" VILLA - V9" 2.5 stars. This villa is closest to the street and quite a walk to the beach but it's all paved walkway and driveway to get there. The day we arrived at 7 o'clock the housekeeper was still cleaning we had salmon and eggs and milk in the car that we had to go drive around for over an hour for her to finish we finally checked in after nine. They ended up comping us two nights. The place is very bare-bones but it's clean except for the dining room chairs. It's bare bones so there's no dishwashing liquid no paper towels, Saran Wrap, only one dish towel, there are a few towels provided but staying for a week it's not enough, get one little bar of soap, no shampoo, conditioner q-tips, toilet paper is like sandpaper, Kleenex, laundry? M is COIN LAUNDRY in the office there's NO LAUNDRY IN EACH UNIT. So u have to carry ur basket of clothes to the office and carry it back. read more

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We rented 3 Villas for a family function and I happen to have the one that was the most outdated of the 3. Mine also had guess that weren't wanted, roaches. With the cost that was payed, we shouldn't see any bugs. Besides the Villa needing to be sprayed for bugs before people rent it and the place having a bit of wear and tear. I would stay again, I would just pick one of the other units we had, that didn't have any issues. read more

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My family has been coming to Island House for years and years. Now my husband and I have come here a couple times to keep with family tradition. There have been some changes since when my family has come here vs now. The resort does not keep the beach chairs out all day, so do not expect to sit and enjoy any sunsets or even sunrises. They lock the chairs up instead around 8p - pay how much money to sit on the #1 beach and chairs are put away so fast. My family also told me that the sand was grated each day so that you have freshly turned up sand. This does not happen anymore either. Meaning if it rains you will have hard sand to enjoy rather than that beautiful quartz sand. However, everything else has seemed to stay the same. But being on Siesta Key Beach is the absolute best and cannot be beat. The reservation process is easy but you do need to put a deposit down to reserve. We always stay in the villas but they also have apartments on the beach which accommodate a large family. The villas are all different depending on the owners. Some are more updated than others but the going rate for the villas are all the same no matter the villa you choose. The farthest villa's walk to the beach is about a minute or so - so not bad at all! The villas we have stayed in have everything you need to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The villas are essentially your own little home and a great place to stay for a week or so. The villas we have stayed in were also clean and comfortable. The Island House staff are friendly and they let you be. But their amenities and customer service are just meh. There is a pool and rec area. The rec area is a bit tired looking and could use an update. There also is a shuffleboard area right off the beach. The beach again is the best but when we last went I had to call the front desk and ask why the chairs were not unlocked and it was 1p. There were storms in the area but the sun was out and it was a beautiful day - it was a bit windy though. Other resorts had their chairs out and you could tell Island House guests were getting upset that it is a beautiful day on the beach and the chairs are locked away. I called the front desk to inquire about why the chairs were locked away. The front desk said that they thought it was too windy for the chairs to be out. I noted that the other resorts along the beach have theirs out. Within 15 minutes a worker came and unlocked the chairs. What do you know - people rushed to the loungers and everyone was happy! I suggest that the Island House rent beach items to guests, especially since most guests live out-of-state. Chairs, beach toys, boogie boards, or other fun beach items for guests would be appreciated. Will we come here again? Maybe... But I may look into other resorts on the beach because they are dime a dozen along Siesta Key. Again the beach is the key here! The amenities for your stay is important but the amenities for the beach are most important. read more

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Island House does not give refunds for bugs. If so, every tenant would be getting a refund. You do realize your are in a sub tropical climate? Anyone native to the south, knows this roach as the "palmetto bug," and indeed, it's a fact of life in the humid Florida climate. The nickname might sound friendlier than cockroach but it's still just that--the imposing, and to strangers unforgettable American cockroach. Island House 6150 Midnight Pass Road Sarasota, Florida 34242 1877-349-6101 islandhousebeachresort@gmail.com www.islandhousebeachresort.com I think this says it all! read more

Stayed in apartment 9 South. Love this place come back year after year. Apartment has everything you need, well kept (every year new improvements). I see negative reviews related to cleanliness of some units, this one was very clean. Staff is great all you need to do is ask. They do a good job at keeping a peaceful atmosphere but let groups have fun (assuring respect for ALL guests). Attached a resent photo of the view while enjoying a cocktail on the Lanai couch. Highly recommend! Enjoy read more

Island House Beach Resort - View from appartment 9S Island House Beach Resort - Resorts Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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The beach and pool were spectacular! The pool was located at the entrance of the property and was quite a hike from one to the other. If you have physical limitations this place would be a nightmare! Check-in was odd. You had to knock on the door to have a man stick his head out and give you instructions. As for the villa, we stayed in V2 - It had updated kitchen appliances and a nice large television. Other than that, this condo was pretty dingy, had a strong smell of Chinese food, furniture was old and held the smell in, beds were extremely uncomfortable, the vintage blow dryer (Windemere Pro 122 from the 80's) was pretty cool but after about 2 minutes would smell like it was going to catch fire. You had to let it cool for about 5 minutes before it would turn on again. The bulky curio cabinet filled with odd knick-knacks was very cumbersome and unnecessary. I think what irritated me more than anything was that paper towel (not even one roll) and dish soap was not provided. I know this sounds like a small thing, but without a car, it was not easy to just go pick up. Unfortunately, we did not receive the link to the portal informing us of that until 3 days after our arrival, so we did not add it to our Publix delivery order. This was a hot topic at the pool (I overheard this in multiple conversations). It would make more sense to upcharge your rooms $5 and provide those items. It is those little things that make a big difference. My last complaint is with the gross laundry room. It was filthy dirty. The washer and dryer each required four quarters. Fine, but not so easy without a change machine on site. Also, there was no option to purchase detergent or softener. I travel frequently and have stayed in a lot of places. This ranks very low on my list. Fortunately, we didn't spend a lot of time in our room. We enjoyed the beautiful beaches of Siesta but will not be staying or recommending the Island House. read more

From the moment you arrive the front desk personnel are very rude and very unwelcoming. This was a family reunion and it turned into a nightmare. Rooms dirty, linens seem not to be cleaned and furniture falling apart. The villas furniture are old , smelled awful and very dirty. We had two villas and a beach front apartment. Beach front apartment was horrible. Sliding doors broken and the rooms smelled awful. Our family were not the only ones complaining. One guest had a bathtub that was rusted and the furniture that had the king size bed was falling apart. Another guest could not use one of the bathrooms because there was no water pressure at all. Would not recommend this place at all. They need to replace front desk staff and remodel all the villas and apartments. read more

We have been going to Island House for the past 13 consecutive years and it has always been our highlight vacation of the year. However, this will be our last year staying at Island House because of the change in management, specifically one of the ladies in the front office. The decision was made not to let people swap units once the deposit was paid, so my family (we rent three to four units each year) went to the front office to try and plan next year, but our normal units were being renovated during the same time next year and we all wanted to stay in the same tower. We tried speaking with the front office about possible solutions and the total disregard and indifference we felt was very disappointing. Because we had to decide right there on the spot or lose our first right of refusal, we decided not to rebook. We called back to the office a couple of weeks later to try and rebook, but never received a return phone call. We have since booked at Jamaica Royal for next year and are very sad that we lost our favorite vacation spot. read more

Stayed in 1S to celebrate sons first birthday, what an embarrassment to the tourism industry this place and its property manager Scott Holland are. Moldy walls around the air vents, disgusting black dust on air vents and walls above them and dust film over furniture. A sliding glass door leading to the beach that hasn't been changed in 30 years and is impossible for anyone to open without using excessive force and constantly putting it back on its track. When sending pics of the room and my experience, the property manager responds with a story about how the cleaning crew took hours cleaning the property after we left it a huge mess and that we were no longer welcome there, yet he had no pics to corroborate this story. Siesta Key is a beautiful location with many other establishments that are well run and kept unlike this one. I urge anyone looking to make this trip to look into one of the many other resorts available on this beautiful beach. read more

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If you're for a nice and little apartment for your family, Island House is the place for you. Unlike other hotels and motels, the rooms here are all different in their own little ways. It also has a nice view of the beach no matter where you stay. read more

Island House Beach Resort - Resorts Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Love this place. If you're looking for a luxurious, 5-star resort, it's not for you. But if you want a quintessential, relaxed, laid-back Florida beach vacation, it's perfect. Rent a comfortable villa just a short walk from one of the most beautiful beaches you'll ever see, and just relax. Very conveniently located, too...a quick drive to all kinds of restaurants and attractions, if you can ever peel yourself away from Siesta Beach. Just a note after seeing others' comments about the staff: We had no problems with the staff at all. The woman who checked us in was perfectly friendly, and that was about our only interaction with the staff...they seemed fine to us, and they kept The Island House in nice shape. read more

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We have enjoyed staying at Island House Beach Resort unit 9S for several years. the unit is updated and extremely clean. Great views and access to the sugar sand beach from this 1st floor unit. the grounds are kept impeccable. read more

We have been going to Island House yearly, for over 35 years. With the notoriety that Siesta Key has received as one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere, the reviewer that stated it is a hidden gem that you really don't want others to know about is accurate. It is "old Florida" at its best. Relaxed and laid-back is another accurate statement. Gas grills in the courtyard, laundry service available, and most kitchen items are stocked in each unit, although every unit (beachfront Apartments with spectacular views, or Villas slightly back from the beach) is different, so when you find one you like, consider going back to that same unit! For clarity... We have found the staff experienced, professional, and responsive--not at all as some reviewers negatively stated. Lounge chairs are provided by Island House to use right on the beach. If you want other amenities (canopy, large umbrellas, kayaks, etc.), there are clear signs as you enter the beach area with a number to call that will rent and deliver most anything you want, or you can purchase smaller items at any area retailer up and down the street, as Island House is essentially in the middle of the Crescent Beach area of Siesta Key. A tractor operator does periodically rotates the sand to make it fresh (one reviewer was misinformed about the sand being turned up "daily"), as many properties along the beach have this service done on a periodic and rotational basis, which is more than adequate. And as a reviewer did state, the lounge chairs are put away every evening. However, for those unaware, Sarasota County has a protection ordinance about the marine turtles and their nesting, that not only includes the elimination of bright interior/exterior lighting visible from the beach (from beach front apartments), but also leaving chairs and other items out at night that might act as barriers, with significant fines for non-compliance. In addition, I have seen over the years, during certain holiday weeks, a renter abuse the policies setup to insure everyone's enjoyment (i.e. far too many people staying in a unit, more cars than allowed, loud and inappropriate behavior at night, etc.). Unfortunately, a few that think that their rental entitles them to do whatever they want, regardless of making others uncomfortable or unpleasant. The staff are the ones that have deal with these renters. read more

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This place doesn't even deserve one star at all. It started out as one bug, we killed it and threw it outside. I need to add that this bug was at least 3 inches fat and had intenas. I notified the staff and they said it was just a polmedow bug and they usual in florida. I decided it was just a bug and i would be okay. Little did i know i would be visited upon 7 COCKROACHES throughout that night. After that i began screaming and jumping on the beds at 1 am, crying on my way out and speeding my way out of siesta. DO NOT stay here. I thought i did my research on this place but after doing more i found a review where the same thing happened to someone 2 years ago! 2 years?!? this has been happening for 2 years?! i am disgusted do not stay here!! read more

This was our first real vacation in a year and a half - husband, me, and our 13-month old. We stayed in Villa 25 - recently renovated, all new appliances in the kitchen and bathrooms. Perfectly comfortable home-for-a-week. We also had minimal contact with staff, didn't even need to see them at check in - we just drove right to our villa, walked in, keys were on the counter, and that was it. So all the negative reviews to horrible staff - you may not even need to talk to anyone at all, like us! The location is fantastic - a stone's throw from the beautiful beach. Quiet "gated community" type feel. We rented bikes down the street, and it was an ~8 minute bike ride to the village/restaurants. We bought most of our food at the many nearby grocery stores (we passed about 5 Publix's between the airport and Island House) and ate in for most meals, and used the gas grills for most of our dinners. Just exactly the relaxing vacation I was Desperate for!! read more

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I have been staying at Island House every Memorial Day Weekend for the last 5 years. My experience has always been very positive until this year. The maintenance guy, Dave was one of the rudest people I have ever met. We received an extra parking pass from one of the staff members on Saturday morning. The next day Dave threatened to have the car towed and to call the cops and have us kicked out, although the parking pass was good through Monday. When I tried to explain that we come every year, he got in my face and yelled, "good, we don't want you to ever come back". I hope the office staff address his behavior as it was a huge turn off to some of their loyal customers. Other than that, we stayed in Villa 26 which was really nice and was only a short walk to the beach. read more

my family has been visiting island house for a few years now. we just got back from our latest visit and we had a great time. the villas are a perfect place to stay with your family. we stayed in a 2/2 villa with a full kitchen and living room. they are very comfortable and clean. the staff is very helpful and i even saw them giving guests rides on the golf cart in the rain so they wouldn't get wet. the beach is one of the most beautiful i have seen. the sand is so soft and clean that i never wore shoes or sandals on the beach just to feel the sand on my feet. the water was crystal clear and perfect for relaxing during the day. I can't wait to go back again next year. read more

Island House Beach Resort - Resorts Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Perhaps the two years it took Scott to reply to my review may have been too long for him to remember what actually happened. We only had 4 guest: my wife, my two small children, and myself. We came in a single car. There was never a confrontation regarding any of the things in your comment. The 4 million in rentals you do doesn't make you any less of an ass. Plenty of other places I would rather stay than Island House. And two years later, you are still an asshole and clearly confused about our situation. read more

Great location. Nice enough property. However, the staff is rude and unprofessional. The security/maintenance man, Dave, had to be asked to leave our condo after his intrusive behavior. He gossips about the other guests. He spread a rumor that one of the guests was dealing drugs! He followed our daughters down the beach and off the property one night. The manager is belligerent and downright mean. Yelled at our 75 year-old-grandparents because they didn't have their bracelets on. We have been coming to Island House since 2010; one time with a group of over 100. We will NEVER return and want prospective renters to know how uncomfortable the staff made us feel. Island House staff doesn't appreciate or care about your business. read more

We stayed in unit 15N. It had a gorgeous gulf view and the condo was very spacious and meticulous. The kitchen was updated and fully stocked with anything you could need to cook while there. They had nice gas or charcoal grills out on the grounds if you wanted to grill too. The bathrooms were clean and in good shape but hadn't been updated. The beds were comfortable and we had another gorgeous view out of the master bedroom. I had little interaction with the office staff but when I called about check out time the following morning they told me that it wasn't rented for that next night and I could stay later if I wanted. The water was beautiful and the beach was powdery sand but there was a lot of seaweed all over the beach and in the water sometimes. I took walks every day up and down the beach and it was far worse at other resorts. Our beach seemed the cleanest. I'm told it's not usually like that but this was our first time here. If I come back to Siesta Key I would not hesitate to stay here. read more

I have to say that I almost didn't rate this place because It's one of those hidden gems you really don't want others to know about. However the new owners are so welcoming, accommodating and ...well... nice, I felt I had to. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because if the extremely old and soft mattresses which are all in the process of being replaced as rooms are renovated. This is an "old Florida" type of facility from the tropical theme pool to the paintings on the walls. If it were new they'd probably refer to it as a boutique motel. The entrances for all rooms ( 2 floors) face the pool area and the exterior walls were being beautifully repainted while we were there. The rooms themselves are very large with a big screen tv and a small kitchenette. There are also gas & charcoal grills for guests use near the pool area. ( saw new ones still in the boxes waiting to be installed.) The beach is a very short walk across the street & there are ample eating & drinking establishments on Gulf Blvd. This is the kind of place very well suited to seniors (quiet, no noisy parties or loud music & not a lot of children while we were here). This is and will become even more the kind of place people return to year after year. I know we wi read more

Island House is the "Best" place to stay on Siesta Key. Units are beautiful, staff is superior, grounds are spectacular. I highly recommend it to anyone! read more

We have stayed at IHBR 6 times. The first 4 were phenomenal, so much fun. We have stayed in 4 different places on the premises. Some are nicer than others. The beach and staff were the reason we went at first. The staff is why we won't return. Not all were bad but no manager should berate people the way the older manager did in April of 2016. When you work with the public there is a good way and bad way to handle situations you have concerns over. Yelling at my parents (70 & 73), other guests, and telling us to never come back seems like a bad way to me. Too bad, we always loved this place. read more

Nice location away from the public beach. There were a few issues--lack of privacy cover on the kitchen door, sticky locks, dirty ice machine on refrigerator, saggy bedding, spotty WiFi-- but nothing that would keep us from coming back. Nice to have gas grills in the courtyard, staff was friendly. read more