The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Sanibel

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Sanibel

Visiting Sanibel, Florida for the first time can be an exciting, yet overwhelming experience. With so many incredible hotels to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to stay. If you're deciding where to stay for your first visit to Sanibel, we've compiled a list of the best hotels for first time visitors. We analyzed all of the hotels in Sanibel based on price, location, amenities, guest ratings, and more to determine which would be the ideal places to stay for first timers. Whether you're here for just a few days or longer, these hotels offer the perfect combination of amenities, location, and price. For those visiting Sanibel for the first time, it's important to choose a hotel in a safe and convenient area to make the most of your first visit. You'll want to be close to the activities, shopping, and dining options, of course. When looking for hotels, consider the amenities they offer. Some hotels may have a fitness center, a bar or restaurant, a pool, or even a spa. All of these features can add to your overall enjoyment if you've never been to Sanibel before. Also, guest ratings and reviews are also important to consider when choosing a hotel. Whether you're visiting Sanibel for the first time, or you're a seasoned traveler, the best hotels in Sanibel for first-timers offer the perfect combination of comfort, convenience, and affordability. So, here's our list of suggestions for your next trip.

(Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars.)

Island Inn Sanibel

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $222 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Sanibel
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

Located at 3111 West Gulf Drive, Island Inn Sanibel has great rooms from $222 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, snorkeling, a bar, and hiking. It has a terrific 9.00 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 4.8 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love rooms with kitchens, child care, golf, a game room, and free parking at this relaxing hotel. The swimming pool is fantastic and lots of fun, too. The price of this hotel is less than average for first time trip hotels, which makes it a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snorkeling
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Sanibel Inn

3-star Resort with prices starting at $682 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Beach

A great place to stay is Sanibel Inn which has nice rooms starting at $682. Offering an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a bar, outdoor tennis, and rooms with kitchens, it also has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 937 East Gulf Drive. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers laundry facilities, bicycle rental, a kid-friendly atmosphere, air-conditioning, and a coffee shop which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.1 miles from the city center. The restaurant serves delicious food, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Kid-friendly
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Sundial Beach Resort & Spa

3-star Resort with prices starting at $506 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Sanibel
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

We found Sundial Beach Resort & Spa to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $506. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 1451 Middle Gulf Drive. You'll also find a kid-friendly buffet, hiking, rooms with kitchens, child care, and laundry services which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 2.2 miles from the center of town. The heated pool is comfortable, relaxing, and fun for everyone.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Spa
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Table tennis
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Sanibel Island Beach Resort

3-star Resort with prices starting at $449 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Beach

With terrific rooms from $449, Sanibel Island Beach Resort, at 1231 Middle Gulf Drive provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and outdoor tennis. Its terrific guest rating is 8.10 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers pet-friendly rooms, free parking, kids meals, laundry facilities, and bicycle rental. It's located just 1.7 miles from the city center, too. You'll enjoy relaxing while having room service delivered.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms


West Wind Inn

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $289 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

West Wind Inn has a great guest rating of 8.70 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, parking, pet-friendly rooms, and a child pool. The great rooms here start at $289 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 3345 West Gulf Drive. Furthermore, it also offers laundry facilities, bicycle rental, a heated pool, air-conditioning, and a coffee shop, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 5.2 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. We found the price of this hotel to be a great value because the price is less than average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Child pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop


Anchor Inn and Cottages

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $283 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Sanibel
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Anchor Inn and Cottages is 8.50 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, golf, and pet-friendly rooms. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $283, and it's located at 1245 Periwinkle Way. We also love the free parking, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, family rooms, and a heated pool which are great for visitors. And since it's just 1.5 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. Having a kitchenette is a nice way for you to have some meals in the room, too. The price of this hotel is less than average for first time trip hotels, which makes it a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Kitchenette
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Tropical Winds Beachfront Motel and Cottages

Motel with prices starting at $406 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • Beach

A cool place is Tropical Winds Beachfront Motel and Cottages because it has great rooms that start at $406. It has an outdoor pool, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, pet-friendly rooms, and free parking, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 4819 Tradewinds Drive. Only 7.4 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love laundry facilities, bicycle rental, fishing, family rooms, and air-conditioning at this convenient hotel. Having a kitchen in the room is a great way to make meals and save money, too. It's also less than the average price for first time trip hotels, so it's a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Kitchenette
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Tarpon Tale Inn

Inn with prices starting at $421 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Sanibel
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

Tarpon Tale Inn offers a restaurant, snorkeling, hiking, rooms with kitchens, and golf which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $421 (before taxes). It's located at 367 Periwinkle Way and has earned a guest rating of 9.25/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers city views, free parking, fishing, family rooms, and air-conditioning which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.2 miles from the city center.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Snorkeling
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Hiking
  • Free parking
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Waterside Inn on the Beach

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $396 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

Located at 3033 W. Gulf Drive, Waterside Inn on the Beach has great rooms from $396 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, parking, rooms with kitchens, pet-friendly rooms, and laundry facilities. It has a terrific 9.20 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find bicycle rental, fishing, air-conditioning, and picnic areas which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 4.8 miles from the center of town. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing


Gulf Breeze Cottages

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $368 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Sanibel
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

A great place to stay is Gulf Breeze Cottages which has nice rooms starting at $368. Offering a restaurant, parking, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and laundry facilities, it also has a great guest rating of 9.10 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1081 Shell Basket Ln.. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers bicycle rental, fishing, air-conditioning, a microwave, and a refrigerator. It's located just 1.4 miles from the city center, too. We found the price of this hotel to be a great value because the price is less than average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Parking
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Naples, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and Bonita Springs.

For more terrific hotel ideas in Sanibel, make sure you also see Best Beach Hotels in Sanibel, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Sanibel, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Sanibel, Best Hotels for One Week in Sanibel, or Best Hotels for One Night in Sanibel.


How much do hotels for first-time visitors cost in Sanibel?

Sanibel Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$412

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to Sanibel, Florida. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in Sanibel, Florida based on data from 16 hotels is an affordable $412. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Sanibel.

The average prices of our suggested first time trip hotels by star rating:

  • 3-star hotels: $456
  • 2-star hotels: $355


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