Gulf coast hotels help please!

My husband and I are planning ahead to next January 2008 to get some winter sun. Can anyone recommend a hotel on the Gulf Coast, between Sarasota and the Keys that has the following: on the beach, shopping and restaurants within walking distance, and with a decent sized swimming pool ? Efficiencies/ self catering a bonus. We don%26#39;t want a luxury scene and golf is unimportant. We are thinking of a 2 to 2 1/2 week stay mid January. Thanks for any help!

Gulf coast hotels help please!

Take a look at Fort Myers Beach and Pointe Estero. Its on the beach, has a great pool, is walking distance to shopping, restaurants, and the condo style units have full kitchens and best of all a screen in balcony- Spectacular Sunsets. It is about 1 1/2 hrs south of Sarasota.

Gulf coast hotels help please!

You might want to look at the Lido Beach Resort.

It has everything you are looking for.

www.lidobeachresort.com.

Another option is to rent a condo on Siesta Key.

www.siesta4rent.com or www.vrbo.com.

~SRQgirl

Hi Happinessa - many thanks for the reply - will do some research and look up your recommendations

Thanks also SRQgirl - Lido Beach sounds good too

Any one of the three keys off of Sarasota -- Longboat, Lido or Siesta -- could be excellent. For rentals on Longboat or Lido, go to www.flvacationconnection.com; they have 200 houses/condos from which to choose.

Several comments as you view various properties. Most of the weekly rentals run from Saturday to Saturday. Also keep in mind that some places will quote you a price before local taxes are added in (local taxes can run as high as 10%), so be sure to see if tax is included or not.

Since you%26#39;re thinking about perhaps 2 weeks, the Sarasota area could be excellent for you. In addition to the usual beach/restaurant/shops, etc., Sarasota has a great cultural environment with theaters, ballet, opera, symphony, museums, etc. And yet it is still a small town relative to other places in Florida.