Fort Myers Beach
Cottages and Villas

SUN PALACE VACATIONS

Family- and Pet-Friendly Fort Myers Beach Cottages and Villas,
Steps from the ‘World’s Safest’ Beaches

-Beachfront
-Across the Street from Beach
-Residential and Canal-Side (walking distance to the beach)

Click here for a photo tour of Fort Myers Beach Florida.

A dozen Fort Myers Beach cottages are beachfront.

Between swanky Naples and the mostly private beaches on Sanibel and Captiva islands, Fort Myers Beach Florida, is a beautiful compromise.

The laidback beach town sprawls across seven mile long Estero Island, no more than half a mile across at its widest point. On the Gulf of Mexico side, the island is rimmed with wide, flat, sugar-white sand beaches ranked among the world’s safest for their shallow water and lack of riptides.

The east side the island is separated from the mainland by Estero Bay. Cruising or kayaking among mangrove islands in Florida’s first aquatic preserve, you’ll see dolphins, manatees, sea turtles and five-foot-tall wading birds.

The beach trolley makes a constant loop from the souvenir shops and rollicking bars at Times Square (where they lower a beach ball on New Year’s Eve) on the north end of the island to pristine Lovers Key State Park in the south.

In the quiet mid-island residential neighborhoods and beyond, Sun Palace Vacations has 25 charming and immaculate Fort Myers Beach cottages, duplexes and luxury homes perfect for family vacations.

“We’re the only Rental Management Agency on Fort Myers Beach that exclusively handles homes. We don’t have any condos,” says Judith Lee, who runs Sun Palace Vacations with her husband, Ron Hemstreet.

Ron and Judith traded a high-stress life producing live events in Toronto, Canada, for the laid-back community feel of Fort Myers Beach shortly after buying a five-bedroom vacation home almost a decade ago.

Over the years they have assembled a collection of beach-basic duplexes, charming vintage beach cottages and luxe contemporary homes -- something for every taste and budget. Washed in beach blues, sunny yellows and sunset oranges, the Fort Myers Beach cottages and homes range from expansive, executive-level villas with every creature comfort, to sand-on-your-feet casual tile and leather or rattan to one-of-a-kind. Sweet Dreams, the former home of local artist Dick Sweet, which is filled with original art, with an amazing seashell-studded fireplace at its center.

Many of these Fort Myers Beach cottages and homes are beachfront or no more than a 700-step stroll to high tide. (None is more than five minutes from the sand.) Most have private pools and hot tubs. A number of the Fort Myers Beach cottages are large -- several sleep 12 to 16 people. All (but one) are dog-friendly.

What may not be evident at first glance: the duplexes, cottages and homes are conveniently clustered to maximize options for vacationing families and wedding parties. It was a happy accident at first.

“When we started out, we had large homes and we didn’t have any competition at that time,” says Ron. “So anybody looking for a large home for a family reunion or a wedding or multi-generation get-together ended up with us.” It didn’t take them long to realize they had carved out a great niche. “We started to focus on growing our clusters,” Judith says. “We have three clusters of homes -- two sleep up to 45 and one sleeps 50 and we’re building another cluster closer to the pier/tourist area.”

25 duplexes, beachfront cottages and luxury homes


How many on or near the beach?

"The beach is so nice that all the people from Miami and Fort Lauderdale come here to vacation,” Judith says. Sun Palace Vacations manages two groups of 12 Beachfront Rentals with stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico from second story decks and living areas. Sea Breeze Cottage is closest to the water -- 25 feet closer than other homes on the beach and has the most stunning views from Sanibel to Bonita.

Several upscale Executive Rentals(including the charming Key West cottage Sun Villa, where I stayed) are just across the street from the beach (only 700 steps from the water at high tide).

Half a dozen Island Cottages are a (short) one- to five-minute walk to the beach. Mermaid’s Lagoon, the farthest from the beach, has a lush, tropical wraparound patio with a lovely private pool and spa that ends in a boat dock on a canal.


Type and size

Two- to six-bedroom Beachfront duplexes and cottages on the sand are furnished with beach-basic tile floors and new leather or rattan furnishing with vivid, tropical print cushions. Many of the Island Cottages combine vintage Key West character, including cupolas and hurricane shutters, with a sharp, contemporary decor.

Most of these Fort Myers Beach Cottages have a deck, patio and/or covered or screened porch. Some beachfront properties share a pool. But most residential rentals have a private pool and Jacuzzi.

Every rental has cable TV(s), broadband Internet access (most have Wi-Fi), stereo and telephone, as well as a well-equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, a charcoal or gas grill, lounge chairs and outdoor dining furniture, hairdryers and beach towels and toys.

Executive homes are more upscale. Each of these homes includes additional luxury amenities: Wi-fi, a gas barbecue grill, beach chairs, umbrellas and a cooler and a cart to carry everything. Some have free long distance and i-Pod docks.

“Our philosophy with these houses is that all you should need to bring is your clothes, food and sunscreen,” Judith says.


Price

The high season kicks into high gear in January, when the island population swells from 7,000 to 30,000 or 40,000!

During February and March, standstill traffic is common and every restaurant meal comes with an hour-long wait.

The off-season is officially May through October, but summers are popular with families.

Tip: Look at the shoulder seasons -- late April (after Easter) to June and November (excluding Thanksgiving) through Christmas -- for the no crowds-good weather-discounted prices Trifecta. (Cheeseburgers at The Sand Bar are $2 during the off-season; a rack of ribs at South Beach? $5. No waiting.

Per Week
From $750 to $4990

Sun Palace Vacations has multiple seasonal rates that vary over the calendar year. The least expensive time to come is from late August to early October (Columbus Day). The high value shoulder season is from mid-April up to Memorial Day in late May and from early October up to Christmas (excluding Thanksgiving).

Monthly
Expect discounts of 13% to 20%, depending on the property and the season.

Fees

Accidental Damage Insurance Fee In lieu of a refundable security deposit of up to $1,000 charged by many management companies on the beach, Sun Palace Vacations assesses $75 per rental for an accidental damage insurance policy with up to $1,500 accidental damage coverage.

Cleaning Fee varies by property.

Optional Vacation Rental Insurance: Basically trip insurance, this covers trip cancellation, interruption, travel and/or baggage delay, medical expense and emergency medical transportation. It is highly recommended during hurricane season: August through October.

“This is also a great option if you have elderly relatives, uncertain job issues, pre-existing medical conditions, large groups of people traveling, or are flying from a snowbound destination during winter,” says Judith. “The policy we offer covers everyone on your guest list. They will be reimbursed for any days booked that are not occupied.”


Staff

Judith and Ron and full-time reservationist, Danielle, run the show -- with help from a trusted local cadre of local cleaning and maintenance people. Pools are serviced twice a week and someone is accessible 24/7.


Concierge services

• All these Fort Myers Beach Cottages include basic beach gear: beach towels and toys. Executive level rentals include beach chairs, umbrellas, a cooler and a cart to carry it all to the beach.

• Sun Palace Vacations is always scouting special deals for guests. For example, Sunday mornings during the off-season (May through October), you can rent a boat for three hours bay cruise for only $50. “We’ve been working with a marina that has a boat that holds up to 45 people. We’re going to arrange to do sunset tours for the larger groups of people,” says Judith.

• Preferred vendors/suppliers for special events. “Most weddings are low-key,” says Judith. “We can put guests in touch with a local florist, photographer, even a minister who does nondenominational weddings on the beach for a 25-guest wedding.” The local beach photographer also specializes in family portraits.


Services for families

Aside from its safe beaches, the community of Fort Myers Beach is low-key and family-friendly. The city mandates quiet time between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.

“We’re definitely more family-oriented,” Ron says. “Most of our properties are just south of mid-island -- away from the traffic and Spring Break craziness and close to the grocery store, a dine-in movie theater and churches. It’s residential for the most part. But there are still activities and things to do within a very close range.”

If you need to rent baby equipment, Sun Palace Vacations can recommend a reliable local supplier supplier who will deliver and set everything up so it’s ready when you arrive.

We can also arrange for low-cost car rentals through a preferred local supplier and extra hotel nights should you need them.

Three clusters of Fort Myers Beach cottages, sleeping up to 50 people, are perfect for family reunions.


Pet-friendly homes

All but one of these Fort Myers Beach cottages are pet-friendly. Some have fenced dog friendly yards.

“We always ask for the dogs' names and make up goodie bags with biscuits and some poo bags. At Christmas time, we baked homemade dog biscuits and took them to all the dogs,” says Judith.

The non-refundable pet fee ranges from $100 to $250, depending on the size of unit and pet. Pets are not allowed in the pool.

But all beach access points have biodegradable bags -- for the obligatory “stoop and scoop”. Dogs must be on a leash on the beach.


Guest references?

Guest testimonials of all of these Fort Myers Beach cottages are posted on FlipKey and the Sun Palace website.


Discounts?

Guests returning to these Fort Myers Beach cottages receive a discount of $100 to $150 the first year and 5% off the rental fee after that.

1. Location, Location, Location

With easy beach access and the beach trolley to take you from souvenir shopping to Back Bay kayaking, you really don’t need to move your car at all in these centrally located rentals. But Fort Myers Beach itself is centrally located within southwestern Florida. And it would be a shame to miss some of the Fort Myers Florida attractions and activities nearby. Everglades National Park makes a fascinating day trip. Sun Palace Vacations can offer you discounts on guided tours of the Everglades that are seriously memorable experiences.

Thomas Edison perfected the light bulb at his 14-winter estate, where his neighbor was Henry Ford. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates contain a historical museum and 17-acre botanical garden.
The Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve a 2,500-acre wetland, has 1.2 miles of boardwalk trails where you may be able to glimpse the elusive Ghost Orchid.


2. Family (Reunion) Friendly Configurations

“In the last months, I’ve seen a real shift in the volume of inquiries by families and other groups,” Judith notes. “People are getting together in one or two of our Fort Myers Beach cottages. They’re spending money at the local grocery story and staying in. They take turns making dinner, so we make sure that kitchens are especially well stocked. We also have a lot of wedding gatherings, girls getaway weekends and on average one group a month comes to grieve. The beach is very healing.”

The only agency on Fort Myers Beach that only handles homes, Sun Palace Vacations has convenient clusters that are perfect for groups of up to 50. “When people call, we ask a lot of questions to match the house to the guest’s needs,” Judith says. “We don’t want them showing up and being disappointed. If they want a beachfront cottage and can’t afford it, they might be comfortable with a house with a private pool a block from the beach. People are always surprised that we know each home down to the smallest detail.”

Some of these Fort Myers Beach cottages have facilities for elderly parents and disabled guests.

3. Pristine and Personal

“Our unofficial corporate motto is ‘Perfect, or better,’” Ron says.

“We try to be perfectionists about everything -- from buying hotel-grade sheets to replenishing soaps, cleaning products and tin foil to showing up to greet every guest in person. We want people to feel that they’re getting everything they have at home -- or more. I think we have the highest level of décor and cleanliness. We like to think we have the best cleaners on the beach. If you go to FlipKey responses, people comment on how clean out Fort Myers Beach cottages are and the great personal service they receive.”

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