The Perfect Beach Cottage-Winter 2014 Gone : Be the 1st Request for 2015!

• best of everything!

  best of everything!

  • Guest h j.
  • Date of stay 01/04/13
  • Review Submitted 01/09/13
  wonderful holiday in a wonderful place - Shellbox is central to beach and town - no car needed. The cottage is cute as a button and comfortably equipped. We made great use of the tennis court and pool and enjoyed the peacefulness of the surrounding complex. Frank is a gem to work with and the neighbours too made us feel right at home - no, better - because nobody at home bakes us cookies!!! Highly recommended for all groups, couples, families, seniors.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Don't tell too many people about Shellbox Cottage!

  Don't tell too many people about Shellbox Cottage!

  • Guest Allison S.
  • Date of stay 12/02/12
  • Review Submitted 12/17/12
  We wondered if "old Florida"-style living could be found on Sanibel, and can report that it is. Here's what's perfect about Shellbox Cottage: *The owner's attention to our needs and to the details, including a table-top driftwood Christmas tree. This is not a corporate big-box rental with generic "beach" art made in China. Shellbox smacks of another era. *Spaciousness: plenty of room for "alone time," from the loft to the lanai. *The well-equipped kitchen: everything needed for cooking (One exception might be a smaller coffee pot. With only one of us a coffee drinker it was hard to get that perfect one cup to start the day. I did try to engineer something with a pen shell, a binder clip, and a paper filter, to no avail. Next time, I'll bring my cup-top filter holder). *Proximity to everything, at least for us. We decided to use only bicycles for transportation (No rental car!), and readily traveled from the lighthouse on one end to the Captiva bridge on the other, and visited every beach in between multiple times. We easily transported our groceries, wine, beach towels, binocs (for regular trips to the Refuge), etc. One can easily walk to the beach from Shellbox, and a good mix of restaurants are nearby. *The pool: large enough for lap swimming! *Lots of windows and cool breezes! With the cooler December temperatures, we needed neither heat nor air conditioning. And we did not use the indoor shower even once!

  Owner response: Hey Guys, Someone is going to think we wrote this! LOL. This is exactly how we feel about the Shellbox and it really makes us happy you felt the same vibe. You were our first no car guests and we are really excited you wrote that in your review - as environmentalists one of many reasons we bought on Sanibel was because we could help save the planet and our Island by not needing a car. We will take care of the coffee - perhaps a miele drip or French press? Wishing you the happiest of holidays and you are welcome back at Shellbox and after that review at the same rate! Thanks so much.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Perfect Holiday

  Perfect Holiday

  • Guest Holger I.
  • Date of stay 10/06/12
  • Review Submitted 12/11/12
  What a great place for a perfect holiday! We are a family of 4: two kids (9 and 8 yrs old) and the cottage had all we needed and more. The owner made sure that we felt welcome, safe and comfortable at all time. The house is nice and clean and decorated like you imagine a beach cottage to be with little details everywhere so that you feel very much at home. We were provided with all kinds of information about the island, restaurants and best places on the island to visit. The pool was clean and fresh and the kids just loved it! We came home with great memories and new friends and we often think back. We hope we will be able to return one day and we want to thank Frank for being so kind and caring at all times.He is not just the owner but a great host to his guests. Best wishes from Germany!

  Owner response: Dear Anita & Holger, Thank you for such a nice review. We really appreciate it. We work hard to make sure our guests feel as welcome as people we rented from made us feel when we first rented on Sanibel. It's a special place that way. We've heard great things about you and your kids from our neighbors who said they were the most polite and brightest kids they had met in a long time. And how cool to hear you all keep in touch! Please write us again if you want to stay - we try and protect repeat guest from any rate increases. Happy Holidays. Frank

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Mehr braucht man nicht

  Mehr braucht man nicht

  • Guest Markus H.
  • Date of stay 10/31/12
  • Review Submitted 11/09/12
  Ein wunderbares Haus mit toller Athmosphäre, sehr liebevoll eingerichtet und die Umgebung ist ideal zum Relaxen. Wer sich auf Sanibel Island heimisch fühlen will, ist hier genau richtig. Man fühlt sich nicht wie ein Tourist, sondern wie ein Eingeborener;-) Alles was man mit Kindern am Strand braucht ist hier reichlich vorhanden: Spielzeug, Sonnenschirme, kleine Surfboards etc. Wir haben es hier geliebt und Frank ist ein hervorragender Vermieter. Top! Wir kommen wieder!

  Owner response: (if you don't speak German it says: "Nothing else is required" A beautiful house with a great atmosphere, very loving, and the area is perfect for relaxing. Who wants to feel at home on Sanibel Iceland (Island) is the right place. You do not feel like a tourist, but as a native;-) Everything you need is on the beach with children abound here: toys, umbrellas, small surfboards etc. We loved our stay here and Frank is an excellent landlord. Top! We will be back! Thanks you Markus and family! We would love to have you and your family back - you took great care of the Shellbox. I arrived the evening you left and it looks great. Have wonderful holidays - your country is especially beautiful this time of the year....Frank

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Family vacation

  Family vacation

  • Guest Riggs C.
  • Date of stay 09/02/12
  • Review Submitted 10/26/12
  Our small family spent a week at the Shell Cottage. This was our first family vacation where it was just us. We have two small children our son was 23months and daughter 5months. The Shell cottage was just perfect. It was exactly what we where looking for in a "beach cottage". We enjoyed it so much and spent a lot of time just hanging out at the cottage. Our son loved being able to run room to room in circles. We were so comfortable and enjoyed the cottage very much. It was perfect for our small family! We will be happy to return!! Thank you, Carlson Family

  Owner response: Dear Heather. Aw shucks! Thanks for the nice review and for introducing another generation to Sanibel. As many families have been doing for decades. We will help work to keep it the stunning environmental gem it is for your kids and their kids. Frank.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Relaxing vacation

  Relaxing vacation

  • Guest C S.
  • Date of stay 07/07/12
  • Review Submitted 08/20/12
  We had really relaxing vacation in and around the Shellbox. The photos give a perfect impression of the special atmosphere. Since it was low season (July) we were the only family in Donax Village and had the tennis court and the pool for ourselves. Everything is well-maintained and you feel the special dilligence of the owners to make the stay nice and comfortable. We got a huge list of recommendations with restaurants which was very helpful. We spend the evenings at the beach. The next beach is very close but we also liked to drive to Bowmans Beach or Blind Pass (best shelling). We also recommend a boat trip from Captiva to Cayo Costa!! Since we are Germans we don´t tend to show our enthousiasm to much, but we have to admit, that we fell in love with the Shellbox and the beautiful surroundings and we are sure that we couldn´t have made a better choice.

  Owner response: Dear Cordulla and Family, Thank you for a lovely review. We very much appreciate it. Although the Shellbox is a beach rental, it is also our home, so it's important to us guests like the cottage as much as they like Sanibel. We had to charge your deposit for 1 towel - we felt terrible doing it but you were so cool about that -- and we appreciate that too. With warm regards to you and your family. Frank & Terry

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Shellbox Cottage Sanibel Island

  Shellbox Cottage Sanibel Island

  • Guest Jane S.
  • Date of stay 03/11/12
  • Review Submitted 07/16/12
  We had 3 beautiful weeks in this cozy cottage on beautiful Sanibel. Everything is exactly as it is described. The owners could not be more gracious or easier to deal with, and the neighbors of Donax Village make you feel right at home. This rental is great for a couple or a family with one or two children. The bikes made it easy to get back and forth from the beach. The tennis courts were just resurfaced and the community pool was always clean and inviting. If you have never been to Sanibel, this location is ideal for restaurants, shopping or just the always desirable shell hunting. If you are lucky enough to vacation on Sanibel this is a great place to stay.

  Owner response: This was our first year renting and these gracious guests dealt with the delivery of new blinds and landscaping - so glad you love the cottage for the same reasons we do and hope we can get you back here for 2013 and thanks for your interest in 2014. Gracious, and planners too!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/5

• The Perfect Haven

  The Perfect Haven

  • Guest Roda G.
  • Date of stay 04/01/12
  • Review Submitted 05/12/12
  It seems like only yesterday that we were sitting on the beach at sunset with a glass of wine, planning the next day. What a perfect oasis! Frank and Terry know that we spent the month of March in a rental that was somewhat depressing. Then we arrive at The Shellbox...Sunshine and Space! What a contrast. It is a lovely cottage all freshly painted and new blinds (we were the lucky ones!) on the many windows that make this place so charming. Everything was immaculate when we arrived. Terry and Frank are the ultimate homeowners because it shows that they take great pride in their home. They are always available by phone or email if any questions arise. The house layout is exactly as described, spacious and bonus loft which our visiting grandchildren thought was heaven! The tennis court and pool are well cared for as well as the grounds. It's a quiet small community, which we found to be perfect. What made this cottage so perfect for us was the close proximity to the beach (walk 7min, bike 5) and to Periwinkle and all the restaurants and shops. No need for a car here if you enjoy biking...loved our favorite nearby restaurants: Matzaluna, Cip's and Trader's. It was hard leaving the Shellbox at the end of the month but knowing that we'd be back next year made it a tad easier. Thanks, Frank and Terry!

  Owner response: And a pleasure to have you folks as guests. What kind words. Thanks. We are headed down there soon and looking into even more upgrades (but not changing that "old Florida beach house charm") but maybe a bathroom renovation for the master bath. See you next year!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• Fabulous location on Sanibel!!!

  Fabulous location on Sanibel!!!

  • Guest seaweedmom
  • Date of stay 12/18/11
  • Review Submitted 01/01/12
  Family of 4 (2 adults, 1 - 13 yo, 1 - 10 yo) had a wonderful time here from 12/18 - 12/30/11. The location was the best for easy access to the beach, bike path, several restaurants, grocery, library. Beach is an easy 5 minute walk, or 2 minute bike ride (less if you are racing your kids). We rented bikes from Billy's and loved exploring the island on them. Didn't move the car for several days! Plenty of room for our family - everyone had their own get away space and TV - bonus! The pool was right our the back door and was very clean and warm, never crowded while we were there. We played tennis a few times, the court is also right outside the back door! We are movie watchers and book readers, so purchased a library card for only $10 which is good for one year, so if you plan on returning within the year a great bargain.....Lots of great movie titles and books to check out. Loved it! There is also a REDBOX at Jerry's Market for REDBOX fans. We own a seasonal business on the coast of NC, so the only time we can get away is over the winter holidays, and this was a wonderful, relaxing, beautiful stay! The weather was in the upper 70s or low 80s every day :) We were so sad to leave. We will return! Thanks Frank - you are the bomb!

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway.

  Owner response: Thank you for taking care of Shellbox Pam. We are going to make most of the upgrades I discussed with you...but...we will always honor low rates for return guest - hope you can come back next year at the Holidays.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 8/8

• Hello, Florida!

  Hello, Florida!

  • Guest paulalea
  • Date of stay 10/02/11
  • Review Submitted 12/31/11
  This cottage is what old Flordia must have felt like in the 50's. Pictures and descriptions were spot on. We rode our bike to the beach in less than a minute and we went for sunrise and sunset and back and forth several times a day. If you walk your cocktail will almost be intact when you arrive at the beach (<5 minutes door to shore). The kitchen was stacked - a new flat screen TV and coffee maker arrived while we were there and all the linens were new. We looked at the all the cottages on VRBO and this is by far the best value AND IT HAS A POOL. The owners were very helpful - we needed something and they helped us that same day plus offered great suggestions on how to spend our time on Sanibel. And what an island. Sanibel is just not like the rest of Florida. Great people, cottage, location and island.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Owner response: Thank you Paul & family and we appreciate you taking such good care of ShellBox while she was in your care and we agreed we needed a TV upgrade so we bought a new flat screen for the Lanai as you suggested (right after your visit :>) and a large float for the pool. We hope to make even more upgrades this coming year. We are glad you will be renting with us again too!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

RATE FOR 28 DAYS: MAY 15-NOVEMBER 15 2013 $3969-works out only 990 wk/140 night*
RATE FOR 28 DAYS: NOV.16 -MAY 15 2014 $4900 (only $1125 a week/160 night*
Rate negotiable at times depending on circumstances: so please feel to write us!
NEXT WINTER IS MOSTLY BOOKED...SANIBEL, a loved place...book early!
Please add $100 cleaning + 11%(5% to Sanibel & 6% to the Florida Governor!
*night rate provided for illustrative purposes only - The Holiday inn on Sanibel 

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.