Captiva Island Inn, Captiva, FL: Perfect Winter Getaway For Couples

Superb location on a tiny island

Captiva Island encompasses a mere 10.5 square miles (27.19 square kilometers) and only boasts 379 year-round residents, but it provides an atmosphere of seclusion, relaxation, warm temperatures and beauty that lures many visitors when it is winter elsewhere.

Captiva Island Inn has a location that is a short walk from the beach, known as one of the best for shelling in the world.

Variety of accommodation choices

Captiva Island Inn offers a wide array of options to suit the needs of singles, couples or families. One-bedroom cottages with names like The Love Shack, Mimosa Cottage or Daisy Cottage are nestled beside two-bedroom cottages, such as Iris Villa. Several have kitchenettes and small porches for enjoying the sights and sounds of many birds that make their home on Captiva Island. Others have sofa beds to provide sleeping space for children.

Guests also have the choice to rent a single room or to splurge on the Penthouse Suite with two bedrooms, two baths, a full kitchen with granite countertops, a spacious living room and a dining room with hardwood floors. Samantha’s Room, Hannah’s Room and Bryanna’s Room are private with their own full bathrooms, but share a living room, dining room and kitchen. These three rooms would be perfect for a large family or three couples traveling together. Captiva Island Inn also rents the five-bedroom Harbour House with its own heated swimming pool and hot tub.

Depending on the budget or the sleeping arrangement needs of guests, Captiva Island Inn can certainly cater to their wishes.

Almost unlimited breakfast options

Every guest at Captiva Island Inn receives a voucher for breakfast at either Keylime Bistro next door or RC Otter’s Island Eats right across the street. Both have the expected menu items of pancakes, eggs, bacon, granola, fruit, omelets, bagels, waffles, French toast and unlimited coffee refills, but they go a step further and incorporate fresh seafood which is a perfect complement to the island vibe. Keylime Bistro features smoked salmon while RC Otter’s offers an Ultimate Seafood Omelet which includes crab meat, shrimp and the catch of the day.

Quirky island transportation

Every evening a fun trolley called “S-Car-Go” provides free transportation to and from restaurants within a few blocks of Captiva Island Inn. This is another way to keep the atmosphere relaxed and stress-free. It cuts down on traffic and removes the hassle of parking.

Shells and sunsets

During the daytime, guests will want to take a short walk to the beach and start finding some of the shells for which Captiva is renowned. Captiva Island Inn offers beach chairs and umbrellas to their guests at no additional charge. But, in the late afternoon, visitors will notice a rise in pedestrian traffic headed to the beach to watch the sunset. It is a ritual with awe-inspiring results. The sky changes colors during the final few minutes before it seems to dip into the sea, and once it’s gone, there is an almost reverent applause from the onlookers. Definitely a magical moment.

Notable Captiva restaurants

At the end of Andy Rosse Drive, where Captiva Island Inn is located, Mucky Duck is a popular British-style pub that has been attracting customers since the mid-1970’s. It is said to be “60 feet from the water” and is a great way to celebrate after a notable sunset.

The Bubble Room is about a block away from the Inn and is known for its quirky, Christmas-y bubble lights and movie star-themed decor. Jazz and Big Band music plays in the background, and servers dress in Boy Scout uniforms. Menu highlights include their famous Bubble Bread, baked fresh every afternoon and served only for dinner, and the huge desserts. The portions are definitely shareable, so one per table would be about right.

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille, at South Seas Island Resort, is the brainchild of owner/author Randy Wayne White who is known for his mystery thrillers with settings in this area. Doc Ford’s has a raw bar, lots of chef-prepared seafood choices plus several pages of rums and cocktails listed in the menu.