Periwinkle Cottages

We picked these cottages for our first trip back to Sanibel since H. Ian devastated the Island in 2022. We had always stayed at Mitchell's Sandcastles on West Gulf Dr, but those were completely destroyed/gone after Ian. |There are 4 cottages here (2 buildings, so 2 cottages share 1 wall), no pool and no laundry - which we were told 2 days before our arrival of 12 days. They told us we'd have to go off island to find a laundromat. I complained and demanded a discount since that would take so much time/effort/$. They came back and offered me use of their office/housekeeping laundry facility (behind cottage #1) which was very convenient and nice. I have no idea if anyone else was given this privilege but i'm not sure where their laundry facility was supposed to be (it says they have laundry facilities on the website).| It is a 1/4 mile walk to the beach and if you'd rather drive, they do provide a parking pass to use at the private lot at the end of the road at the beach access path. |There is a keurig in our cottage, and no coffee pot, which was a bummer since we don't use kcups. There is a blender, toaster, pots/pans (altho non stick would be MUCH better). small stove/oven and fridge. Zero counter space, so prepping food and then cleaning up afterwards is a challenge. it's not bad, but we probably wouldn't want to stay here again. Mitchell's spoiled us - we prefer to be ON the beach. We will try to find someplace else next year.

3 months ago

This is our second year in the #1 Heron. what could be better than a 5 minute bike ride (bikes provided) to private beach access. The cottage was rebuilt after Ian and it does have a few quirks, but those quirks make it a fun place. A well appointed kitchen and comfortable king bed in the main bedroom. Shopping and restaurants are just a few minute drive in either direction. A great place at a decent price!

4 months ago

This was absolutely the cutest place. My friend and I stayed in the one-bedroom Ibis cottage. It had everything we needed, from a fully equipped kitchenette, to extra linens and towels, to beach chairs and a screened in porch and grill. I love retro, midcentury things, and this place was like stepping back in time but with a completely modernized experience. ||||I love to walk and my friend, who is much older, does not. I loved that I could do a morning walk around the beautiful neighborhood or on the beach (which is easy walking distance), then come back and pick her up and drive her down to the beach, thanks to the beach parking pass that comes with a cottage rental. ||||We found both the staff at Breakaway Properties (booking) and the cleaning staff to be very accommodating and helpful. Cleaning staff offered anything we needed, and Breakaway staff called us in advance to let us know our cottage was ready much earlier than the 4 p.m. check-in time. The booking process was very straightforward and easy. Accessing the cottage was super easy as well. ||||The location is closer to Captiva Island than the main part of Sanibel Island, which was fine with us. It is a very quiet location. The wildlife preserve is right across the road. Free bikes to use during the stay are a very nice touch. ||||I saw some reviews that complained about the cleaning fee. I agree with that - I hate paying a cleaning fee when it's kind of implied that cleaning is part of what one pays for with a rental. I will say, however, that in this case I didn't mind it. We stayed 4 nights, which works out to an extra $25/night (not bad), and the cleaning crew does an amazing job. The place was absolutely immaculate. I would also say that, given that we were there at peak high season and this was 1/3 the price of what some of the condos closer to the lighthouse/marina area were charging, the extra $100 was not a major issue for us. Their overall rental prices are VERY reasonable even for peak season, and they are downright bargain basement in the summer months, especially when you consider you are getting all the comforts of home. ||||I posted some pics of our cottage and I got so many inquiries as to where we were staying - the place is just that cute. It looks small from the outside, but we had plenty of room, as both the living room and bedroom were quite large, not to mention there was a surprising amount of closet space to store our luggage out of the way. ||||The property's policies, which you find in a binder in the cottage, are very reasonable. I've stayed places with a ton of rules, and this is just more common sense stuff, like don't leave a mess, return your beach pass, etc. They actually provide much more information about fun things to do - they clearly want guests to have a great time. ||||This was a terrific experience, and we can't wait to go back. Extra praise to the cleaning staff and Breakaway Properties for making our visit so nice.

4 years ago

The Periwinkle Cottages are a hidden gem. All the comforts of home in a residential neighborhood. If you are into midcentury retro style, these are just the cutest little cottages. 1950s on the outside, completely modern inside. Service from Breakaway Properties is great and easy. My cottage (Ibis) is always very clean when I check in, and I appreciate that although official check in time is 4:00, I always get notified before noon that I can check in early. This helps to make up for the rather early 10 a.m. check-out time on day of departure. The only downside is the rather hefty "cleaning fee" - I understand having to pay your staff, but just add it to the cost of the room per night or something. I couldn't get my cottage for all three nights of my stay, so I stayed in Ft Myers the first night. I tried to stay at another Breakaway property to give them my business but after being told I would be charged the cleaning fee twice, I said forget it and booked the Marriott. Don't get me wrong, this is a GREAT place, terrific location, and I will always stay here. But the cleaning fee, as mentioned by other guests, is an issue. ||||Overall, another wonderful stay and I'm so glad I booked again. Love this peaceful, adorable property. The location, which is directly across from Ding Darling and very close to Captiva, could not be better. Thank you!

3 years ago

Stayed in the Heron cottage, a two bedroom, with husband and 21 year old daughter. Came for the quiet beaches, biking, and Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, where we walked and kayaked. We love Sanibel, and the cottage was perfect for our purposes. Quick walk to the beach (or better yet, just hop on one of the ample bikes supplied by the cottage), bike to the refuge, close to restaurants, a deli and two grocery stores. We enjoyed our long weekend stay immensely. Property is very clean and well-maintained. Even has a gator in the pond right behind the Heron cottage!

4 years ago

Nice little cottages in a remote part of the island, about 10 min driving from 'downtown' Sanibel - you can ride bikes from the cottage to the main street but it's a good 5-6mi distance in the sun. The cottages offer free bikes and access to a private beach , which is about 5-8 min walking down the street. The beach is awesome, truly private. The cottages are comfortable , large living room and bedroom with a king bed. The only complaint is 10am check out - this seems a little early and 4pm check in . I understand the place needs to be cleaned but ok.

2 years ago

One word... BLISS ... And Lisa that works for Periwinkle cottages is Fabulous! We had a tiny issue with the wifi and within a few minutes she came to the house to fix it and shes a doll! My husband and I love love love staying at the Egret. Perfect location, minutes to the beach by foot, 10 seconds by car haha. As soon as you walk in , you can smell how clean it is. All the little details they do like leaving little essentials for you such as dish soap, laundry detergent and paper towels was really nice. All the beach equipment you can ask for as well as beach towels. We will definitely come back every year.

2 years ago

We had an amazing experience in Ibis#3. My 2 friends and I took a “Girls Trip” to Sanibel. Accommodations: Comfy king size bed, crisp linens, brand new hide-a-bed with a very comfy blow-up air mattress. Cute updated decor, apartment-size fridge, plenty big for meals for 3 adults, well-appointed kitchenette w/granite countertop, nice size living area. Easy check-in, new hotel-style air conditioners (not pictured) that kept the unit nice and cold, even in July! Coin laundry on site, grills, everything you need for the beach: chairs, umbrella, shell gear, beach towels, wagons, and more! Check the stash before you buy anything! Location: Quiet neighborhood, we road the free bikes to the beach. The beach access was a little hard to find, tucked in behind the plush foliage on a gravel drive, then down a pathway to park the bikes, and through the dunes to the PRIVATE beach! So amazing! No high rise buildings, just a few private homes in sight far off the shoreline. So private that we were a good 30 ft away from the next beach-goers! We may never go back to a condo beach community again. The cottage is on a quiet main road. Turn left, head to Captiva. Turn right, he’s to Sanibel.-just a few miles either way. Sanibel-what a treasure! So much is preserved like “old Florida.” Quiet, relaxed, no crowds when we were there, we ate dinner around 5:00 each night and never waited for a table. We ate brunch at the Sunset Grill every morning with gulf-view and a breeze (ask for Michelle). The abundance of shells on our private beach exceeded our expectations. Surprises: the exterior needed a good pressure washing and a little paint, but the inside made up for that, and you are on a tropical island, after all, especially for the price!! Shell-cleaning station was cool! Alligator warning signs surprised us, but we never saw an alligator! The cottage was actually a duplex, but did not feel like a duplex, and we did not hear our neighbors from inside. If you are interested in deep-sea fishing or sight-seeing, check out Captain Sean O’Connor at Four Leaf Charter. We shelled one lunched on a private island! So cool! We had ample room for 3 adult besties and, for us, for this price, Periwinkle Cottages was absolutely perfect!!!

2 years ago