Sumptuous Beachfront Oasis

By Nanci Theoret
Published: April 7, 2009
Last Updated On: March 10, 2011

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Spas

Fort Myers

Sanibel Island

Captiva Island

Dining

Luxury

Making the most of its tropical surroundings, Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa envelops its guests in luxury without the fuss.

Nirvana is mine as I melt into complete sensory indulgence. Soothing warmth envelops my hands, neck and face as an intoxicating aroma of hibiscus, coconut oil and rose hip wafts through the air. A gentle pulse massages my back, and I imagine I’m in a tropical oasis, surrounded by swaying palms, warm water and …

Wait a second! I am in a tropical oasis. Should I decide to drag myself from this state of utter bliss, I’ll discover those surroundings just beyond this cocoon. Ah, but for now I’m content to savor the Calusa facial, enjoying the pure, organic ingredients that are toning, cleansing and pampering my face – and trying to resist the urge to lick my lips and actually taste the experience, too.

The Spa

The Calusa facial is one of 10 (yes, 10!) facials offered by The Spa, a 40,000-square-foot enclave of indulgence at Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa. Many of its body wraps and treatments use products that are so natural you could eat them. Esthetician Mary Pereira spent several years developing this signature facial, partnering with an organic chemist to tap into the best of nature and ingredients indigenous to the Calusa Indians, Southwest Florida’s prehistoric inhabitants. After massaging oil into my hands and wrapping them in warm mitts, Mary gently guides me through the layered facial, which ends – far too soon – in a heated mask, a warm towel under my neck and my current state of bliss.

Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa is a perennial winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award.

Style

Like The Spa, the resort itself embodies luxury in an elegant, vintage Florida style, with tin roofs, cupolas, mosaic tiles and polished marble floors that catch the sunlight, echoing the shimmering waters of San Carlos Bay revealed in the lobby’s two-story windows. Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa is a perennial winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award.

The décor is tropical but subtle, rendered in shades of soft gold and sage green. My spacious room, on the 11th floor, offers a divine king-size bed, a huge walk-in closet with his-and-her robes, a jetted tub and a view of islands and water – Sanibel and Captiva islands and their causeways rise like stepping stones from the blue-green water of the bay and Gulf of Mexico.

Amenities

From concierge to housekeeping, the staff is one of the friendliest and most helpful I’ve ever encountered. The resort offers everything I could want from my Florida vacation – sunset dinner cruises, tennis and swimming, a full fitness center, golf, water sports and the oh-so-blissful spa.

Onsite restaurants feature a variety of casual and gourmet options, including the Courtside Steakhouse, found at the end of a scenic boardwalk that meanders through the resort’s 85 lush acres and canopies of tropical foliage. The steakhouse offers prime Angus beef and a wine cellar with 1,000-plus bottles.

The elegant Tarpon House serves three meals a day, including a gourmet breakfast buffet. Its sautéed grouper and chicken Tuscany are favorites and the perfect prelude to strawberry shortcake and a deconstructed banana split. I’m told several marriage proposals have taken place in the intimate tiki torch-lit beachfront dining area, where guests can design their own experience, right down to a bottle of Dom Perignon and dinner prepared by Chef Felix Nunez.

Dinner aboard the Sanibel Harbour Princess, the resort’s 100-foot yacht, is set to radiant sunsets and shimmering water. Appetizers and cocktails are served in the stately wood-cloaked upper deck, while dinner takes place in its equally elegant dining room below.

The freeform shape of the main pool creates intimate areas for relaxing, just steps from The Cove and Charley’s Cabana Bar, a breezy waterfront restaurant offering an assortment of tapas and brick oven-fired flatbreads served on its wide porches with painted Adirondack chairs and oversized round chaises with big comfy cushions. The Palm Court Bakery serves Illy Italian espresso, croissants, fruit parfaits and Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

Island Hopping

I consider the $6 toll onto Sanibel Island a cover charge, and sightings of pink-tinged roseate spoonbills and white pelicans at J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge are well worth the price of admission. The island’s east-west orientation makes it one of the best shelling destinations in Florida. After finding a few perfect specimens, I’m content to visit the eclectic boutiques. Should I be compelled to dine offsite, I might check out the chef-owned restaurants including Sweet Melissa’s and Mad Hatter, with a nightcap of jazz at Ellington’s.

My visit to the resort has been magical, one that couldn’t have been better orchestrated by Hollywood. My glowing skin isn’t the only proof. I stare in disbelief at the photo of me and my guests boarding the Princess. In the background, a dolphin’s dorsal fin is peeking through the water!

This article is brought to you by Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa. To plan your own luxurious getaway, call 888-273-8096 or visit the resort's website.