In September 2022, Hurricane Ian struck Sanibel, and our world turned upside down. Caribe owners went from long, languid, and sunny days by the pool or shelling at the beach to anxious months of heartache, grief, and concern for the future. For over a year now, the board of directors, RAL, and dedicated volunteers have been busy working on recovery and restoration efforts toward the eventual rebirth of the resort facility that means so much to us all.
In the hurricane’s immediate aftermath, it was important to assess the damage to the Caribe, Sanibel, and all of Southwest Florida. Steps were taken to secure and initially clear our property and form a plan of action. We revised the 2023 budget to our estimated costs for the coming year. We subsequently created a 2024 budget that charged no maintenance fees to owners.
We kept owners informed with regular board/town hall meetings open to everyone and frequent publications of the Caribe ComeBack Newsletter. An engineering study in 2023 officially determined that the buildings were irreparable. We received substantial insurance payments and engaged an attorney to pursue additional claims.
We formed a committee of owners to obtain future building ideas and hired an architectural design firm. We anticipate that designs and cost estimates should be available in mid-2024. We are also working to identify ways to finance rebuilding efforts. Finally, we will obtain a real estate property appraisal. All of this information will be provided to owners, who will then be asked to vote on how to proceed.
We know none of this has been easy for any of our owners. We appreciate everyone’s patience and resilience during this difficult period. We also know that it’s the Spirit of the Caribe that has held us together. It is the hope and expectation of resolving the uncertainty and potentially returning to Sanibel in some way that keeps us all going. We appreciate the continued support of our owners as we expectantly look toward a brighter tomorrow.
Your Caribe Board of Directors
Ray Edwards, Chair
Jonathan Mount, Vice Chair
Jane Moe, Secretary/Treasurer
Ann Gee
Andy Longbrake
Caribe Beach Resort–Currently Closed
Located directly on the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribe Beach Resort is a hidden gem. Sanibel Island is world renown for it’s amazing shelling and Caribe gives you a prime spot to get in on the action. Whether you’re a sun worshiper, shell collector, or sailor, you’ll love
Caribe Beach Resort on Sanibel Island. The resort’s beach serves as a
great sunning spot, and as a springboard to a world of water-sports fun.
Caribe offers Studio, Efficiency, 1 bedroom, and 2 private Cottages for guests. The studio sleeps 4 people with a murphy bed and sleeper sofa (no balcony). The Efficiencies are identical but offer a private balcony as well. The 1 bedroom units have both the murphy bed, sofa sleeper, and also a private bedroom with a Queen size bed with a 1/2 bath.
The Spinnaker is one of the two Cottages located on the property. This unit offers 2 bedrooms and 1 bathrooms, has it’s own private porch and is separated from the main resort buildings.
The Outrigger is the 2nd of the two Cottages. This A Frame style Cottage has a loft bedroom in which you can see the gulf. In the living room there is a sleeper sofa, a kitchen, and bathroom.
All rooms have a full kitchen, and come stocked with linens, beach towels, and beach chairs.
This is a pet friendly resort that allows each room to have 1 pet under 25lbs to stay on property. A $25.00 non-refundable deposit is required for your furry friend to stay at Caribe.
The property has a heated pool, hot tub, shuffleboard courts, horse shoes, a children’s playground, a fish/shell washing station and free bikes for guests to use. There are laundry facilities on site along with books, games, and puzzles to help pass some time.