This March, Chloe and I stayed for several days at the Hibiscus Suites Inn in south Sarasota, right on the brink of Siesta Key. Since we were there with my mother- and sister-in-law, we rented the “townhouse” just behind the front desk. The hotel was very reasonably priced, and included a serviceable breakfast of packaged but tasty foods and the usual hot beverages, plus juices. There is a small pool with limited shade, positioned directly off the very busy Stickney Point Road. The rooms were modest but clean, and our townhouse included a full kitchen. The hotel is a vivid pink, and its glory is a stand of venerable, beautiful palm trees.

Dog’s-eye view: There are a couple of useful patches of grass and a dumpster for waste at the far end of the building. The streets in the neighborhood behind the hotel are quiet and pleasant — good and safe walking.

What we liked: Great price, clean, and sufficiently quiet despite its location on a heavily trafficked road. We enjoyed the Old Florida roadside motel vibe of the place.

What we didn’t like: We all brought bathing suits, but never used them. The pool’s location is unappealing (though a couple of families with young kids had a fine time in it) and, practically speaking, the hotel is not really within walking distance of the beach at Siesta Key. I’m not saying a brave person couldn’t walk there, but even in March, Sarasota is very hot and Stickney Point Road is dauntingly sun-blasted. The hotel is a 15-minute drive from downtown Sarasota (which was the focus of our activities on this trip), and the commute became tedious.

Next time? We probably won’t return to the Hibiscus Suites Inn. I’d like to try Rolling Waves Cottages on Longboat Key, which sounds reasonably-priced though again more of a drive than I’d like to downtown Sarasota; in a different price range altogether is the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, which reportedly welcomes pets with open arms and is admirably located for the opera.

Hibiscus Suites Inn
1735 Stickney Point Road
Sarasota, FL 34231
T: 800-822-5247 or 941-921-5797