INN ON THE BAYa/k/a A-BAYVIEW BED AND BREAKFAST12251 Shoreview Drive
Cape Coral, FL 33909
(239) 283-7510
http://www.webbwiz.com/innI was immediately drawn to this cottage's website by the primary photo of the backyard and Bay. This view, the docks, the easy access to the water, and the tropical ambiance were instantly attractive. From there, I read every word on the site, then went to Google Earth and checked out the surroundings. The mangroves looked awesome! Being a Floridian myself, and into all things Tiki, the pink flamingos in the front yard made me beam, and when I saw how kitschy the interior rooms were, I was sold! Bright, tropical, and very fun, I immediately got the sense it would be a happy experience. All this before actually being there!So, I contacted the owners...what nice people they seemed to be. Their communications were prompt and energetic...eager to please. I booked one night and was promised the best room at the Inn.
My plans were to arrive early and put in for a paddle before checking in, and while I got there considerably later than planned, Bill (one of the owners, along with his wife, Diane) made me feel right at home and helped launch me on my way to find the Roseate Spoonbills I adore. After a glorious two-hour paddle, I returned to the docks where I was encouraged to leave my yak (I locked it around a piling, just to be sure), and settled into my room. It was exactly as pictured, and very, very clean! I was shown all the amenities, including free reign on moving chairs in the backyard to enjoy time on the dock, and how to "ring" for our breakfast (which turned out to be a wide array of fresh home-grown fruit [exotic and otherwise], cereals, and muffins, along with freshly-brewed coffee and juice). The icing on the cake was when Bill and Diane took me to see the Burrowing Owls off-property. Amazing!
Situated in a quiet residential neighborhood, this B&B was immaculately kept, quiet, and secluded. All the other B&Bs and hotels are on the main road to Pine Island, side by side, in the hub of the town...a great experience in itself, but this B&B was far removed from that action, and we loved that! From our balcony, we could see a school of manatee slowly moving through the channel that is nearly at the shore of this B&B, and the osprey that have nested on a pole within a few feet from the Inn called to one another in amazing tones. At one point, the male flew so close to us on the balcony, wings spread, chest facing us, I thought it was going to land on our table! Instead, it made its way to a tree on the next property, and continued its vigil for food. The sunrise was remarkable from our balcony! We sat for almost two hours watching it change from neon to pastel, and finally into twilight. The breeze was gentle and it was a gorgeous night to be nestled in this very quaint location. We enjoyed it so much, we extended our stay another night! The owners were very accommodating and the hospitality was top-notch.
If you are looking for a very unique, very clean, very bright but cozy getaway, this is absolutely the place to land. Whether by myself or with another, I will most certainly return here again and again. Thank you, Bill and Diane, for a fantastic experience!
