Old Florida Charm
The Gasparilla Inn & Club
The Gasparilla Inn & Club is in the village of Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island in Lee County. Just over an hour south of Sarasota— after you pay the $6 toll at the Boca Grande Causeway—you’ll find yourself on a road lined, on one side, with towering green hedges and brilliant purple bougainvillea (affording privacy to the beachfront homeowners) and on the other side with a meandering biking trail. If you leave work a little early on a Friday, and time your drive correctly, you can arrive in time to gather at the beach access at the end of 5th Street to watch the sunset over a sparkling stretch of sugar sand.
After enjoying a spectacular Gulf Coast sunset, head back down 5th to Palm Avenue and find a spot to park your car somewhere among the collection of golf carts grouped together in front of the genteel alabaster façade of The Gasparilla Inn & Club. If you’re doing it right then you won’t need your vehicle for the rest of your trip. Rocking chairs line the patio leading to the front door and uniformed employees are plentiful and pleasant, ready to assist with your every request.
The lobby of the resort features high ceilings and white wicker furniture and a beautifully coordinated pastel palette of nautical and floral accents. Between the grand staircase, the sitting areas containing old-fashioned rotary phones, and the visitors strolling around in golf and tennis outfits there’s a sense of time shifting and rearranging to transport you back to a simpler era. It’s not difficult to imagine that this is the kind of property that Gatsby would have purchased to present to Daisy as a token of his esteem. No surprise, then, that the property, which dates to 1909, is listed on the register of the Historic Hotels of America. Rooms are located in the main building and there are also various villas a short walk from the lobby, while yet more rooms can be found at the beach. There are many options for dining in and around the property of the resort (all open to the public) as well as a small downtown area with more dining as well as retail options. The hotel offers guests and members access to their beach club and spa as well as seven Har-Tru tennis courts and an enviable golf course with stunning views of the surrounding water.
Once you’ve unpacked and you’re refreshed and ready for dinner you can head down the road to the Boca Grande Bayou for a meal at the Pink Elephant—if you’re looking for a landmark, you’re sure to spot the pink elephant weathervane on the rooftop of the two-story restaurant. Dining alone? Belly up to the cozy bar and you won’t be alone for long. Residents and returning guests are famously friendly and chatty and you’re sure to leave with some new friends. Check out the ingenious bar rail accented by golden elephant heads that allows guests to shift wooden place mats in front of their bar stools for ease of dining.
Begin your meal with a cocktail—we love the Spicy Elephant and The Pink Mojito. If you prefer a beer, allow us to recommend a Delirium Tremens (it’s entirely coincidental that the bottle’s label features, you guessed it, a rosy-hued pachyderm). Pair your cocktail with a bowl of Chilled Asparagus Vichyssoise—a snow-white concoction with a layered depth of flavor that is not often found in a dish so monochromatic. The Pink Elephant complements many favored options such as the pink hamburger, Thai crispy shrimp, or a plate of Southwest Florida’s classic delicacy: stone crab claws. We find it tough to turn down the nightly specials. On Sundays there’s chicken fried steak and on Thursdays a pot of local clams & mussels. After a dessert of key lime pie or holey donuts, head back to the hotel and play a game of table tennis or walk the grounds before turning in for the night. There are no bars on the island, no clubs (unless they’re used for hitting golf balls); instead you’ll find a blanket of stars overhead and a rare peace and quiet in the air—a true balm to the senses.
After a night’s sleep on one of The Gasparilla Inn & Club’s Tempur-Pedic mattresses you’ll wake up refreshed and invigorated as you head to the main dining room for a hearty breakfast to set you up for an active day exploring the island. The dining room features high wingback chairs and windows overlooking beautiful green lawns featuring a rainbow of tropical flowers. The breakfast buffet is comprehensive, and the omelet station is excellent, but don’t hesitate to order off the menu: The avocado toast is both Instagram-worthy and very tasty. If you feel like heading into town you can grab a lift from one of the bellhops on a golf cart and head to the Inn Bakery for an excellent cup of coffee and fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.
There are many ways to occupy your time during the day, from kayaking to shopping to spa treatments to lounging by the pool. We love to visit the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum because it’s a treasure trove of regional history and because the beach in front of the museum glitters in the sunlight.
The next time you’re looking for a getaway that doesn’t involve boarding a flight or fighting the crowds, consider the village of Boca Grande and stay at The Gasparilla Inn & Club. It won’t be any time at all before you recognize the truth behind their tagline “Florida as it was meant to be.”
> The Gasparilla Inn & Club: 500 Palm Ave, Boca Grande; 941-964-4500: gasparillainn.com
