We are owners in unit 178H for 25+ years. We initially bought for the peace and tranquility of the island and the resort. In the last 5 years it has been torture. Every year it has been the same issue. Our unit reverberates from the bass of the band playing in the wedding tent - which is right under our unit. We pay a pretty penny for the maintanence fees. Yet we feel like our hands are tied. Do we have no rights as owners? Is there not a sound ordinance in Sanibel Island to where we can listen to the TV with the doors closed without the volume up to full?
What can we do other than selling our unit?

You should contact the front desk if you believe the sound level from the music is excessive. Sanibel does have a sound ordinance and Casa Ybel Hospitality has a stricter standard with very appropriate penalities. They can shut the band down if the music exceeds the limit. The music also has to stop by 10:00 PM, so they shouldn't be keeping you awake. A simple solution if the music sound is within limits, is to close your sliding doors. They are very effective at quieting outside noises.

We have been enjoying Casa Ybel since 1980 and have noted that the weddings are much less intrusive the last couple of years. The weddings are an important source of revenue for "hospitality" and much of that revenue has be reinvested to improve the resort and help to keep Thistle Lodge open.

Lynn - I was also at Casa Ybel last week when the wedding John referred to took place in the tent in front of building H. I was staying in building F, only one room in from the one bedroom units. Believe me, the band was so loud, that I had to close our balcony sliding doors way down there, past the Thistle Lodge, the pool, all of building G and at almost the end of building F, just to get some quiet. They did however, abide by the 10:00 PM curfew as to the noise.

Both boards need to stress that we as owners are continuing to be inconvenienced by Hospitality's intrusion on our long time investment and vacation experience.

If the music was that loud, the front desk should have been notified to take appropriate steps. Since Hospitality instituted the stricter rules, there have been few complaints, but they can't enforce violations they are not aware of. Sorry you were inconvenienced.

Thank you Ron so much for your feedback acknowledging how loud the wedding was. As an update my husband and I met on 12/3/08 with JR Ramirez (Casa Ybel GM), Chris Cain (Interval Mgr) and Amy (do not remember her title) to discuss the ongoing problems with the wedding noise. Mr. Ramirez acknowledged that he had received a number of complaints from other residents and that the music had been too loud. As long term owners, I reiterated that there should be a compromise between Thistle Lodge weddings and the Resort. A suggestion we made was to move the wedding tent farther away from the units. Also they could place a side wall on the tent to serve as a noise buffer. Mr. Ramirez said he would follow up on these suggestions and get back to us. No word as of yet from him.
For the last 5 years we and other owners have brought up this issue at the Tuesday Owners' meeting and the same issue emerges the following year. Why can't the Casa Ybel Owners' Board meet with the Casa Ybel and Thistle Lodge management and come up with a compromise?