Coconuts is not owned or controlled by the condo associations. If you think the prices are too high, you don't have to eat there. Coconuts is a convience for the people who want to hang out by the pool. Check out up and down the beach to see how many other pool bars you find.

Sanibel is NOT a "Walmart on the beach", if you are not prepared to pay Sanibel prices, you need to reconsider your choice of places to vacation. The Island has many excellent restaurants that offer superior food and services. You could go off the island and spend $6.00 to come back (see how much you would save) or go to Dairy Queen, (no offense intended for DQ, I love their ice cream, ect.)

I love Sanibel, our resort, and the restaurants I know Island vacations cost more because it costs more to get here, my wife and I have been on Sanibel every year since 1979 and we are so happy that we discovered the Island almost as an accident.

Enjoy your vacation here!!

Lynn L Perkins, President FGH Assocition

Preach on brother i am always amazed that people find so much to be unhappy about at casa ybel folks it is paradise and so much better than omany other towns resorts etc in florida enjoy it as many of the younger generation say yolo.

Well, we love Casa Ybel also and have owned since preconstruction. I just made a comment in the "comments section of Carl's site" stating that I would like to see more reasonable prices at Coconuts. Last time I checked, it was free world (so far). I didn't mean to start a war. I also know we don't have to eat there and I don't want KMart pricing, just feel like 2 sandwiches shouldn't cost an arm an a leg. I am not a complainer and hate it when people knock Casa Ybel also. Enough said.

Thanks Lynn for your nice input, sort of leveling the field.
I have had some nice meals there also, I just do not think they were getting
that expensive recently.
MY first visit was in the spring of 1969 when Casa Ybel was an assembly of units each single floor on piles, with kitchen and several rooms in each of them.
Refrigerator somewhat rusty and really exposed to the environment, It was close to the front door. actually you took 3 or 4 steps up from outside, and you were in the kitchen!
Cars and a few small planes parked at the side of various units,the landing strip (grass) was past what now are tennis courts, and on the opposite side of Casa Ybel road, now West Gulf Drive.
One night we woke up seeing the next door unit in flames!
I do not recall any fire trucks, but we used the watering hoses to fight the fire.
Our hosts, Grace Kelly's mother Margaret and my "American Aunt Kate", who both were avid shell collectors, specially Aunt Kate was very busy moving her large collection of shells (in flat empty beer trays) and placed them in a safe distance from the unit towards the beach. I said "where is all your jewelry?" She answered "My shells are more valuable and irreplaceable, I want the shells out now, jewelry can be replaced anywhere!
Their husbands were business partners (Kelly for Brickwork) on a short trip that weekend to the other side of Florida where the casinos were. The partners loved their trips to Florida.
The restaurant was a one floor simple wooden building with family style meals, pretty dark inside, located about where Thistle Lodge is now. Nothing fancy, but very good food,nothing pricy.
I wished I could find my 8 mm movies and many photos!

My girls enjoy a daily smoothie from Coconuts and we try and support the business at least once during our visit. Yes, it is expensive relative to home, but the atmosphere is priceless. Also, there is nothing much better than watching children indulge in something special.

I think we should all support Coconuts during our vacation – at lease once; Thistle Lodge too.

See you all in the summer,

Pete.

Entertaining dialogue. I have nothing significant to contribute to this discussion, but also don’t believe I need to support Coconuts or the Thistle. I am, however, using this thread as a segue to Lynn Perkins, since I noticed his contribution.

We just completed our annual 2 week stay and conditions were very good. Weather was fine, interlopers were minimal, and beach sights were interesting. We did have red tide for the last 2-3 days, which was a bit uncomfortable for our throats, but not bad enough to chase us from the beach. But, enough of the babble. For the first time in our 30+ years, there was no cleaning service after our first week. We did get new towels, etc. but no cleaning. As I recall, both of our weeks were nicked $143 as maintenance charges for housecleaning.

Lynn, shouldn’t there have been a reduced charge for week 52 if no housekeeping service was planned to be provided?