Cottage, 3 Bedrooms (Gulf 1103)

This three-bedroom cottage faces the Gulf of Mexico, and it has a balcony or patio for taking in the coastal light. It sits within South Seas' 330-acre resort, which has about two and a half miles of Gulf-front beach at the northern end of Captiva Island.

The cottage sleeps eight guests across three bedrooms. The beds are 1 king, 1 queen and 2 twin beds. That mix suits two couples plus children, or a group of friends or extended family who want separate bedrooms.

The cottage has two private bathrooms, each stocked with free toiletries, shampoo, towels and toilet paper, with a shower and a hair dryer. With eight guests, two bathrooms are shared among the three bedrooms.

You can do either. The cottage has a full kitchen with a full-sized refrigerator/freezer, oven, stovetop, microwave, dishwasher, coffee/tea maker, cookware, dishware, utensils and paper towels. A dining area makes it easy to sit down together for breakfast or dinner. Provisions, the resort's market and deli at The Shops at South Seas, sells groceries and is open daily 7 AM–6 PM.

A mandatory resort fee of $40 plus 11.5% tax per guest per day applies to all stays, and children age 12 and under are complimentary. It is added to the room rate and collected at check-in or check-out. The fee covers beach access and amenities, in-room high-speed internet, parking, the resort trolley, access to the Bayview Pools and dining access.

Yes. South Seas is a family resort, with Camp-tiva, an exclusive kids-only club that teaches nature education tied to the Sanibel and Captiva ecosystem. The Bayview main pool is open daily 9 AM until sunset, and the Bayview slide pool is open daily 11 AM–5 PM. Pools have no lifeguard on duty, children under 13 must be supervised by an adult at all times in water-attraction areas, and the waterslide requires a minimum height of 48 inches. The Captiva Landing water-park area was reported temporarily closed for enhancements starting October 12.

On-site options include Beach House (directly on the beach, breakfast and dinner), Redfish Grill (Gulf Coast seafood, open daily 11 AM–7 PM), Scoops & Slices (pizza and ice cream, daily 11 AM–9 PM) and Harborside, an Italian-inspired steakhouse open Wednesday–Sunday 4–10 PM. Food trucks and the poolside Tarpon Bar add casual daytime choices. Apart from Starbucks and Provisions, dining is exclusive to resort guests and owners, so visiting friends from outside the resort cannot dine at most outlets.

The closest airport is Southwest Florida International (RSW) in Fort Myers, about 39 miles from the resort. South Seas does not run its own airport shuttle. It recommends Dolphin Transportation for private transfers, and taxis from RSW run roughly $75–85+ one-way for up to 3–4 people. Once you arrive, a car isn't strictly required. A complimentary open-air resort trolley runs the length of the property daily 8 AM–10 PM, every 15 minutes. Electric carts and bicycles can be rented on-site from the Bike & Cart Rental Office, open daily 9 AM–5 PM.

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM and check-out is before 11:00 AM. Early check-in and late check-out depend on availability. The lead guest must be at least 21 years old and show a valid photo ID and credit card, and cash is not accepted for payment. Check-in takes place at 5400 Plantation Rd, Captiva, which may differ from your cottage's own address. Pets are not allowed. Only ADA-defined service animals are permitted, and a $250 penalty applies otherwise.