My husband and I (aged 40 and 46) spent 4 nights at the Tarpon Tale in at the end of November. The reservation process was quick and easy - I had planned this trip as a surprise for my husband's 40th birthday. We had never been to Sanibel before, and were looking for a quiet, relaxing vacation where we could just immerse ourselves in the lifestyle of the islanders! Tarpon Tale is in a quiet, residential area, away from some of the busier shops/condos/hotels etc. It is a quick bike ride to the Lighthouse at the end of the island. It was just what we were looking for. We arrived after dark, and after passing by the Inn once, we found it easily. The "lobby" is open 24 hours a day, and was well lit, and incredibly inviting. I felt at home immediately with it's charming decor and soft lighting. There was no one in the lobby, but we expected that - our welcome letter was tacked onto a bulletin board with instructions on where to find our room, etc. We LOVED our room - don't recall the name, but it was in the back of the Inn and was considered I believe the Honeymoon Suite. It was adorable and had absolutely everything we needed to make our stay comfortable and easy. The kitchen had a full sized frige and stove, microwave, coffee maker, table for two and just enough glasswear, plates and pots and pans to make cooking simple. We actually brought some food with us, and then did some grocery shopping while on the island, as restaurant prices are quite high. There is a grill on premises with cooking utensils, etc - all located in a "common area" where this is also a self-serve laundry. There was a comfy couch for two, TV, queen sized bed, ample closet/dresser space and a nice sized bathroom. The entire room was charming, comfortable, and clean. It truly felt like home. Outside our front door was a little table for two with outdoor chairs - the property also has a hottub, hammock, and chairs for sitting. It is a small property, but again, so charming and quaint. Each guest also has use of a beach bike, and we had alot of fun riding around the island! It is flat, so not very difficult, but a nice way to get out and check things out. The owners have really thought of everything with their property. For your use are large plastic wagons, to cart your stuff to the beach, beach chairs, coolers, etc. We took advantage of it all. You are just a short walk to a beach on the Bay side and also the beach on the Gulf side - again, very residential, and nothing in the way of ammenities such as bathrooms/etc. But, that was fine with us. Next door to the Inn is a little strip mall that had a GREAT deli - we enjoyed some awesome sandwiches there for lunch one day. And, across the street is another strip mall with a gift shop, little restaurant and also an icecream shop which we did walk over to one night. The owners of the Inn are very not intrusive at all. As a matter of fact, Dawn was out of town celebrating her 40th birthday with some girlfriends, so we never even met her. I did meet her husband one day - great guy, and I did have a question or two on one of the days we were there. There is a phone for use in the lobby, and each time I had to call, the call was answered quickly - so getting in touch with the owners was NEVER an issue. I actually liked that they were not around too much. We have stayed at other places where you almost felt like you were trespassing on someone's property - this did not have that feel at all. The place sort of runs itself (cleaning staff shows up daily), although your room is not cleaned until you leave - again FINE by us. Everyone seems very respectful of the property itself -it was very quiet. We never even heard any other guests, although quite a few of the rooms were full. We would absolutely come to Sanibel again and would not hesitate to choose The Tarpon Tale Inn as our place to stay. The room was incredibly reasonable - I know I paid under $100.00 per night. Can't say enough about it! Thanks for offering such a comfortable place to stay - it was exactly what we needed after a very difficult/busy year! Mary & Ross