Englewood Lighthouse Resort

I used to avoid Florida, but I found Englewood and The Englewood Lighthouse Resort six years ago and have returned ever since. It feels like genuine old school Florida, and waking early to watch the world stir from the dock, visible from the porch, is hard to beat. The owners still make each visit feel personal. On my first stay there was a note from their young daughter, homemade cookies, and a hand drawn map. These days the treats are fancier, but the thoughtful welcome remains. Larry is around when you need him without hovering. Once I locked myself out at 7 a.m. while focused on a smoked brisket mission, and he came to the rescue by phone, saving both me and the brisket. This time my daughter and her husband took a cabin, while their friends had the main house and I had another cabin. It worked perfectly, with us close by but each able to do our own thing. It’s a little home away from home. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else in Florida. I’d rather keep the place to myself, but you won’t find a lovelier stay or friendlier hosts.

We came away with lovely memories of our five nights here. The landscaped grounds are pleasant to wander, and the clean, cozy cottages have sweet little details. It’s a short, nice walk to the private heated pool and pier, where we watched a picturesque sunset. Larry and Lisa were responsive from the time we booked through the end of the visit, quickly confirming our reservation and accommodating every request. The kitchen was fully equipped, and they had delicious homemade treats waiting in the fridge when we arrived. They also gave our son a small souvenir to cheer him up after he got sick during the trip.

I felt as comfortable here as I do at home. The kitchen had everything we needed to cook, and the shower had good pressure and warmed up quickly. The internet was fast, and the room was spotless. Larry and Lisa had things set up so nicely and were very personable. After we got home, I realized I’d left my wedding ring and bracelet behind. Larry went out of his way to get them safely back to me in just one day. My family and I had an amazing weekend at Englewood lighthouse resort.

We arrived for a month and found the place badly cleaned. The experience was awful, and we couldn’t reach the host. When we eventually got hold of the property manager, she was rude and unprofessional, and nothing was fixed. The TV barely worked during our stay, there were no garbage bags, and some windows had no blinds. The floors seemed rotted from water underneath, and there were roaches and ants everywhere. The couch had fleas. The washer and dryer took our money without working. Three days later, children were sent to fix something, and the property manager called me names. I wouldn’t recommend staying here. If I could give zero stars, I would.