Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Myers Beach/Sanibel Gateway

The location worked really well for us, the unit was clean, and we enjoyed the hot breakfast. Staff were very nice overall, and housekeeping graciously replaced my comforter after I spilled about half a cup of coffee on it. One front desk representative hesitated when I asked for a fresh one, even though I apologized. The pool was very cold because it isn't heated and doesn't get full sun during the day. I had seen reviews mentioning a heated pool, so I was disappointed to learn otherwise when we arrived. Since another hotel nearby has a heated pool, I won't stay here again. If you don't plan to use the pool, though, this is a place I would stay.

The outside of the building might not impress you, but don't judge it by the exterior. The hotel was clean, the breakfast was good, and everything we needed was within 10 minutes, with other nice things about 30 minutes away. After a 20-hour drive, we got to our original destination and found it wasn't what we expected. I didn't feel comfortable there, so we were without a place for a couple of hours. Chavone noticed how stressed we were as soon as we came into this Hampton Inn and quickly helped us as if we'd had a reservation. She let our large family of seven look at rooms and choose the layout that suited us. She made what could have been a very stressful situation feel seamless. The customer service was top-notch, especially Chavone's. I will definitely return.

The queen suite felt like having our own apartment, with two queen beds in the bedroom, a living room, full refrigerator, microwave and stove, plus a TV in each room. The pool area was nice, but the heater wasn't working, so we didn't swim. We hope it's fixed by our next visit, because we'll definitely be back. Jesse was so helpful throughout our stay after greeting us at the front desk. We needed a shower chair for my mom and had a small problem with the toilet seat. Jesse sent James from maintenance, who came right away. While fixing it, James also offered to add a hook on the back of the bathroom door since there weren't enough hooks. That thoughtful gesture was really useful. The lobby and breakfast area made a great first impression. Breakfast was delicious, very clean, and had lots of choices. I usually don't like hotel breakfast bars, but this one was among the best I've had. We especially liked the blueberry scones.

The location suits me perfectly. I can walk to the Beach "park and ride," which saves me from worrying about beach traffic and parking. I'm cheap, so I bought the 12 trip pass for like $10 on the phone app. Walmart is almost next door, and both Summerlin café and Sunflower café are good options if you don't want the free Hampton breakfast. That breakfast was fine, just basic: scrambled eggs, sausage, waffle presses and cereal. I recommend paying a little more for a suite. It was well lit, and I felt safe. I'll stay here again. The hotel may be showing its age, and it's not perfect, but it had just been through a hurricane. The property is in good shape and seems well maintained. Fallen palm branches are cleared quickly. The managers are responsive and well trained. When the shower in my first room gave me trouble, the manager moved me immediately and upgraded me. That no-hesitation response tells me staff are empowered and backed up, which is why I pay a little more for Hampton/Hilton than other brands. When the business center link wouldn't print, the manager on duty had no problem printing a couple of documents for me. Highly recommend.