Steinhatchee River Inn

We've been staying here for more than 15 years, and the friendly welcome has stayed consistent. The people running the place always greet us with a smile and make it clear they appreciate our business. It's changed over the years, and this is a fishing village that's been hit by many hurricanes. You can see a lot of damaged buildings along the waterfront. The Steinhatchee River Inn & Marina sits right on the river. The marina store now has a small restaurant for breakfast and lunch. We've only tried breakfast, and it was very good. There are motel rooms, some with separate bedrooms and kitchens, plus a little two-bedroom cottage right on the river where we usually stay. It's convenient, with a private dock just outside the screened porch. We can get up, load the boat, and head out fishing. There's also a boat lift for launching and a swimming pool. Nothing fancy, but it's clean and just right for a fishing trip. Looking forward to coming back next year.

If you want a weekend to unwind, this is the place. All those good reviews made sense, and the little touches were nice, like a fire pit where we could sit and roast marshmallows. We enjoyed all our meals in Steinhatchee too. Most of the restaurants are so close that you can walk to them.

For $160, this felt like an $80 motel. The location was good and the little pool was nice, but cleanliness was maybe three out of five. The air conditioner was ridiculously loud, like sleeping beside a bus that kicked on every 12 minutes. The bath wouldn't drain, so I showered in ankle-deep water. The mattress had two huge dips and felt like a slab of foam, almost like an egg carton. The whole place gave me a sense of decline.

Friendly staff, a great little fishing town, and the place sits right on the river. There's a restaurant on the property for breakfast and lunch, plus several more around the area. It's a safe, cool little spot.