Year 1982: I, a native Virginian, had been to and seen ocean resorts from Athens to Luzon. My son had just joined the faculty of the University of South Florida. My wife and I went to visit him there. Figuring it would be nice to have a beach condo in Florida for future visits, I got a real estate agent to show me the small, secluded ones. At this one, it was “laid back” in time. I saw that it’s most important occupants were a pair of herons which would visit any fellow citizen whenever a door was left open. They were treated as royalty because they ruled the place, where all occupants were “family.” If you were lucky at night time a mysteriously distant peacock would sing you to sleep.

Ah, 1953! It was a great year. Gen. Eisenhower was inaugurated as President, with Nixon as V.P. Postage stamps were 3 cents. No computers and e-mail. Some things, though, remain the same. The sign at G.B’s front hasn’t changed much since the hotel/motel was built in 1953, except for being “lit up.” The place is officially designated as “Historic” because it was one of the very few remaining properties built simply as a small beachfront hotel. Though of the past, G.B. is modern, with all the electronics, etc.

930 Ben Franklin Drive, Sarasota. A short walk down the street and you’re in government protected wildlife parkland reserved for native flora and fauna. Back to 930. There, the beautiful beach with its fine, white sand lights up at sunup. Sundown is glorious, directly across the water. The Lord made this place for you and me. God, may it last forever!

GULF BEACH CONDO HOTEL
MATHEW J. BOWYER CREATIVE WRITING
MEMBER: AUTHORS GUILD & AMERICAN PHILATELIC SOCIETY

Being near the water is happiness for me. In 1983, I purchased a unit at Gulf Beach Resort Motel in a property exchange offered by my realtor in Lakeland, FL. Since then, many relatives and friends of mine from New York to CA have enjoyed visiting the resort for our family parties, weddings, and simple beach get-togethers.

While serving on the board of directors for many years, I have observed the large “family” of owners strive to improve the historic motel and work diligently to hold the place together while all around us, resorts were being razed. During 2003, it was a struggle to gain Historic Designation while confronted with developers who wanted to tear it down. Gulf Beach Resort was the first motel built on Lido Key in 1949-50, and is the last one standing today.

The association’s determination to keeping a modest-priced condo-hotel right on the water of elite Lido Key offers the average-income clientele a beach place for vacations — and making fabulous memories of sunsets, surf, and fun.

My family and I love being at GBR, and many of our friends enjoy meeting us there for beach parties — for 29 years and counting. I will continue to upgrade my unit and enjoy looking down the beach from the common balcony. And it never ceases to make me happy when somebody tells me they had a good time while renting my unit.

Ronell (Ronni) Jones

The Gulf Beach Resort Motel is pleased to announce that all rooms now have access to free Wi-Fi hi-speed internet access. Now you can stay connected while you get away from it all – just ask for your complimentary access code when you check in.

Our free wireless internet connection allows you to check your email or surf the web from anywhere on our property from your room to the beach!

My name is Judy Wilson and I would like to tell you my story about how my husband and I found the little “gem” known as Gulf Beach Resort Motel on Lido Key.

Almost 29 years ago we decided since we had never been to Florida we would give it a try. Not knowing where to go a friend suggested Sarasota. We wanted to be at the beach so I started to investigate what motels were at the beach in Sarasota. I was told that if we wanted a place on the water we would have to go out to one of the Keys. I didn’t even know what a Key was so, with more investigation, I found Lido Key, Siesta Key, and Longboat Key and started making calls. Unfortunately this was for Easter week and of course there was no availability anywhere except for one unit on Lido at Gulf Beach Resort Motel.

This made us a little nervous. If this is the only place available what kind of place would this be? We decided to make the reservation, but also made a reservation in Sarasota just in case. Arriving at the Sarasota Airport (at that time it was more of a carport) we rented a car and found our way to Gulf Beach Motel.

As we drove in we were not really impressed. It looked a little run down, but when we saw the beautiful beach we were sold! Our unit was clean and comfortable and the screened in lanai was a definite plus.

Since I was a sun worshiper, most of my time was spent on the beach. In the eighty’s Time Shares were the big thing, and sales people would canvas the beaches looking for potential buyers offering them a free dinner at a local restaurant if they would listen to their sales presentation.
I have to say we did have a few free dinners that week, and were actually thinking of investing in a Time Share on Lido Key until a gentleman staying in another unit at Gulf Beach told us something we had no idea of.

He explained that the units at Gulf Beach were all individually owned and operated as a condominium. This gentleman asked us why we would think of buying a Time Share for two weeks when we could buy a Gulf Beach unit to have it for our use throughout the year or otherwise rent it. That’s when it all started!

There was one unit for sale. The price was right, so we jumped on it. This was 2 days before we were scheduled to leave for home. Somehow we managed to get everything settled before we left, and made arrangements to return two months later to redecorate and enjoy our newly owned “little piece of paradise.”

That was, as I said, 29 years ago. Since then we have witnessed many wonderful changes both in the overall appearance of the property and the staff. We have an exceptional Manager, Assistant Manager, Desk Clerks, Maintenance men, Housekeepers, and Board who work diligently to make Gulf Beach the best it can be. Improvements are always on going and our hospitality has been complimented over and over again by our guests.

This is not another impersonal high rise that seems to be going up all over. We are a family of owners and staff who take a personal interest in all our guests to make them feel a part of our family and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of it.

We welcome you to join us and experience the true nature of Gulf Beach Resort Motel. You won’t be disappointed.