provided to The Santiva Chronicle
This week, the SanCap Chamber tripled down on ribbon-cuttings related to island accommodations as Sanibel and Captiva islands get ready for the upcoming winter season. On Oct. 28, it celebrated openings for the Beach House restaurant at South Seas resort on Captiva and Alliant Association Management on Sanibel. Kona Kai of Sanibel resort cut the ribbon Oct. 30 on Sanibel.
“It’s so exciting and rewarding to see this surge in official openings just as visitors are planning their travel to the islands for this season,” said John Lai, president and chief executive officer of the SanCap Chamber. “These enhancements to our accommodations offerings bring Sanibel and Captiva back as a vital, fully realized vacation destination that past visitors eagerly anticipate returning to.”
Beach House opened to resort guests and Captiva Club members at South Seas, 5400 Plantation Drive on Captiva, early October. The restaurant, one of several dining options on property, seats 240 and serves lunch and dinner daily, along with a dessert and nightcap menu.
“Perfectly positioned on Sunset Beach, the Beach House is refined casual and boasts large panoramic windows with rollup doors that offer a coastal breeze and blur the indoors and outdoors, making the gulf views part of the experience,” said South Seas General Manager Shawn Farrell. “The interior décor features natural wood accents with creamy whites offering a warm, coastal vibe. Tables are positioned to maximize the views for a front-row seat to paradise.”
The menu offers flavors inspired by land and sea, like the towering tin-can nachos appetizer presented tableside, crab-crusted mahi, and pineapple upside-down tres leches cake topped with piña colada sauce.
“Partnering with Sanibel-Captiva Chamber is vital to increasing awareness and visitation to not only South Seas, but all of the island businesses,” said Farrell. “South Seas partners with the chamber on special events such as the Sunrise Sale and holiday activities and looks forward to more opportunities to join with other local businesses to drive visitation and celebrate our strong and resilient community.”
“Every guest who visits South Seas spends money at our local restaurants, shops, grocery stores, and attractions, fueling businesses across the islands,” said Lai. “This means lasting income flowing into our community year after year.”
Alliant, headquartered in Fort Myers with three other locations in Southwest Florida, opened its Sanibel office at 1633 Periwinkle Way in March 2024, but has been servicing clients on the islands since 2011.
“The decision to open a Sanibel office was directly predicated on growth and client commitment,” said Chief Executive Officer John Strohm. “Post-Hurricane Ian, we significantly expanded our services by onboarding several new associations on the islands. Opening a Sanibel office was a strategic move to ensure we could maintain a close, dedicated presence to support our clients through their recovery and rebuilding efforts. It’s part of our commitment to maximize efficiency and expertise through a dedicated team approach for HOAs and condo associations of all sizes.”
“Alliant has already demonstrated its commitment to the community and support for the chamber,” said Lai. “Although the hurricanes of 2024 delayed its official opening, it sticks to its determination to find the exact, right-sized solutions for every client.”
“We are extremely thankful that the chamber continues to back us and has allowed us the opportunity to officially cut the ribbon well after our opening,” said Strohm.
Kona Kai, at 1539 Periwinkle Way, welcomed its first post-Ian guest the end of August this year. Because each of its five buildings had separate policies, insurance payout caused holdups. All the elevated buildings took on about four feet of water, and a complete rebuild became necessary despite roof and windows remaining intact.
“Eventually we did get the insurance checks, but unfortunately the funds were just enough to cover the clean-up and remediation costs,” said Denise Rodenburg, co-owner since 2010 with her husband Steve. “We needed another two million to build back, so we were able to cover some of it with reserves and the rest with an SBA loan.”
Kona Kai dates back to the late 1960s, according to a building permit the Rodenburgs found. They built it back to the original footprint, Hawaiian theme, and number of units, but made some upgrades, including ADA compliance, a new party room and kitchen at the pool, lobby space in the office, and larger bathrooms in the units.
“Years ago, we spoke with the original owner’s daughter and she told us her parents built Kona Kai with the Hawaiian look because she was taking hula dancing classes at that time,” said Rodenburg.
“The Kona Kai is a Sanibel classic,” said Lai. “Guests can expect a true island experience with a mix of traditional and modern. We welcome the landmark back to our accommodations inventory.”