Bungalow Beach Resort - Anna Maria Island, Florida

Bungalow Beach Resort is In The News!

May 2000 - A Beachy Yet Elegant Retreat On Unpretentious Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island is just south of Tampa and north of Sarasota. It is at the northern tip of a string of islands off the Gulf coast. Unlike some of its island neighbors to the south, Anna Maria has not been gussied up with wide swaths of water-thirsty lawns and high-rent high rises. Anna Maria is definitely "the beach" and the early twentieth century-era motels and small resorts that line the two-lane roadway are unpretentious and easy-going. Many of these places were very plain motels that had begun to deteriorate and look passe in recent years. But several of them, including the Bungalow Beach Resort, have been fixed up so that they have many delightful amenities, as well as a sand-between-your-toes informality.

The resort is laid out on each side of Gulf Drive in the manner of an old-fashioned "court" motel, with individual bungalows just a few feet off the road, swimming pools in the center, and the beautiful water beyond. Built in the 1930s, the yellow clapboard buildings have touches of white trim; some have a small patio with an umbrella table and chairs. Rather than being only superficially, cosmetically refurbished, the resort has been thoroughly updated, cleaned, and painted, but with an adherence to old features like shuttered of jalousie windows and what appears to be original five-pained cottage doors. The small pools on each side of Gulf Drive are outlined by white picket fences. White chaise lounges and lawn chairs are laid out on the pool patios. The grounds include many beautiful sub-tropical trees and flowers as well as coconut palms. Guests park beside their bungalow and white sand and shell paths meander through the property, making everything seem cooler on a hot day.

Each accommodation is a bit different and there's a nice choice: Studios (some poolside) are furnished with a king or queen bed. One-, two-, and three-bedroom bungalows have queen beds and a sleeper sofa in the sitting room. All accommodations have either a full or efficiency kitchen. Views are of the Gulf or Bay, a swimming pool (one has a waterfall), or of the gardens. Modern amenities include cable TV, hairdryers in the baths, free local telephone calls, attractive new bathroom fixtures, and a microwave in the kitchens.

Some bungalows have whirlpool bathtubs, cathedral ceilings, hardwood floors, or French windows. The decor is beige and white with wicker and rattan furniture. Decorative pillows with botanical embroidery and ceiling fans contribute to the natural, authentic atmosphere.

Although accommodations are lovely on both sides of Gulf Drive, those on the Gulf rather than the Bay are more desirable if you're a fan of the more spirited Gulf waters. The grounds and courtyards on both sides of the roadway are beautifully kept, but on the Gulf side they lead out to a curve of sea oats and white sand dunes and, and, finally, to gentle aqua waves.