Sarasota Sands Resort — Hotel in Sarasota

Just got back from a week at this lovely and nostalgic resort- and my family had a great time. For me, it was a trip down memory lane, as I spent a number of weeks there as a child, since my Grandparents (God rest their souls) had a 2 week timeshare there for decades. That is how I was able to take my family, as the timeshare was passed down to my mother and uncle, who gave me one of the weeks.

I loved the fact that little has changed in design, since the 80s and into 90s aesthetic just fits so well for a gulf shore resort, though I'm sure some would prefer more updates. And everything has been well maintained, and you have largely all you need for the week provided, save for food and drink, as well as paper towels and laundry essentials for the pay laundromat on site. But there is a towel exchange, and the ability to get other essentials is seamless and pleasant from a staff that is very pleasant and welcoming, which makes the stay that much better.

The resort has a heated pool (and heated wading pool perfect for smaller children), and my daughter loved swimming multiple times a day right outside our room. There is also shuffleboard, bocce, horseshoes, tennis, basketball and rentals such as bikes. But the real gem here is the fact you are just footsteps from a private beach where you can take in seashell hunting in the morning and all the wonderful sunsets in the evening. The beach is well maintained and super clean, and it just a place to make memories and soak in the south Florida sun.

From the Sands, you are minutes away (or a decent and pleasant walk) to Saint Armand's Circle, which has tons of shops and restaurants and what not. Outside thr circle, it's worth having a vehicle to get to things like grocery stores and other food destinations and attractions, though they are not long drives (save for around 4 to 6 pm, when there can be some traffic backups heading into the city center area).

Overall, my family had a great trip and we're already thinking about when we can go again. The wonderful beach, the classic and well kept rooms and complex and the excellent staff should make any stay a very enjoyable one. Definitely worth a look when planning a vacation on the...

It was a great vacation, even that we went when hurricane Debby was very near to the area, we booked from the 3 to the 10 of august and couldnt made it until the 4 when the rain and winds werent to bad! We love the place, had been there before and before this motel we had been going since 1993 to the Gulf Beach that sadly was demolished to build more modern condos! Well after having a great week on check out day, a worker at the office THERESE ruined ourvacation! It was a GUY there too that was very sarcastic to her remarks! In our group we have a baby and two teenagers, saying that, I asked for half our more to get out of the room and very sharply, THERESE says, check out is at 11 am! I said I know but I dont think I am asking for the moon considering I did paid for a day that we werent able to arrived, THERESE goes is not the hotel concerns the weather cimcurtances! And if you dont get out at !!am your credit card will be charged $250.00! The GUY sarcastly says, I can give two minutes!!!! Very rude two persons that should go to anger managers class! I worked for 30 years at WDW and for me, it was absolutely rude way to treat a costumer! AND we got out of the room but stayed to see how soon someone will come to check and clean the room, it was at 12.47 pm exactly when a cleaning lady came to open the room and started the procces of cleaning! People like THERESE and the GUY CAN MAKE YOUR GOOD TIME THERE RUINED There was Anne and another lady in the office that were super efficient, nice and happy to see us there! The lady in the towel department super nice! Another guy at nigth time was always there when we needed something! So I think, my personal opinion, that two angry people shouldn't work there! Thanks to Sarasota Sands!!!!! Because those two angry persons wont keep us away! We are...

My wife and I stayed at this resort recently via an RCI timeshare exchange. This resort is in a great location and that normally would garner it at least a very good rating. However, it is obvious that the resort sustained considerable damage from last year's hurricanes and the resort was undergoing construction during our visit. (Guests, including ourselves, wandered the grounds looking for the office to check-in as there was no clear signage for where it was located.) The near constant jackhammering and construction noise meant we spent most of our time away from the resort. The unit's floor was also very dirty and hadn't been mopped/swept prior to our visit and there were several items like a loose door knob in the bathroom that we ended up fixing ourselves since they don't have staffing on Sundays. It was apparent that while this appears to be an older property, they have put a lot of time and money into updating the rooms. And the staff were also very friendly and helpful. However, they are also implementing cost saving measures like not providing facial tissue, shampoo, or conditioner; and the hand soap they provide is very cheap and not very good. (While these issues may seem minor, it gives the resort a cheap motel kind of vibe and not what we encounter in other better quality resorts.) Unfortunately, at this point, even though the location was great, we can't recommend this place at this time until the repairs are finished and they hopefully up their game regarding...