Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, Fort Myers, Florida
In 1987, an affiliate of Liberty Real Estate Group, Inc. (the real estate division of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company of Boston) purchased the Sonesta Sanibel Harbour Resort from a group of local Fort Myers/Sanibel developers. The former developers previously constructed both the Bay View and Harbour View condominium towers, a Tennis Center and a health spa situated beneath a 5,000-seat tennis stadium complex. The Sonesta Resort was affiliated with tennis pro Jimmy Connors and held two USTA tennis events in 1984 and 1985 sponsored by the financial services firm, Paine Webber.
In December 1988, Liberty opened the 240-room main hotel and began operations. In 1990, construction of the Resort's marina facility was completed. Until Liberty acquired its contract in April, 1992, the Resort was managed by Sonesta International Hotel Corporation. In 1998, the Resort completed construction of a second 106-room hotel and expanded its conference facilities to over 44,000 square feet.
While a Senior Vice President of Liberty Real Estate, Mr. Lodde directed a team of professionals responsible for the development, construction and opening of the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa with a $50 million budget.
The Resort is located in Fort Myers (Lee County), Florida. Today, the Resort includes the facilities detailed in the table below. The Resort is consistently rated by AAA as a Four Diamond Hotel and is affiliated with Preferred Hotels and Resorts.
| Main Hotel | Grand Bay Hotel | Tennis Center | Spa / Stadium | Harbour View Tower | Bay View Tower | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Acreage | 6 acres | 3 acres | 4.5 acres | 1.5 acres | 2.5 acres | 2.5 acres |
| Guest Rooms | 240 rooms | 107 rooms | N/A | N/A | 80 rooms | 80 rooms |
| Meeting Space | 44, 796 SF | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Restaurants | 3 | 1 | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lounge/Bars | 2 | N/A | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Retail Space | 500 SF | N/A | 1,200 SF | 400 SF | N/A | N/A |
| Recreational Amenities | - Marina - Swimming Pools (2) - Game Room |
- Swimming Pool | - 12 lighted Tennis Courts - Men/Ladies locker rooms |
- 40,000 SF Health Club - 5,500 event seating stadium - Aerobics Studio - Keiser equipment - Indoor swimming pool - Beauty salon |
- Swimming pool - Whirlpool |
- Swimming pool - Whirlpool |
In August 2007, the Resort was sold to a subsidiary of Columbia Sussex Corporation of Crestview Hills, Kentucky for a price of $126 million.