"A very good place to stay. Inexpensive, nice pool, nice patio area in back, etc."
The Dockside Inn is a very small hotel (only 14 rooms in all). I prefer smaller hotels because you are actually able to use the pool without having to swim through a crowd of people. The pool itself, and the entire pool area was very clean. We used it almost every day. It was very quiet at the hotel, with the lone exception of the incessant traffic noise along Del Prado blvd (even at night). There is a very nice area in the back of hotel: dock, water view, and patio area. The only other thing I did not like about the hotel (other than the traffic noise) was that the room was not cleaned the entire week we stayed (March 1 - 8). They also did not change out the towels (unless we requested it). I guess this isn’t really that bad, I am just used to clean sheets and towels every day at other hotels I’ve stayed at over the years. All-in-all, I would say that the Dockside Inn is a great place to stay. It was very comfortable there, fairly quiet, not too many guests, and there was plenty to do in the immediate vicinity. Loved the pool!

"Traveler's tip on dining"
The best place I went to was "Leaping Lizards", located just after the bridge on Cape Coral Parkway. Awesome food, good service, eat inside or outside, live bands some nights, and always a lot of people there. I also liked "Applebee’s" and "Hooters" on Del Prado. Also, many Italian restaurants and good pizza places in Cape Coral. There were many other good places in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte (between 25 and 35 miles from hotel).
~ By Ron S from Gloucester, MA

"Great views"
Take advantage of walking along the docks. Room was great for a budget room.
~ By a traveler from Maine

"Very Good to Stay at"
First this is not a 5 star.. But this hotel get’s 5 star’s from me.. Staff very helpful and caring rm was clean rates were very fair.. I stayed a week.. and would stay there again on my next trip if they have room....easy to get to all the local attractions... pets are welcome.. I did not have a pet but love the idea I could have.
~ By Jim N from Central Virginia

"very clean and neat"
I would definetly stay again, would be even more appealing if they had wireless. All in all a very nice place to stay.
~ By Jon R from Savannah, Ga.

"Nice Place to Visit"
The rooms were clean and comfortable. I liked the fact that it is a small motel. The dock in the back is wonderfully relaxing. I will be staying there next trip.
~ By A traveler from Fort Lauderdale, FL

"Dockside hit"
This hotel was extremely clean and well run. The grandkids especially liked chasing the geicos!! The dock on the channel was a delight - both during the day when you could catch a cool breeze and in the evening when it was decoratively lit. I enjoyed the fact that it was VERY pet friendly.
~ By A traveler from Michigan

"Well worth the money"
It’s basic, but it’s clean. Well worth the savings. The rooms have a full fridge, stove, and sink. Beds are comfortable. Nice dock in back on the water to read and relax. If you are looking for 4 or 5 stars, this isn’t it. If you are looking to save money and not sleep with bugs, this is the place for you. I had two rooms and not one bug. Place was nice and clean.
~ By Dan W from Wellington, FL.

"Very Clean..... Nice Dog"
Nice middle aged people who own the motel. Very clean and quiet. Furniture is from the 70’s and the rooms are large. The nice deck behind the motel is lite up with small lights at night. Would bring my family.
~ By William A from Arlington Hts., IL

"Bit of a designer’s nightmare (lol) but clean and comfortable..."
The room, decor, and furniture has seen better days but, overall, was clean and comfortable. The office and cleaning personnel were great. The view of the canal, and the big windows to let the air in was a "breath of fresh air" to a northerner who just came from the frozen tundra. Having the a kitchen and living room made it feel more like a cottage than a hotel room. Even with the pool right outside the windo, the place was peaceful and restful. If you are looking for luxury and an elegant decor go else where. If you are looking for clean, comfortable and a bit eclectic this is your place...
~ By A traveler from New Hampshire

"Cozy"
This is a great place for a family to stay. The owners are super nice and helpful. The only down side is that the pool and laundry service close down early, but the cleanliness and convience of the inn make up for it! I would def. stay here again!!
~ By A traveler from Ohio

"A quiet comfortable place to stay"
A nice place with a home type feel too it.Its not too far from most attractions;quiet and comfortable.
~ By Dave B from Wisconsin

"Clean but tired"
This motel has some special ammenities - location on the canal, docks, pets allowed, pool, kitchenettes. The appliances and bath are well worn, but everything was clean. Wireless internet would have been a nice complement to the satellite TV. We would stay there again.
~ By A traveler from Lindley NY

"I'll Be Back"

Even at the height of the Easter travel season, this pet- and boat-friendly family owned resort showed no sign of fatigue. In fact, the pool really is heated; the docks,deck and boardwalk are well-lit, and roomy enough for crowds. Plusses: the reasonable suites ready for a real extended stay, just shop & be ready to cook. A gated grassy pet run is lengthy, safe and poop bags are provided. Rules here are few and pragmatic. There are enough poolside facilities for twice the guest count, and a contracted professional keeps the water crystal clear, without the excessive smells many big pools have. Sat-TV in the spacious living area. Good quality bedding. Open windows allow a flow-through effect on nice days. Local municipal bus service is handicap-friendly and I noticed the busses have a bicycle deck on the front; an interesting potential for my next week there. My wish list: salt & pepper (honest) and perhaps a larger TV. The owners live on site and are seen hanging out with guests day & night. I note they hosted the local British-American club on the waterfront deck, and guests were encouraged to join right in. Kayaks were available for rental at the docks, which can--and did--- host several large sailboats. A rare Mom & Pop operation with a smiling housekeeping staff that's centrally located on Florida's west coast.

~ By a traveler

"Decent Place to stay"

For the price I expected something nicer - but I forgot it's SEASON here in Florida now and everything is booked and prices driven up! It was definitely dated "retro" whatever you want to say, but safe and close to everything. Bibliophiles there is a BIG used book store across the street and several consignment shops in the area! It is located on a main highway and if you have trouble falling asleep because of outside noise, then this is NOT the place for you. I slept very soundly and their back deck is lovely. It seems great for a family with kids and cooking and needing a pool. Me, I like more aesthetics - so I would not return. Joe is a very interesting, funny, caring and hospitable man. As a single woman traveling alone - he was concerned and supplied me with directions and advised me of places to go and not to go - I appreciated his honesty and concern for his guests.

~ By a traveler

"Loved the Dockside!!!! We'll be back!!!!"

My husband and I visited Cape Coral the week of 8/13 to meet with a realtor as we have decided to retire there next year. We needed a comfortable, affordable place to stay so we chose the Dockside Inn. What an excellent choice we made! The Dockside is immaculately clean, extremely comfortable, safe,and centrally located. We loved having the fully stocked kitchen and living room so we could enjoy breakfast, lunch and a cocktail before dinner. When I explained to Yolanda (she and her husband Joe are the owners) that we were planning to purchase a home in Cape Coral, she provided us with a complete booklet of business cards, brochures, etc. for businesses, restaurants, etc. in the Cape Coral area. This was extremely thoughtful and much appreciated!!

I accidently left our hair dryer in the bathroom so I called the Dockside when we returned home and left a message for Yolanda and Joe. Joe returned my call and advised me that they had our hair dryer and would "hold it hostage" so we would have to come back to see them!! We will do this with great pleasure and I am certain we will be making several more trips to Cape Coral over the next year. When we do we will not hesitate to stay at this treasure of a hotel.

Thanks Yolanda & Joe!!!!

~ By John and Georgia Ludovico

"Clean, cozy and kid friendly~! Would come back and would recommend!"

We were definately pleased with our stay there. It is older that is true. If you're looking for all new, modern hotel look elsewhere. This inn is clean, comfortable, great for families! It had all the comforts of home with gracious hosts. We loved the kitchen due to the fact that we didn't want to eat out the entire week. We didn't expect it to be supplied with everything, but it had all the amentities needed. Even though it is located on a busy street, it's quiet and the back view facing the canal was suberb. If I could change one thing, it would be to have the pool open later, but that's a minor. All this and a good price too. Would stay again and will recommend highly.

~ By a traveler

"Feel safe without your husband"

I have stayed at this hotel when it was the rainbow inn. The new owners have added some tlc to the place. They take great care of their property as well as their guest. I travel to Cape Coral about once a year to visit my aunt. I usually am alone with my children. I normally do not like to travel without my husband because lets face it it is not safe to travel alone as a female. I let the owners know that I was alone with children and did not feel comfortable without my husband. Joe and Yolanda (the married owners) made sure I felt comfortable. Joe would walk me and my children to my room whenever I came back to the hotel after dark. We really felt like we had someone watching over us, which was the greatest! The rooms are really like mini condos. It is not a large chain like place. Every room looks over a canal and you can even bring your boat and park it in a slip at the hotel. They also have a beautiful wood deck with tables and chairs as well as a gas grill to enjoy next to the water. The pool there is great! My daughter loves the dolpin tiled into the bottom. It also has a hot tub. Each room has a living room, bathroom, fully equipt kitchen and a bedroom with two double beds. The couch in the living room even pulls out to a bed. I live in Florida and was happy to find that the new owners...Joe and Yolanda give Florida residents a discount (a nice one too!) My husband and I are planning a working trip to Marco Island soon and we will be traveling with our children as well as our crew. We plan on staying at the Dockside Inn even though its 40 miles away from our jobsite. WHY? Because it feels like home and my husband loves that I don't call him every five minutes throughout the night being nervous or scared. He knows that I and the other wives in our crew will feel comfortable there at night without the guys, incase they work late. The only negative thing I can even think of about the Dockside Inn is that they do not have TV's in the bedrooms, just in the living rooms. They have Satellite (DirecTv) which is important living in Florida...cable dies all of the time here. Personally, I didn't mind not watching TV in bed, but I know it bugs my husband. Basically I love this place and would reccomend it to everyone nice and decent. Because all that is ever there is nice and decent people..wouldn't want to change that. Cape Coral and Ft. Meyers have tons to do and lovely restaurants not to mention great shopping!!! If you do go to the Dockside Inn tell Joe and Yolanda that Courtney said HI!

~ By a traveler

"Great Time"

My son and I had a great time there. We loved the heated pool, satellite tv (my son is 6 1/2) and I like having the kitchen. Made it easy on the budget. This is a great spot and close to everything. The owners are great people and very friendly. My only complaint was the can opener that wouldn't have cut butter. LOL
Will go back again.

~ By a traveler

"Sweet and peaceful!"

We just got back from a three day trip to Cape Coral where we stayed at the Dockside Inn. We loved it!

I came prepared for a clean and inexpensive, but old motel. I was armed with Febreeze and was prepared to get plug-ins if I needed to do that. But, I found I didn't need to do that at all!

There was no carpet so there were no unpleasant odors to worry about. The floors are either hardwood or that laminate that looks like it. Either way, the room was clean, charming, and nice leaving us with a feeling of relief and ultimately a most relaxing and enjoyable trip.

Great thanks to the owners, Yolanda and Joe who were extremely accommodating even with our LATE night arrival. Not only would we stay again, we made our reservations before we left. It's a small hotel and we wanted to make sure that we got a room for next time. I advise you to do the same because the secret of this nice hotel may get out and leave you left out.

Reserve early! Reserve often!

~ By a traveler

"Excellent stay at Dockside Inn"

We just got back from a wonderful 8 night stay at the Dockside Inn in Cape Coral. We met Yolanda (the owner, along with her husband Joe) upon our arrival and she gave us a good overview of the area for things to do, places to go, etc.

Our room was nice and clean with everything we needed. The dock area on the canal was really nice (we grilled our supper out there 3 or 4 times) and the pool was refreshing. We took a dip every day and were happy to come "home" to it after a day out.

For the affordable price, nice clean rooms and friendly atmosphere I think the Dockside Inn would be hard to beat.

Thank you to Joe and Yolanda for having us and treating us so well.

~ By Damian and Elaine from Jackson, MI.

"great time in Cape Coral"

The Dockside Inn was a very pleasant hotel for our stay in Cape Coral. The room was spacious, clean, and well supplied for our needs. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I would definately recommend this hotel to others looking to stay in the area.

~ By a traveler

"Good value for the money"

Enjoyed our stay. Older motel, with owners on site every day. Nice heated pool. Clean and kitchen well equiped. Good value for the price.

~ By a traveler

"No surprises-Dockside Inn, Ft. Myers "
Clean, not as old furnishings as mentioned in other reviews, helpful owners on site, nice dock setting for fishing, relaxing.
~ By Perfect Game from Ohio

"Very clean and friendly"
The hotel was very clean and accomidating. We loved the atmosphere, at home and friendly.
~ By a traveler

"Great room for the money"
My stay here was very pleasent.. The owners are great people and were very helpful. The hotel is not new but it is one of the cleanest rooms I have had the pleasure of staying in. It is a great place for families with the kitchen and living room layout. I was surprised at the very low rates for the size of the rooms. I Highly recommend this hotel.
~ By Brian in Massachusetts

"Great room and view of water"
Small family run hotel. Very friendly.
~ By a traveler

"What a wonderful place!!"
I am so glad to have the opportunity to share with others what a wonderful time our family had at the Dockside Inn. The owners gave us all the info we needed and more to enjoy our stay. The room was IMMACULATE!! The dog area is wonderful, and even the neighbors are sweet and friendly. The owners made us feel like one of the family, and we are already looking forward to our return trip. The location cannot be beat. We were a short trip to anywhere we wanted to go. DO NOT hesitate to book here. You will have a wonderful time!!
~ By Lisa in Miami

"Relaxing"
This is the place to relax and enjoy some down time.
~ By a traveler

"A fine hotel"
The owners and staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I would stay at the Dockside Inn again.
~ By a traveler

"Very Good Hotel"
Clean and energy efficient. The rooms even have ovens. I was more than satisfied with this hotel. The only thing missing was a gulf view, however, there is a river view and a nice deck area with tables.
~ By a traveler

"Great place to relax and get away"
I was very pleased with Dockside Inn. It is on the waterway and the surroundings are very nautical. Each room faces the water and it is so very relaxing. The owners of the Inn were more than helpful with directions. The Inn is close to restaurants, and shopping malls. Also close to Sanibel/Captiva Islands for shell hunting. I would certainly recommend the Dockside Inn to anyone.
~ By Carole in Jacksonville, FL