Coquina On the Beach Resort

Stayed at the Coquina on the Beach for several days which offered great prices for a beachfront resort. The place is a bit spartan, but was clean and nicely maintained. The place is right on the beach. They offer beach chairs and beach umbrellas so you don’t have carry around these items.
The staff was quite hospitable. The room had a small kitchen which helped for an extended trip. The parking area is small so larger vehicles may have to park across the street. The parking spots are good for small vehicles. This place is great for a trip to the beach with sugary sand.

I loved this place! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because it is a little dated but I think that adds to its charm. It was clean and the staff was super friendly. The location was great! You walk right out on to a gorgeous beach. The pool is nice and refreshing with chairs for lounging. I don’t think you can beat it for the price! If we are ever back in Sarasota I would love to stay here again!

Ahh, Coquina on the Beach. How I miss you already!
I give this place four stars for several reasons… The staff was amazingly friendly and helpful from the first phone call to make my reservation. The price was excellent. Had we had a beach view, it would’ve been more, but we could see the ocean from our room’s from door, just over the rooftop of the hotel next door. Plus, the beach was literally at the end of the building, just past the pool, so we didn’t really care about a view from the window — we were happy with the privacy of the palms!
The reasons for not giving five stars are insignificant, but they may matter to someone wanting to find beachfront property, so I’ll list them. The beds were not comfortable at all, and I wouldn’t have slept well if not for all the activity during the day wearing me out. While I expected there to be the normal beach-​town wear and tear (salty air is VERY hard on buildings, inside and out), I do wish they’d update the mattresses and bedding for a more appealing décor and better night’s sleep. However, the curtains were pleasant and blocked out all the light when we needed them to, giving us extra snooze time and privacy. Plus, the room was very quiet. Maybe because the ocean waves are so close, but we hardly heard any other guests at all, and the place was filled to capacity.
The downside of staying on Lido Key is that we had very sketchy internet access on our smartphones, and the free wifi is limited to the office area. Go much further, and you’re out of luck. But hey, you’re supposed to be kind of secluded to enjoy the beach bum existence for a bit, right?
When it comes to food and entertainment, there is ONE shopping/​dining area nearby (and I wouldn’t recommend walking after dark — most of the island is shut down by then, and the path to St. Armand’s Circle is NOT well lit at all!!), and we nearly starved trying to find anyone to deliver after 8pm our first night there, as the hotel does not offer room service. We didn’t rent a car, so access was limited to walking or getting a cab.
That being said, if you make a grocery run before nightfall, you’ll be fine, because there is a full kitchen, complete with refrigerator/​freezer, microwave, oven, stove, sink, coffee maker and toaster. We did this on the second day, and were good to go!
The beach access was amazing, really. Such a short walk just to the end of the buildings, and there’s that glorious view! On the weekdays, the beach was not crowded at all, and we thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon showers just in time for a late lunch and a nap — hey, it was vacation!
The previous poster was correct about the parking lot. The spaces were limited, and we noticed on Saturday and Sunday both that there were beach goers who were parking there even though they were not guests of the hotel.
The room was spacious, with two double beds, two chairs and a small dinette set. The bathroom was sufficient, with a large shower stall and no shortage of hot water. There was a built-​in dresser, lots of space for hanging clothes and lots of top shelf storage, along with a lit vanity and chair separate from the bathroom.
Although there is no room service or continental breakfast offered here, the office does offer freshly brewed Starbucks coffee (regular and decaf) and a selection of teas with hot water ready to go every morning.
The pool area and picnic areas were nice, and there were a couple of grills available with two separate cabana-​type structures where you could have a picnic in the shade. We only had trouble getting lounge chairs on Sunday, when the beach was crowded (especially a large group of family members who all parked in the hotel parking lot, but were not guests of the hotel — they were right next to our spot on the beach, and came in at least 3 separate cars and talked and laughed about how they were double parking in the hotel lot, haha… Yeah, not funny for our fellow guests, I think).
Now, the UPside of Lido Key having nothing open after dark is that the beach is all but deserted and the star-​gazing is spectacular on a clear night. We grabbed a couple of lounge chairs, downloaded sky maps on our phones and played «find the constellation» for what seemed like hours. It was magnificent…
The view and beach access are the main selling points for this little gem, but I was so happy with the staff and the size of our room (and the price) that I am glad to say that if I ever get the chance to go back to Sarasota, I will DEFINITELY stay here again!

Old but clean and comfortable motel on the beach. The rooms are clean and roomy. Beach access is fantastic, lounge chairs are available. Nice pool and picnic area with charcoal grills available. Staff very nice.
Parking is very tight; one compact-​sized spot for each room.
Close to St Armand’s Circle, 5 minute drive.