FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 7, 2009) — Shell Point Retirement Community recently hired the Boykin Management Company to provide managerial and consulting services for The Country Inn & Suites — Sanibel Gateway hotel. Country Inn & Suites — Sanibel Gateway is owned by Shell Point Retirement Community and has been in operation since 2001. The hotel is located at the community’s entrance at 13901 Shell Point Plaza, on the corner of Shell Point Boulevard and McGregor Boulevard. The four-story hotel is just 1.6 miles from the Sanibel Causeway and minutes from Fort Myers Beach.
Boykin Management Company oversees the Pink Shell Resort on Fort Myers Beach, and is a leading provider of hotel, resort, and conference center management services. With this new partnership, the Country Inn & Suites — Sanibel Gateway and the Pink Shell Resort will work together to expand the services provided to their guests at both locations. Bill Waichulis, general manager for the Pink Shell, will oversee the Country Inn & Suites — Sanibel Gateway operation to determine the most cost efficient options for operations, and look for ways to combine the resources of both hotels. One of the plans to combine resources is to allow visitors of both hotels the opportunity to access the championship golf course at Shell Point. Guests may also take advantage of Shell Point’s four public restaurants, as well as utilize the salon and spa services. In addition to being economical, both hotels are environmentally sensitive and have received green lodging certifications from the state of Florida.
“We see this partnership as a beneficial move for both facilities,” said Tim Ficker, executive vice president of Shell Point. “The Pink Shell Resort is a popular destination on Fort Myers Beach for tourists and Lee County visitors, and we believe that they can share successful strategies with the management staff at our Country Inn & Suites.”
“With the current status of the economy, we believe that more Americans will choose to vacation in the United States, rather than going abroad. Shell Point’s Country Inn & Suites offers a very economical alternative for vacationers visiting the Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island area,” said Ficker.
The Country Inn & Suites — Sanibel Gateway features 112 rooms (30 percent suites), a heated swimming pool, exercise facilities, and provides high-quality, yet economical, accommodations to Shell Point guests, as well as tourists and other travelers visiting southwest Florida. The Country Inn & Suites is known for its homey touches such as the attractive lobby with an inviting living area that includes a fireplace and bookshelves, and freshly baked cookies available 24 hours a day. All the rooms feature the standards that guests have come to expect such as hair dryers, coffee makers, an iron and ironing board, voice messaging and computer data ports. A complimentary continental breakfast buffet is served each morning providing guests with extra value and convenience during these trying economic times.
The hotel also offers business travelers such conveniences as conference rooms, a business center, and high speed internet access. Two meeting rooms accommodate up to 70 people. The hotel is pet friendly and welcomes pets for a modest additional fee. Reservation requests can be made for the Country Inn & Suites — Sanibel Gateway by calling (239) 454-9292, toll free at 800-456-4000, or by logging on to the web site www.countryinns.com/sanibelfl_gateway. To make reservations for the Pink Shell Resort on Fort Myers Beach, visit their website at http://www.pinkshell.com/accommodations/, or call (888) 222-7465.
Shell Point Retirement Community is a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers just off Summerlin Road, two miles before the Sanibel causeway. Shell Point is a nationally recognized leader in the retirement industry and offers retirement living in a resort-style environment with an 18-hole championship golf course, deep water boating access, and recreational and fitness facilities.
