Gulf Side Motel, Sarasota

This is my second time staying at the Gulf Side Motel. The rates are amazing compared to any other beach rentals in the area, and its right across the street from a quiet part of Lido Beach. There's a beautiful nature preserve within walking distance. The location is quiet and tranquil. The sunsets will blow your mind. If you're looking for a week to get away and relax, this is the spot for you. The rooms are clean and quirky, stocked full of clean linens and dishes, pots and pans for your cooking needs. There's a nice communal patio / garden in the center of the complex for guests. The manager is very helpful and more than accommodating. Both of my stays have been wonderful. You can't beat the quality, service, and location for the price. I would come back here in a heart beat any day.

We have stayed at the Gulf Side Motel the past four years. We definitely will be returning in the future. It is ideally situated close to the lovely Lido Beach, St Armands Circle, The City of Sarasota, Long Boat Key and Anna Maria Island, The rooms are spacious and clean, at a very affordable price. We would give the Gulf Site five star ratings across the board. The manager has always gone out of his way to make our stay comfortable. He also is a wealth of helpful, local knowledge. We would definitely recommend the Gulf Side to those seeking a great, comfortable, quiet accomodation, in an excellent location, at an affordable price.

We have stayed at The Gulf Side Motel, Sarasota, the past four years. We intend on returning in the future. The Gulf Side is ideally situated, close to Lido Beach, The City of Sarasota, Long Boat Key and Anna Maria Island. The rooms are spacious, clean at affordable prices. The manager has always gone our of his way to make our stays comfortable. He also is a wealth of helpful, local knowledge. We would certainly recommend the Gulf Side to those seeking a great, quiet location at a very affordable price.

If you want a quiet place, comfortable bed, uncomplicated routine, great location and an especially great resident manger - this is the place to be. Not to mention the ultra-reasonable* prices. Book now, you won't regret it. Ralph and Ingrid

My family had a wonderful time there and stayed over 3 weeks. The prices are the lowest I have seen for that area. Rooms here are kess than 120 a night in season and 50 feet away they are over 250 a night. The manager is a real great guy who bends over backwards for his guests and goes the extra mile for you. I came here to leave a good review for the motel and saw these posts that are untrue and defamatory to the motel since its a very clean and quiet place that has been recently updated. the beach at lido is the best you will find around the area with siesta beach great for the drum circle on sunday... I too will be back again next year.

We just got back from our 3 week stay at this great motel on Lido Beach!! We paid an incredible rate of $1000 with tax for a studio apartment that was simply wonderful in all aspects. The beach is just across the street and what a beautiful beach it is!! We found them on the internet and were shocked at their low,low rates for such clean and renovated rooms!! Their grounds are very clean and the manager is a great guy that makes you feel at home. We saw the post marked "beware" and we had to say that we were shocked by it because we were in the office checking in while the manager was on the phone with a very nasty and belligerant woman that demanded to know why his rate of $35 a night for a monthly stay was not being honored and he said, on a speakerphone, that it was a misprint and the rate was $50 a night for a 2/2 cottage. She called him a thief and a liar and he told her that her kind was not allowed in his motel. He was changing the price to $50 on the internet site and we watched it happen as he spoke to her and told her to go look at it and she called him a thief and a liar and using deceptive practices. He gave us a rate lower than their posted rates so I do know that he was very fair and honorable with us and we will be back asap!! Bill Sagerton

Lido Beach is a wonderful place to stay because it is very high class,private and laid back. The bad part are the prices of the other hotels on Lido Beach. They range from a low of $180 to $400. This motel charged us $70 for a night. They have a 3 night minimum. We came on Friday and stayed until Tuesday morning. If we came on Sunday to Thursday, the rate would have been only $55 a night for the same studio apt. I was concerned about the review written on 7/20/07 and asked the manager about it. He said that the 2 bedroom cottage that the guest wanted had a plumbing problem and so he gave the guest 2 rooms that cost the motel more money and there was no profit for them. He explained that they were a roudy bunch of drunks that had the main guest tell the manager that she was going to "punch him out" etc. He had called the Police to have them thrown out but they left the motel when he went to call. They drank for 2 days straight!! I found him to be very nice to us and gave us an extra night for no charge!! He was a great man!! He also said that the other negative reviews were all fakes and he showed me all the rooms and they were very clean and there were no windows made of plastic slits as described in a fake post. He feels the fakes are being left by other hotels and motels that can not match his super low prices!! I made a reservation for Feb and March 08 before I left. Jim Young and Sandra Young

I love it so much I can't wait to go back! The rooms are very big and clean. The garden is great and the staff is great.

You really need to come down and stay here if you want to save a fortune while visiting Lido Beach and St. Armand's Circle. We are coming here for 9 years now and we love the peace and quiet here and the clean and very comfortable rooms!! They just updated the motel and it is fantastic!! The rooms have new bedding, furniture,blinds and paintings. Some of the rooms have murals on the walls!!! We were blown away when we saw them!! The management here is wonderful and they cater to the guests!! I laughed when I saw the post that maliciously defamed and lied that the windows are plastic slits and the manager is crazy and another one said there were bugs in the ice box!! Those people are liars that are purposely trying to hurt an honest place that has the lowest rates for a beach property we ever found!! The rooms are spotless!! There are NO bugs here!! The place does not have any plastic windows and the manager is one of the nicest people we ever met!!! Gerry and Alice Kaye Westbury, NY

We both had a wonderful time during our stay. We stayed in a one bedroom unit that was just freshly painted with new bedding, new leather couch and a beautiful full size painting of a palm tree on the living room wall. The motel is very close to the beach. It takes about 2 minutes to walk there and St. Armand's Circle is very close also but about 15 minute walk or you can drive there in 3 minutes. The motel is very clean and very quiet. The staff is very warm and friendly. We saved a lot of money here and will definitely come back again next year! Our friends told us to come here and we are very glad that we did! John and Marilyn