# Sand Pebble Resort of Sandpiper Beach Club



## joyzilli (Feb 24, 2007)

I have the Sandpiper reserved for late april of 2008.  We have never been to the West Coast of Fl. and would like to check it out.  My husband thinks late April is too late and that we should go earlier, Feb. or March.

I just saw the Sand Pebble Resort in Treasure Island Florida. This unit was for early February. 

Should I keep what I have or make the switch.  Just looking to hear some opinions.  Thanks


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## JLB (Feb 24, 2007)

Sandpiper.  Year after year voted one of the top beaches in the country and normally #1 or 2 in Florida.

What unit do you have?


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## Cat (Feb 24, 2007)

JLB is right. There's no comparison between the two resorts, and clearly no comparison between Treasure Island and Siesta Key. Sandpiper all the way!


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## pcgirl54 (Feb 24, 2007)

Siesta Key-Crescent Beach,Lido Beach are great. Do not change your resort.


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## SherryS (Feb 24, 2007)

Keep Sandpiper!!  The beach is awesome, no comparison to Crescent Beach. 

February or March is very nice here when compared to northern or middle US, but late April is wonderful, too.  Expect temps in the mid-80's and perhaps more humidity than now or in March.


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## caribbean (Feb 24, 2007)

SANDPIPER!!  Can't beat Siesta Key. No comparisom.


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## Vodo (Feb 25, 2007)

Siesta Key, for sure.  And I would WAY rather spend a week on the beach in April than in February.  I live about an hour from Siesta Key, and just as an example, this month, we've had temperatures that ranged from a high of 80 to a low of 32.  While the higher temp February days may be fine for the beach, the cool, windy days would make for a miserable beach visit.  April should be warm but not horribly hot all month.  Perfect beach weather.

Cindy


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## JLB (Feb 25, 2007)

In case it got overlooked, what unit do you have?


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## joyzilli (Feb 25, 2007)

I have unit 205 - I guess I'll definately keep Sandpiper!!  Thanks for your help.


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## kjsgrammy (Feb 25, 2007)

We own weeks 3 & 4 at Sandpiper, unit 504; stayed there for the first time in January.  We LOVE it!  It is a quiet, small resort.  Kids 12 and under are not allowed in whirlpool (you sign an agreement to this when checking in).  Parking is first level, covered.  The only "problem" is getting into/out of resort.  It is located almost on top of one of the main intersections (has traffic light), on the island.  We were there during off season, can't imagine what it would be like during peak season trying to turn into, or get out of parking area.

I'm not sure unit 205 will have any ocean view.  A high rise is next to building, we have limited view from our top floor unit.  Unit 205 is second floor, right above the game room/recreation room.  You can view the layout of the condo's as well as a site plan on their website:  www.sandpiperbeachclub.com
Any questions, feel free to PM me.


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## JLB (Feb 25, 2007)

We have 204.  205 is further away from the beach.

Neither have a view, thanks to the building next door.

I made some forthright Sandpiper comments here:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=290740&posted=1


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## Vodo (Feb 25, 2007)

We also stayed in Unit 205.  I did my homework in advance and determined that it was the most poorly located unit in the whole resort, so I braced myself for a miserable time.  We had a terrific week.  Jim is right that there is no beach view from the unit, so don't plan to have coffee on your balcony overlooking the Gulf each morning.  Once you get past that letdown, everything else is peachy.  The unit is spacious, well equipped, and well maintained for an older resort (most beach resorts are old and most are in worse condition).  They didn't put showers in the original master bath, so they've installed an inventive round shower curtain around the jacuzzi and added a shower head to the wall.  It works fine.  Our only maintenance concern, and it was never addressed, was a leak in the ceiling over the mirror in the secondary bathroom.  It happened after a particularly hard rain, so it may be a leak in the roof that's finding its way down and out on the 2nd floor.

If you're accustomed, as we were, to Disney area resorts with massive amounts of maintenance staff and around-the-clock service, forget that entire concept.  There are two or three people who run the Sandpiper.  The office is closed altogether on Sunday, except for one hour in the morning.  Got a problem?  Leave a message on the machine.  It's a very laid back, relaxed environment.

The mainland is just a quick hop over a bridge, so shopping and restaurants are easy to get to.  Traffic was not a concern for us and we were there the week of the 4th of July.

The beach -- oh, the wonderful beach -- has the most lovely powder white sand.  It's the nicest sand we've ever encountered, and we're Florida natives.  Someone in Jim's linked thread mentioned a fishy smell, and I too was put off by that.  I think it's all about lucky (or unlucky) timing.  When we were there, the sand had shifted and created a little gully between the Gulf and the resort.  The high tide left standing water there and the sun heated it to create a less-than-pleasant aroma.  I asked the manager if it was always that way and she said it wasn't.  It just depended on the sand drifts.

You can rent a large beach umbrella for the week for a reasonable price (I think it was something like $25) and the resort staff sets it up for you each morning and takes it down each afternoon.  The pool is small but serves its purpose.  There are barbecue grills and tables adjacent.  The resort also has a tennis court and a small fitness center.

We would return to the Sandpiper in a heartbeat.  It's not new nor amenities rich nor staffed to the max, but it makes for a wonderfully relaxing beach vacation.

Cindy


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## Vodo (Feb 25, 2007)

JLB said:


> We have 204.  205 is further away from the beach.
> 
> Neither have a view, thanks to the building next door.
> 
> ...



Hey Jim -

In reading your comments, I can see why you wouldn't particularly enjoy the surroundings of the Sandpiper.  I, on the other hand, do not often commune with nature.  I want to be at the beach but still have malls and restaurants at my fingertips.  That's one of the reasons I enjoyed the Sandpiper.  When we stayed at Longboat Bay Club a few weeks after our Sandpiper week, I felt stranded away from civilization because it was a several mile sojourn back to the mainland.  However, but for that isolated feeling and the horrible sand renourishment results on the beach, we did enjoy LBC.  I don't recall whether you've stayed there.  The beach is across the street, but the bay is nice for nature lovers.  

Cindy


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## JLB (Feb 25, 2007)

Life is a balancing act.  Nature . . . Ross's . . . Nature . . . Kohl's . . . Nature . . . Shell's.   

Those little lagoons can be a pain, too.  It can't be as bad as the one at Mariners' Boathouse on FMB.

No complaints from here as to what we saw of the beach, pool, hot tub, BBQ grills and picnic area.  And, yes, it is better than most beach resorts, having cut our timeshare teeth in places like Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Treasure Island, and Ft. Myers Beach.  Most *are* converted hotels/motels.


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## JLB (Feb 25, 2007)

I should mention that another TUGger has Unit 301 the same week we will be there, and we are expecting them to have us up for morning coffee and sunset fruity drinks every day.


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## joyzilli (Feb 25, 2007)

Thank you all for your generous comments.  I've heard so many good things about Sarasota and the west coast; we are looking forward to it.  The small, laid back resorts are fine by us.  We stayed on the East Coast on Hutchinson Island in a very small, Hilton run resort and absolutely loved it.  Thanks again


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## gretel (Feb 26, 2007)

*Sarasota*

I was the person who was a bit disappointed by Sandpiper.  The unit was spacious and comfortable (clean, well-appointed, and modern).  It is one of the nicest timeshare units in the area (Calini is nicer IMHO).  However, my mother and I are a bit claustrophobic.  Unless you get an end gulf-front unit, the rooms are angled from the outside hall.  That would be great if the view was still there but with the building next door it felt closed-in. Even though the pool was clean, convenient and well-run, it is surrounded by a tall fence.  Again, my preference is a more open feeling.  I am sure anyone who isn't particular about this would love this resort.  For me, I prefer a unit with as many windows as possible and a pool with a view of the gulf (I have a pool at home so this makes it much more special when we're away).

I love the Sarasota area and visit there every year for at least two weeks at different resorts.  I've stayed at Sarasota Sands, Umbrella Beach Resort, Calini, Resort Sixty-Six, Via Roma, Sandpiper, and Longboat Bay Club.  This year I'll be returning to Via Roma and Umbrella.  Next year I have reserved Little Gull and Via Roma (I bought there).  

My first favorite beach in the Sarasota area was Crescent Beach above any on Longboat, Lido or Anna Maria.  However, we found that same fishy smell in the sand where ever we went on Siesta Key last year.  

As everyone has mentioned, it is a matter of preference.  I like a resort that is on the beach, convenient to restaurants and feels like a beach resort. For me, Via Roma fits the bill for now but I'm still looking!


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## JLB (Feb 26, 2007)

Pretty much why we like the little plain-Jane (no offense, Jane ) resort we trade into in SW FL.

Amenity-wise, it is not on the caliber of Sandpiper, but a similarity is that screened lanai off the living room, with sliders to open that up and make it part of the LR.  If you get the right units, they all have an unobstructed view of Estero Bay.

Of course, those free-of-charge pontoon boats go a long way with us.   

As I've said, our favorite unit our favorite week was posted for sale the day we checked in, 12/30/06, but by the first day we could do business, 1/2/07, it had been sold.

Week 1 you don't really beach it to go in the water anyway, just to get away from miserable weather elsewhere.

Well, if I had not blown our ability to exchange into it before now, this should stick a fork in it.


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