Barrier Island Hotels Reopen After Last Fall’s Storms

Local resorts are bouncing back from last year’s hurricane season, and staycation season is the perfect time to book a room.

After back-to-back hurricanes shredded the Gulf Coast last fall, barrier island hotels faced a daunting road to recovery. Fierce storm surge swallowed beaches, flooded structures and ripped off roofs, but today, a number of beloved coastal retreats are back open, if not 100 percent back to normal. But with summertime looming, now is the right time for residents to play tourist and book an island staycation. You get to enjoy the perks of living in paradise while also supporting the small businesses that make our area so special. Here are three options to consider.

Bungalow Beach Resort: Rebuilding With Heart and Heritage

Since 1935, Bungalow Beach Resort on Anna Maria Island has served up a slice of Old Florida, with adorable cedar-clapboard cottages nestled right in the sand. But when Hurricane Helene roared through, followed by Hurricane Milton just two weeks later, the historic retreat suffered a devastating loss.

“We lost all 14 of our beachfront units,” says Jason Luper, the general manager of the family-run business. “We always knew it would happen one day, but you never know when. The water just ripped through them.”

While the original bungalows were irreparably damaged, a handful of newer structures—built to modern codes—remained intact. Today, the resort is operating with three surviving units, including a popular beachfront suite restored with salvaged materials from the original cottages.

Luper and his team are currently working with architects on a full rebuild, and he’s determined to honor the past while ensuring the resort’s future. “The new bungalows will still capture that Old Florida charm, just with modern durability,” he says. Last fall’s guests who chose to keep their deposits for future stays instead of getting refunds will be permanently recognized in the new lobby—a testament to the personal connections the resort has built over its decades in business.

While the Bungalow’s staff shrank from 11 to six, the resort stays fully booked and the island itself has never looked better, according to Luper. “The beaches are beautiful, the restaurants are poppin’—Anna Maria is bouncing back,” he says. “If we’ve learned anything, it’s that if you care for your guests, they’ll care for you. That’s what’s carrying us forward.”

2000 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach, (800) 779-3601, bungalowbeach.com

Tropical Breeze Resort: Starting Over From Scratch

Tropical Breeze Resort is a staple of Siesta Key Village. Home to six colorful buildings with 62 units featuring coastal, homey layouts, the resort is frequently packed with returning guests—from Midwest families to weekenders from Orlando and Tampa. But when Helene and Milton hit, the resort faced one of its toughest challenges yet.

“With Helene, we were fully flooded—4 feet to 6 feet of water,” says Ekrem Tercanoglu, the vice president of hotel operations for Prime Hotels, which owns the resort. “Siesta Key took a while to open back up, so we couldn’t even access the property for weeks.” Just as cleanup began, Milton tore through, stripping away air conditioning units from the roofs and compounding the damage.

“We took everything down to the studs and rebuilt—drywall, electrical and plumbing,” Tercanoglu says. “Saltwater got into the systems, so we had to replace it all.” One building at a time, the resort has reopened, starting with just five rooms in January. As of press time, 48 of the 62 rooms were back, with the rest set to reopen shortly.

Despite the hardship, commitment to rebuilding the resort never wavered. “Selling or closing wasn’t even a thought,” says Tercanoglu. “We knew we’d recover.” Ownership kept all 25 employees on the payroll, and the staff pitched in wherever needed by cleaning and painting. Along the way, an unexpected support network formed. “Neighbors, volunteers—people just stopped by with cold drinks or barbecue,” he says. “It was amazing.”

Now, the resort is buzzing again, and bookings are surging. “Travelers were cautious, but this summer is shaping up to be one of the best,” says Tercanoglu. “The hurricanes hit hard, but we’re back and better than ever.”

140 Columbus Blvd., Siesta Key, Sarasota, (941) 256-2686, tropicalbreezeresort.com

SeaHorse Beach Resort: Coming Together to Pitch In

The SeaHorse Beach Resort on Longboat Key has always embodied 1960s charm, with its low-rise units just steps from the sand. But after the back-to-back hurricanes, the beloved “condotel,” where unit owners often rent their spots to short-term visitors, needed a sizable facelift

Hurricane Helene’s powerful storm surge decimated the beach, sending saltwater and sand into the ground-floor units. It broke apart walkways and sent a concrete patio table crashing through a glass door. It also lifted a large deck and dropped it onto the pool. Two owners who stayed behind watched from the second floor as seawater sprayed their balcony. “The ocean came inside,” says Sam McCarter, a unit owner and the director of the condo association. “We evacuated guests, but those two stayed and did what they could to help slow the water that was flooding the first floors.”

Then came Milton. While its effects weren’t as destructive, the storm still tore off a rooftop AC unit and battered the resort. Again, the SeaHorse community stepped up. “This is a story about relationships,” says McCarter. Owners and employees shoveled sand, hauled debris and handled whatever repairs they could. With rental equipment scarce, one condo owner trucked down machinery from Winter Haven. Housekeepers took on painting and landscaping. “Our staff makes us,” McCarter says. “They did whatever it took. We shoveled the sand out of the pool, and even carried the crabs that were part of the flood back to the shore.”

By last November, the upstairs units were being rented again, and the first ground-floor units reopened in December. There’s still work to do—permits are slow—but SeaHorse is back.

“We’re not going anywhere,” says McCarter. “This place is family across generations. My grandkids will be coming here.”

3453 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, (941) 383-2417, seahorsebeachresort.com