2 topics - info on Blackstone group/a good sanibel florist

This is a 2 question topic - Can anyone give me info on the Blackstone Group. My understanding is they just bought Sundial Resort (where I am getting married May 2007) and I was told to ';watch out'; for them???? Should I be concerned about this??

Next, does anyone know of a good local florist to help with my wedding flowers and centerpieces? I am planning a trip down there the end of Jan. to get the rest of the plans made and thought it would be a time saver if I had some idea of where to go.

2 topics - info on Blackstone group/a good sanibel florist

I%26#39;m not really clear what the %26#39;watch out%26#39; would be about. It is a very politically connected and diversified company, but from what little I could find at the time of the buyout, they are currently aquiring targeted properties in FL. [The Buena Vista Palace at Disney was one.] Certainly the folks up at South Seas, both private owners and timeshare owners, have had some unhappy relations with them. I have never heard a good mission statement about their ultimate goal. Just the usual 30 second sound bit junk with no substance.

As for the Sundial, about 1/2 of the units are in the resort program and therefore within hospitality management company%26#39;s control. Blackstone are well funded, but expect a high return on investment, so I would expect prices to go up. Among other changes are the closing of Windows on the Water and Noopie%26#39;s restaurants to make for more meeting space. I assume the prime location of Windows will be used for banquet and meeting space. They hired a chef from Morimoto%26#39;s in NYC who is revamping restaurants at South Seas and menus at Sundial. How this effect your reception, I have no idea. The track they are taking at South Seas concerns me a bit.

Certainly Meristar could not sustain the investment need to bring the properties back to usable condition after Charley, esp South Seas, so a buyout was the only choice for them. As for Blackstone - well, I keep watching and reading all that I can and so far remain ambivalent.

Perhaps Sue or Rainstorm will have some more advice as they deal rentals at Sundial.

2 topics - info on Blackstone group/a good sanibel florist

Blackstone has been pretty secretive during all the renovations but South Seas is looking pretty good right now. The golf course is Beautiful and the grounds look great again as they have done extensive landscaping - still some construction around the marina area.

I don%26#39;t think you have to ';watch out'; for them. I%26#39;m sure that your wedding will be just perfect at the Sundial. I’ve seen the Wedding package and the menu selections look great.

As Tourmaline says Windows on the Water is (now a banquet room) accommodates 150 people - they have a banquet room upstairs that handles 180 (Sundial Ballroom) - The Main pool deck area will accommodate 250. Beaches Lounge will do 20. They have a few other rooms that will handle 40(the Terrace) and 50 (Caribbean).

I will miss Windows on the Water as a restaurant!

Florist recommendation - Floral Artistry of Sanibel does beautiful work. She is located at 2400 Palm Ridge on Sanibel.

I appreciate all the info. I have heard that the Blackstone Group is making a lot of changes and when I had talked to Cara at the Sundial she was saying they are still in the process of the changes so I am hoping things won%26#39;t get to crazy there. I have had some trouble with my guests making reservations since they have now transfered the reservations to a company in Canada??? I am sad that Windows isn%26#39;t going to be open anymore. We would have breakfast every morning and watch the dolphin swim. And I loved Noopies, Ho (Howard) was very friendly making us feel like locals! It sure will be different when we come back in Jan. But hopefully the changes Blackstone does will be positive, have to wait and see. Thank you for the tip on Floral Artistry. We will make sure to stop in there when we are in town. Again, I appreciate all the help and love talking Sanibel. I miss it so much, the count down has begun to vacation! :-)

Yes, the switch was fairly recent and I did post it on the Captiva forum some while back. Unfortunately, this means those taking reservations will not know the properties as they did before. I%26#39;m not at all sure how this will work out with guests, but for now, I expect difficulties are to be expected.

South Seas is heading toward being a 5* resort/spa and both SSR and Sundial are setting up to attract more meetings and seminars. They%26#39;re big money earners for properties. [Where else can you get $2.50 for a can of Pepsi?] Possibly the biggest deal is the closing of property amenities and restaurants at South Seas to anyone who doesn%26#39;t book thru the resort - that would include timeshares and units rented thru owners and agencies. [They have a notice on the SSR website that really upset folks and they%26#39;re talking about RFID tags for guests that will control admittance to not just the resort, but specific amenities, like pools.] I%26#39;m not sure if any similar policy will hit the Sundial, but they don%26#39;t have the same range of facilities as SSR. I know some of the SSR folks are really unhappy, but I guess it%26#39;s complicated. Sundial is a bit clearer in that every unit is privately owned.

I hope your wedding goes really well and everything is just as you%26#39;d like it to be. Best wishes to you! [And that was an excellent excuse to go down in Jan. I admire you for your creative thinking!!!!!]

Also try Weeds %26amp; Things at 2330 Palm Ridge. They do wonderful flower arrangements and did mine for my wedding in March of this year.

That is unfortunate about the changes they are making at the SSR. One of the things I really like about Sanibel is how ';uncommercial'; it is. Local owned businesses, etc. I really enjoy that. I would hate for it to change....As far as my Jan. trip, I will use ANY excuse to get to Sanibel sooner!! I have pictures we took our last trip sitting on my desk so when the day gets crazy I look at my pictures and wish myself there. I am SO excited to share it with my friends and family!!!

I hate to be negative about Sanibel - Captiva, so I won%26#39;t. I will be negative about SSR. I LOVE the islands and have been going since 1987. Love the restaurants, the beach, the water, the wildlife and most of all, the laid back non-Disney experience. That said, SSR seems totally out of place for the rest of the island. They charge a huge premium to be there; they fence off their little end of the island (with a guard no less- no where else on the island do you see this). They charge (a lot) more for food and now they restrict access to amenities unless you book through their offices (at a higher price).

In my experience over nearly twenty years on the island, you are far better off to enjoy the rest of the island and leave SSR%26#39;s country club attitude to those who think ';exclusivity'; is important.

I just find their attitude so out of character for the rest of the island as to make it a place to avoid.

You would be far better off to rent a place on Captiva or Sanibel from someone glad to have the business than frequent this ';resort.'; Of course, my opinion only- but strongly held.

LOL Dad -I stayed there pre-Charley and for the life of me, other than a GREAT location, I never did figure out the attitude. It%26#39;s not like riff-raff live on Captiva, or vacation there! Jeez. But it has a strong and dedicated following. And, as I said, an absolutely killer location. And I do agree, the whole spa/trendy cuisine thing is so not like Sanibel/Captiva.