We wanted to take a moment to thank all of you once again for the unprecedented outpouring of concern, the memories you’ve shared with us, and the hope for our future.
Many of you continue to ask; so we want to make everyone fully aware: the Blue Dolphin will require a complete rebuild.
As we stated in the moments after Hurricane Ian, our intention is to keep the enduring Blue Dolphin legacy alive and build back this landmark property into the most enchanting shoreline hideaway Sanibel has ever seen.
At this moment, we are still in the early days of this journey. We have started the process of speaking to multiple entities (including architects and general contractors) to help us firm up our rebuilding strategy and timeline. The path forward is still pretty hazy, but we are diligently working with local and state officials in an attempt to gain more clarity on the steps that we will need to take. As soon as we know more, we will share that information with all of you.
We are in the process of beginning outreach calls to guests with upcoming reservations. We will begin with the earliest reservations and take it day by day until we’ve reached each and every one of you. These calls will take some time, as we have a very small staff. You can rest assured that we will be in touch with you to process cancellations and send out refunds as soon as the scenario permits. Thank you for your patience.
Everyone who requests a refund during our outreach calls will receive one.
That said, we are putting some exciting incentives in place for any of you who personally decide to keep your advance deposits on the books at the Blue Dolphin throughout our rebuilding process.
For those who choose to keep their existing advance deposits with the Blue Dolphin until we rebuild we can offer you the following 3 Exclusive Benefits.
- By the time we are ready to reopen (TBD), there will be lots of pent up demand for stays at the Blue Dolphin and vacations on Sanibel Island. When we are ready to open up the reservations to our newly rebuilt property, all of you who still have your deposits on the books with the Blue Dolphin will be the absolute first group to be able to make your reservations with us. You will get the first shot at the room/s and date/s you want – before we open any reservations up to all of our other guests and the general public.
- When you make your first reservation at the newly reopened Blue Dolphin, as a way of saying thanks for keeping your reservation deposits in place throughout our rebuild, we will also give you a one-time loyalty discount of 15% off of that stay. If you currently have a 50% deposit with us, the ability to take advantage of a 15% discount on your future reservation represents a 30% return on your deposit funds PLUS an unforgettable Blue Dolphin vacation to look forward to in the future.
- We will be sharing our Blue Dolphin Rebuilding Journey with everyone. But those who keep their advance deposits with us through the rebuild will also be added to a VIP Email Newsletter where you will receive exclusive reconstruction updates before anyone else gets a chance to see or hear about them.
We firmly have our eyes on a very bright future, while continuing to honor the past. We look forward to opening a whole new chapter for the Blue Dolphin. This property has been here since before the Sanibel Causeway was even built. We intend for it to continue being here long after the Sanibel Causeway has been newly rebuilt. And we want you on this journey with us.
Keep your eyes on our website, Facebook, and Instagram accounts for future updates.
With much love,
The Team at the Blue Dolphin
READ OUR 9/30/22 UPDATE: bluedolphinsanibel.com/9-30-22-update-hurricane-ians-impact-on-the-blue-dolphin/