About Us
Fort Myers Beach & the story of Manatee Bay Inn
2003
Opened on the lagoon
3 min
Walk to the beach
6
Private apartments
2026
Reopened, fully restored
Our Story
1990
Honeymoon on the island
Axel & Connie visit Fort Myers Beach for the first time and fall in love with the quiet stretch of sand and lagoon.
1993
Frankfurt → Fort Myers Beach
After years of return visits, Axel & Connie leave Germany behind and make Southwest Florida their permanent home.
2003
Manatee Bay Inn opens
Manatee Bay Inn opens, named for the manatees that still swim through the lagoon each May to November.
2018
New innkeepers take the reins
Pat & Lien, who first visited the year before, take over as Axel & Connie retire to travel the world.
2022
Hurricane Ian
One of the most powerful storms in Southwest Florida's history hits the island, and the inn closes for repairs.
2026
Fully restored. Open again.
After years of rebuilding, Manatee Bay Inn reopens to guests.
The Innkeepers
Innkeepers, 2018 – present
Pat & Lien
Pat and Lien first visited Fort Myers Beach in 2017. A year later they took over as the new innkeepers of Manatee Bay Inn.
Hurricane Ian closed the inn in 2022. They spent the next few years rebuilding, and in 2026 reopened it fully restored.
“I'm sooooo happy I found this paradise! Pat and Lien are the most amazing Hosts!”
Founders, 2003
Axel & Connie
While on their honeymoon in 1990, Axel and Connie fell in love with this quaint little island. They kept returning from their busy travel business in Frankfurt, Germany, and in 1993 decided to move for good. Ten years later they opened Manatee Bay Inn, back then the first bed & breakfast on Fort Myers Beach. They named it after the manatees that visit the lagoon behind the property each May through November.
Just six apartments, right on the bay
Book online with no booking-site fees, and our best rates.
Or call Pat and Lien at (239) 463-6906