MrYum, are you around North Port/Sarasota? I've heard that is a really nice area. When we moved down, I considered Punta Gorda only due to the fact that you could get a house on a navigable canal that led to the ocean with pool, etc. for $250k -- which was an incredible price. No real airport nearby though.
I've looked at hotels on Sanabel/Captiva Island, but, not many are for sale right now.