if you are planning to spend just the winter months there, you may want a west or south facing lanai, if year round, then east or north. We are just now building ours and have it facing east for the morning sun and cooler evenings as we plan to be there full time by spring or summer of 2011 (frog-dom here we come!
) If you are planning to snowbird it for a while, then it will be a bit warmer in the winter with west or south facing. But we didn't pick the house based solely on the lanai (actually, we picked the lot and are having the house built). Remember, the right answer is the one that is right for
you!