[Lil Dancer]

We had friends who had a west facing lanai, and believe me, you just wouldn't be able to use it if the temperature was over 75 degrees. You'd fry. I personally think east, or south is the way to go.

[downeaster]

Lil Dancer, my lanai faces west and I am out there when it is 90+ degrees and I haven't been fried yet. It is "under roof". If it were a bird cage it would probably be too hot.
If a buyer limits his/her home selection to a certain direction it faces, they are eliminating a lot of good homes.
BTW, I have lived in Florida 29 years and have owned four homes here each facing a different direction.

DC

[Ooper]

Another thing that I didn't see mentioned in the above is that if you have a television on the lanai, as many of us do, it is very difficult to see in the evening if your lanai faces the west.

[JohnN]

I prefer shady and cool, mine faces north but is angled where the afternoon sun gets mostly blocked by the house, so it's shady nearly all day.

Some folks have pools or love the sun and the heat. They'd prefer something different.
And yes, you have to double check on the type of home, and how one is referencing the orientation, it is important to suit your needs if you use the lanai a lot (as many do).

[efrahin]

I dont care where the Lanai is facing to, as long that my brf headboard is to the NORTH, there is something with the magnetic pole, besides the good luck.

[Lil Dancer]

I guess it would be personal preference if you like shady and cool, or sunny and warm. There is no disputing that if your lanai faces the west it will get the hot afternoon sun which makes the lanai at least 10 degrees warmer. You can put in shade trees which block it or pull down shades which will help some. Our neighbors had a $300K plus home with a west facing lanai. They admitted they couldn't use it in the warm afternoons because it was too hot for them. Our lanai faces east, and on the hot 90 degree afternoons, the lanai is in the shade , and with the fans going its very comfortable. I personally would not want to sit in the sun in 90 degree heat, but to each his/her own.