Stay Report: Hilton Sandestin Beach, Golf Resort & Spa (Destin, Florida - September 2017)

Stay Report: Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort & Spa
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Destin, Florida is known to have some of the best beaches in the United States.  I was looking for a nice beach spot to spend a long weekend, and I had previously been to and enjoyed the Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort and Spa.  I had initially come here in 2013 and enjoyed it so much that I decided to come back in 2017.  My experience was the same for both occasions - overall really nice and spacious rooms with good amenities and decent service. 

In 2013, I had booked a junior suite as that was the only room that was available.  This time, I was booking two rooms so I booked two regular rooms.  The two rooms were booked together, on one reservation, so I had requested that they be connecting rooms.  We arrived late to the hotel, and by the time we had arrived all the connecting rooms were full - so instead we were given complimentary upgrades to junior suites.  The suites were on two different floors, but the the room was a bigger size than what we had booked.  We had arrived late to the hotel in 2017 because in 2013 when we arrive in the afternoon, there was a lot of rush so to avoid that we arrived later in the evening.   


We checked in, received the keys to our bigger room, and received our wristbands.  Each guests receives white wristbands which indicate they are hotel guests.  In addition to the room rate, the hotel charges a daily resort charge which includes "guest internet access; self parking; fitness center access; tram transport throughout resort; kids 10 and under eat free breakfast Sandcastles; exclusive shopping pass for Silver Sands/Grand Blvd; local/toll free calls"  The daily charge is $30, and that to me seems excessive for what they are charging as there are many items which we did not use.  In the amenities included in the resort fee, we only used the internet and self parking.  The good thing about Hilton is that the notice of the resort fee is plastered everywhere - when you are making reservation, when the reservation is confirmed, and when you check-in.  

We received our keys and went to the rooms.  Both junior suites had a similar layout.  As you walked into the room, on the left were two bunk beds each of which had a personal tv with them.  Past the bunk beds was the bathroom area which had a sink and mirror outside, a large closet - which had a safe in it as well as an iron and ironing board - and then a door to the bathroom with another sink, the toilet and the bathtub.  The bathroom itself looked like a standard Hilton bathroom, but the additional sink and mirror outside was nice.  

As you entered further into the room, along the right hand wall was the TV and chest with drawers.  Further along the right hand wall was the desk with chairs and outlets - the room had been updated to allow many outlets throughout the room (something that is lacking in other hotels).  The only negative was that the desk was positioned too close to the TV stand so the chair could not fit properly.   Along the left hand side was the two double beds with a large nightstand in the middle.  The beds were standard Hilton beds and were comfortable enough to provide a good nights sleep.  


Along the wall between the bed and the bathroom was a little nook.  On the top shelf of the nook was the coffee maker and microwave.  There were shelves below that as well as a fridge.  These additional amenities were very nice and very useful in the family suite, but the placement was odd as it was closer to the bed rather than the sitting area.  

Next to the second bed was a sitting area which had a really big sitting chair and couch that opened up to a sofa bed.  There was coffee table in front of the couch.  Sitting on the couch you could face out onto the balcony which overlooked either the ocean or the parking lot (depending on which tower and your view).  The balcony was also pretty big and could accommodate at least three individuals.  It was also nice and enjoy the ocean view while sitting on the balcony.

Most people come to the Hilton Sandestin for the beach, and the hotel does have direct beach access as well as a pool.  The beach is nice and clean, and there are lots of chairs but Hilton started charging $50 a day to rent the beach chairs (we did not pay any money in 2013).  If we are already paying for the room rental plus the resort fee, why are we paying additional money for the beach chairs - shouldn't those be included?  There are chairs available on the deck and the near the pool which are free.  The pool itself is somewhat small given the size of the resort - and there is both an indoor and outdoor pool (the indoor pool was mostly filled with little kids).    

The hotel had other amenities, some of which I tried in 2013 and some of which I have never tried.  In 2013 I tried both the gym and spa.  The gym was spacious and could accommodate many people, and the spa was decent and the hotel had hired many extra people to accommodate the rush.  Self parking was included in the resort fee and there were plenty of spaces.  

The service at the hotel was also decent.  The staff were polite and courteous.  There was a lot of guests and I am sure a lot of requests, but the staff never looked flustered nor agitated.  There were only a couple of complaints - 1) the charge for the beach chairs.  2) there is a lot of rush during checkout and thus it took almost 30 minutes for the elevators to arrive.  Some guests had said they saw the bell staff hold elevators as those who requested bell service got first priority.  3) some of the rooms were connecting and so there is a door between the two rooms.  The door is located across from the bathroom, and a lot of noise is transmitted between this door.  The hotel needs to do a better job of soundproofing.

Overall, I enjoyed both of my times at the Hilton Sandestin.  The room quality stayed the same as well as the access to the beach and pool.  What changed was the increase in charging for the extras and a small decrease in the customer service.  This is one of the best resorts in the area and seems to be holding up well.