Hilton Destin

My family and I just came back from our stay at the Sandestin Hilton over the Memorial Day holiday. We had a mixed experience. We did not get the room that I reserved, even though I called and confirmed two days prior to our arrival. The room that we ended up with was adequate. The decor was bland, but the bathroom was clean and stocked with plenty of towels. The outdoor pools were decent. But the indoor pool and whirlpool were dirty and needed some updating. The hotel was crowded, but not overwhelmingly so. The best part of our stay was the beautiful beach right in front of the hotel. I have been to beaches in Hawaii, California, and S. Carolina, and I must say that the beach in Sandestin is absolutely gorgeous. Our family will definitely return to Sandestin for the beach, but we will most likely rent a condo for our next visit.

We used our Hilton Honor points for a free 6 night stay at this resort. We love the location, the beautiful beach on property & the Junior Suites. Our suite had bunk beds, 2 - double beds & a sofa sleeper. We requested a room on the 1st floor & had a patio that overlooked the ocean. This resort caters to families. At breakfast, they often offered drinks to go. At the pool, they had an air compressor to fill your pool toys. Some days, at the pool, they handed out free ice cream cups to the kids. We were told by other vacationers they even have guard rails available for the bunk beds, if needed. On this trip, we did not use the Spa, but have enjoyed it in the past. We love all the shopping & restaurants available nearby this resort. We plan to return to this resort again.

Great location and a fabulous beach. The room was beautiful with a spectacular view of the emerald coast. 2 great pools if ocean swimmong was prohibited due to rip tides. Beautiful soft white sand to walk on for miles, Good food and excellent service. Staff is always friendly and helpful. Great shopping at Silver Shell outlets mall and Baytowne. Lots of golfing.

Our stay was great! After staying at other hotels on the beach we were so pleased to see the size of our room. Everything was so clean not only in our room but everywhere around the resort. We had everything we needed thanks to the lady (Shay) that cleaned our room. She was so friendly and helpful. Look forward to returning!

After staying at a dinky place in Panama City we came to stay at the this hotel. It is a beautiful hotel. Our room was awesome and we were so excited. The bed so so comfy and there was a great sitting area, nice bathrooms and the works. We were on the bottom floor with balcony that had easy access to the pool. It was very quiet and peaceful. We left out sliding door open with the curtain drawn in the evening and we could hear the waves crashing and nothing else.

The pools were large and clean and there was a little bar with covered outdoor seating and it was very idyllic. There was also a heated indoor pool and hottub. We never got to use the hottubs or indoor pool because they were overrun with children. I guess all the families were there with thier kids for spring break. It put a little bit of a damper on our romantic time because i kept checking to see if we could get the pool or hottub but they were packed.

I really enjoyed the starbucks and pizza hut eatery. We did not eat at the hotel otherwise because we already have some favorites in destin. We never went down in the sand because it was so crowded but we enjoyed the suntanning deck as it had a great view.

We were disappointed because we thought we would be able to check out from our room, but they never dropped off a receipt to our door. This is usually customary at other hiltons. The staff seemed pretty nice. We were trying to take pictures of the two of us and a security guard stopped and offered to take pictures of us. It was nice of him.

This hotel is Wonderful. Our room had two queen bed and bunk beds that our 5 year old loved. The view from the balcony was nice. The bunk beds were separated from the other sleeping quarters which was very nice. The room was very well kept and always clean after room service left. We very much enjoyed our stay here and will return.

My husband & I went to Destin and originally booked a room at Embassy Suites. When we got there we found we had no view of the ocean and the staff was uninviting. The next morning my husband took a drive and stopped in at the Hilton Sandestin. He spoke with Martha, the night auditor, who had another employee give him a tour of their facilities. He then met Michael the manager who gave us a good deal if we wanted to switch hotels. We had a beautiful suite on the 8th floor with a wraparound balcony and beautiful ocean view. The room was very spacious, clean and remodeled. It was perfect for a lengthy stay. I also visited their spa and had a massage by Tiffany. It was probably the best massage I ever had. Everyone from the staff at the front desk to housekeeping were all polite and accommodating and treated us like they were genuinely pleased to have us there. If you are planning a trip to Destin this is a great hotel, wonderful pools, restaurants and all around comfort. Look no further!!

Wow, to think that we almost cancelled our stay due to a few bad reports on Tripadvisor. I cannot imagine saying anything bad about this hotel. This was a wonderful Thanksgiving stay for our family. The hotel was lovely with quite attractive beach surroundings. We booked through the hotel web 2 months in advance and got a great rate. Our room was an Executive Partial View. It was so very clean and attractive ( and I am quite particular. ). Big and roomy, with a refrigerator, beverage center, two dressing areas, sofa and giant balcony ( with small table and two chairs.) The best was that it was also pet friendly. Our family includes a little 6 pound maltese and he usually must stay home when we go to the beach. And better yet , no pet fee required. My husband had lunch in the cafe while we girls were shopping on Black Friday and he was completely pleased. Our other meals were with family who rented a condo on another part of the resort. San Destin is an exciting resort area, even in the quiet winter time. Do not hesitate to visit this Hilton. We had a lovely experience.

Wife and I had a great stay at the Hilton from Aug 23rd thru the 27th. Yes we had to deal with Fay but I'm really not sure what all the bad reviews are about... This is my first time to Destin and after driving around looking at the other places I about booked I'm glad I booked the Hilton. For those who don't know the Hilton is one of the few hotels actually on the beach.... Trust me if you go to Destin you want to be close to the beach and I don't get walking across the street or driving to the beach... Here we were able to walk our door and be in the sun in 5 mins... A few tips yes bring your own chair the set up is high also stock up for breakfast food at the local Wal-Mart... Don't waste your money on the breakfast... For those who don't know the Hilton is actually within Sandestin Golf and Beach resort (which is a full ownership condo townhome etc.) anyway you get all the advantages of owning one of these by staying at the Hilton... This includes a shuttle to and from Baytown Warf... Trust me it's nice to have at 2 am..... Great Stay and we will be coming back..

We went back to this hotel after visiting the first time last August. We had a wonderul upgraded room that our teen and her friend loved. It was the Deluxe suite with a beautiful ocean view.

Staff is very courteous and willing to help. We would certainly go back. The spa is great. Seagar's Restaurant was awesome classy upscale great service.

Our teens were able to be independent but also close by which was a plus. We like the extra security.

The only downside we saw was the alcoholic drinks. We strongly believe they are watered down. We even mentioned it to a couple of the servers to no avail.

Local grocer and shopping is close by. We bought what we needed at the grocery about 5 minutes away and everything was great.

Will certainly go back next year!!

This place is great! The resort is huge and there are numerous places to stay at. We actually stayed at Beachside I, which is on the beach. It appeared to be a private rental, but it was laid out like a hotel, which hotel-like phones and maids. Yet, our unit was around 1700sqf over looking the pool and beach. My wife and 10 year old loved it!

There was a lot to do, including free bike rentals, but most things were a little pricey. The 3 of us could easily spend $100+ a meal in the village. So probably not the best place to go if you are on a budget. However, that's not to say that you had to do things at the resort.

The only negative thing we found was that the free tram didn't seem to like coming to our resort often. We would call and see a bunch pass by, going to other resorts, but sometimes they would never come.

We will definitely go back soon, but we plan to reserve a golf-cart for the week next time and avoid the tram all together.

Hotel started off shaky. We arrived and our room wasn't ready and we had to wait 1 hour for the room. That wait was quickly forgotten when we were notified that because of our wait our jr. suite room had been upgraded to an executive suite. Problem solved!! The hotel grounds are very well maintained. Food all around the hotel is very pricey and nothing to write home about. Lunch for wife and I averaged $30. I suggest buying your own beach chairs and umbrella if you are staying more than a couple days. They rent them for $40 a day. The $10 charge per day for standard parking is lame. Pools are great and clean.

Beautiful location!! Our room had a nice beach front view. Convenient location as well, next to Village of Baytown warf. We were able to use the shuttle. They had excellent customer service. The only downside is if you have to use their business center (internet, copy machine fax) its really expensive, other than that, this place is excellent, Its definitely worth the money to stay at a nice place.

My husband and I stayed at the Hilton Sandestin for our Honeymoon. We were there from May 11th to May 15th, 2008. The hotel is beautiful and the customer service is outstanding. It was the best customer service we had ever experienced from the time we drove in through the person at the security gate until we left. We had a great queen suite (with the extra bunk beds) on the 14th floor that was ocean view but had a wonderful view of the resort and the ocean. We really liked the fact that we could just walk right out to the beach. The beds were super comfy and the tv's in the room were huge. If you are planning to go to Destin, definitely book at the Hilton and check out their spa which was very nice.

I just can't understand what all the negativity is about with some of these peoples reviews. We had never been to Destin before and I picked the hotel and since I reserved my room well ahead of time, got the AAA rate. It was a lot less than what they were getting for rooms even a month in advance. Because of all the negative reviews, I was a little apprehensive about what to expect. I was blown away. I walked up to the counter at 3:30 PM when we arrived and was attended to immediately. The fellow at the counter even said, oh I see you are a gold VIP member. I have some extra stuff for you. I got an envelope with a code to get free network connectivity in the room (wireless is free in the lobby). It didn't bother me to use the cable. We also received breakfast coupons, 2 for each day of our stay. The hotel was totally full with some weddings, a couple of business meetings and all of the metro Atlanta area on spring break, most of them were there in the hotel! The bellhop was very personable and I was impressed with the way all the service people were not running around with their hands out expecting a tip like most resorts. We wanted to tip them, but had to chase them down to tip them! We had no poor housekeeping and our room was upgraded from a jr suite part beach view to a deluxe jr suite with a great beach view! I went with my sister and her 15 year old son and his friend. The kids liked the bunk beds and their own TV. The room was definitely updated. It was as good or better than any other Hilton I have stayed at. I preordered a fruit and cheese tray and a bottle of wine for my sister and me and they were in there almost before we got in the room good! Housekeeping took care of all the feather pillows and down duvet immediately. I'm allergic. The weather was perfect for most of the time we were there. Tuesday and Wednesday were very nice. The wind was a little hellish on Thursday, Friday was the perfect beach day and Saturday was rainy and cool. We left on Sunday but it was another beautiful day, but a little cooler than it had been. We watched a wedding on the beach on Saturday night from our balcony. I expected the high food and beverage prices, so I was not shocked by them. They actually seemed about normal for a resort. Orlando was worse! There is a Publix really close and we bought the boys a lot of snack food and we made baked potatoes in the microwave. Publix fried chicken is AWESOME. We ate at Poppy's Seafood at Baytown Wharf. The food was very good. I was upset that the waitress poured bottled water into our water glasses without telling us they were going to charge $6 for it! I ordered Lobster Ravioli and it was so good. The Pina Colada was not very good. My whole stay was EXCELLENT! I was not disappointed in ANYTHING. I found everyone I encountered on the hotel staff very friendly and willing to do anything to make my stay more pleasant. This is one of the best spring break vacations I have ever had. Oh yeah and if you are on a budget do NOT go to Seagars. There is nothing inexpensive in there, but the food is GREAT! I can't believe the resort shuttle service charges $10 per person to take you to the outlet mall. It's only 2 miles! We drove there ourselves. It was fun because there are so many shops. If you are hanging around the Hilton pool or barefoots beach deck try the Key Lime cocktail, man that is a great drink! We had a waitress named Rianda and she was great. She helped us both at the pool and at the barefoots deck. I so wish I was still there, they are calling for snow flurries here in Atlanta tonight!

This is a wonderful resort and spa hotel. Even during spring break the beach was relatively uncrowded. There are a lot of families with young children staying here, and the teens seemed well-behaved (unlike PCB!!). Beach bar and resort food was good. The spa is very relaxing as well. Great choice for a beach-front resort.

Busy, energetic environment for families...the place was rockin'... not a relaxing kind of place...kid central with the craziness to boot...in the summertime, come expecting stimulation!

Pros: amazing common areas, spa, conference rooms, big guest rooms/suites, freshly decorated, bunk beds in an alcove with 2nd TV for kids, video games and movies in the room for a fee, refrigerator, microwave, seats on balcony, fantastic pools, fitness center, internet access, air pump for toys, towels provided for pool area, pool bars, easy access to food in the resort and closeby, shopping and lots to do in the area, gorgeous views, anything you need if you are willing to pay for it

Cons: summertime crowds at pools and beach, expensive drinks, parking fee, elevator "traffic", down comfortors and pillows if you have allergies (bring pillows and request blankets), plan for high cost of food and drinks in the area

I've never much been a fan of Hilton hotels. The Hilton Sandestin has given me pause to re-examine the entire chain.

Wonderful location, helpful and friendly staff, and very clean room. Close proximity to beach and shopping/dining. Will definitely stay here again.

I had an overall great experience at the Hilton. After reading the description of a "partial view" room I decided to save a little extra money by getting a room that I could see the ocean out of the side of my room instead of a full view.

Upon arrival, we were placed in a room with a view of the parking lot. I was very displeased with how misleading the description of the room was. "Partial View" means that I will have a partial view of the ocean...not the parking lot. The next morning I went to the front desk to ask to be moved, and they upgraded me to a full view room.

I did not like the fact that they charge to use wireless internet. I have stayed at hotels that were not as nice as this hotel, and they even allowed you to use the interenet for free.

This hotel is a great one to stay at overall. They have a great in door pool along with two great pools outside. Just be wary of the "partial view" rooms. You may get a parking lot view. Also be aware that they charge your room $10/day for parking.

Overall, it's great and I will stay here again.

We almost didn't stay here because of reviews. I did mention to the Hilton when I was booking that their reviews were very low. My husband pushed for the Hilton because he liked all the amenities. It was a smart choice. Our room was $99.00 a night, It was very large, if you had a family you would have no problem. Two large bunk eds would easily hold teens, and a double or could be queen sleeper sofa could hold two more. Nice size table and chairs, nice size chair and ottoman, and King size bed. Microwave and fridge and all the other amenities you would expect, also a separate TV for the kids. We also had a balcony with an ocean view and were right on the beach. The inside pool was great because weather was not was cool. Included with our package was full use of the spa and it was wonderful. All staff was helpful and curtius. The only negative was there was a connecting door from our room to the room next door and it you stood right there you could hear the other room. So we didn't stand there and our neighbors were quiet. I'm sure if it would have been a problem they would have moved us. Clean is always the most important value to us and we will not compromise that.

$99 per nite, use of spa, indoor poor, free full buffet every morning, free parking ,daily paper,

balcony what more could you want. Also free shuttle to Sandestin area. I realize we were off season, that's why we travel off season. People really appreciate you then, staff is not over worked.

My family and I have stayed many times at the Sandestin Hilton Golf & Beach resort. During the last two stays, Dec 2006 & Dec 2007, we extended our plans and stayed a few extra days. We have always found the hotel to be clean and nicely appointed. We usually book ocean view or partial ocean view rooms. We've found the rates are excellent (comparatively) and the service is usually good.

We have enjoyed many excellent meals at Segar's (although haven't been there since the kids were born in 2003). We've utilized the lobby restaurant, I think it's called "Sandcastles" many times. The food is a bit overpriced but it is very good. The breakfast buffet is quite good, but again steeply priced. The made-to-order waffles & omelettes are a hit with the kids.

During our stay in 2006 in the older portion of the hotel we did have a problem with a water leak but were promptly moved upon reporting it & upgraded to a full view room, without asking for the upgrade. One note about the balconies - if you have very young children insist on the Serenity Tower or other newer portion of the property. The older, east tower, has balcony railings that our 2 year old - who is fearless - could easily have fit through - and she tried really hard to get away from us so she could try! The newer tower has a much closer rail configuration.

The hotel is situated directly on the beach and two nicely landscaped pools are located outside, with swim-up full-service bars, a sunbathing deck, and a good sized indoor pool with windows overlooking the beach. The beach was recently "renovated", the city trucked in clean sand from the bay & widened the beach area considerably!

Interestingly, we have had mixed luck with the folks manning the lobby. We are "comfort" travelers, meaning we dress way down in sweatpants and gym shoes or crocs, don't bother to do much with the hair/makeup or accessories. A few times we've been treated rudely by the valets and front desk upon check-in...I can only assume that's why, since the attitude was in place from the moment of our arrival in the lobby! However, this type of service is an anomaly, as we usually enjoy good service from everyone there. Even the housekeeping staff is friendly. We've used the guest laundry during our last two visits & found it to be clean & with everything in working order.

The rooms we've had have been roomy & nicely decorated. They are clean (I'm a germ-a-phobe!) and smell nice. The junior suites have a separate sleeping area for the kids, a fridge & microwave...great for families.

What we really enjoy most is the location of the hotel. The beach is beautiful & unspoiled. The golf course is gorgeous. There is plenty of good shopping and food very close by. We love going across 98 to the shopping village on the bay. There's a very good BBQ restaurant there. We also enjoy excursions to the Silver Sands outlets and the upscale outdoor shopping mall in nearby Destin.

One final thing we like about this place - we've encountered mostly nice people staying here, and the hotel is within a secure area; gated with 24-hour guards at the entrance. Security is on site & visible. So, the entire resort is devoid of dopers, ho's, slackers and ne'er do wells. We feel safe taking our kids. We feel safe coming & going all hours day or night. There's a lot to be said for feeling secure when you're traveling!

This was our first trip to Destin, and we didn't know much about the area. Because we are Hilton Honors members, we stayed at the Hilton Sandestin for 3 nights after Labor Day. I have to say that it was much better than I had anticipated. I had heard a lot of things from people about the hotel feeling old, not being maintained and bad service. It was not a luxury resort, by any stretch, but we did have a very nice visit. You really can't beat the location!

Room - The very friendly check-in staff upgraded us free of charge to a Junior Suite with an Ocean View because we were travelling with a 7 month old, and she thought we could use the extra space. The room was relatively clean; not spotless. There was a large stain on the carpet, and some things were in disrepair - the sliding glass door to the balcony didn't lock, a couple lamps and the MP3 alarm clock were inoperable, and the wet bar sink would drip one second and spray water the next. All minor details that didn't really affect the overall feel of the room. The bed is very nice - soft with nice linens. The view was beautiful, and we did have a lot of space. What really can't be beat is that you can walk out of your hotel room and be on the beach in less than 5 minutes. The flat screen TV and the decor gave the room a more updated feel.

Hotel - Other than the very friendly staff, I wasn't all that impressed with the condition of the hotel. The conference area (which we would walk through daily to get to the parking lot) has an overwhelming mildew smell. It is outrageous to pay $10 a day to self park. And $3.75 for a cup of black mediocre coffee in the Picnix Deli is ridiculous. I guess they have a captive audience, so they can charge it. Other than the coffee (and a scoop of freezer burned Ben & Jerry's ice cream), we didn't eat in the hotel. Seagar's looked really nice, but again, we were travelling with a 7 month old.

I do want to re-emphasize how friendly ALL the staff was. It made it easier to overlook some of the other things about the hotel. Having said that, I think next time we're in Destin, we'll look into renting a condo.

Bottom Line: A nice place to stay on the beach; Not a Four Seasons.

We stayed at the Hilton on August 16 - 20, 2008. I attended a conference at the hotel while my husband tagged along.

We arrived at the hotel early and asked for an early check in. The front desk took our cell phone number and said they would call us as soon as our room was ready. We walked out by the pool and waited at the poolside bar. To our surprise, our room was ready within 30 minutes.

The breakfast buffet is quite pricey at $20 each; however, if you ask for a menu you can order from it for a lot less money. We got a full 2 egg breakfast for $7.50 each morning.

Our room was nice and looked directly over the beach. It was clean and spacious.

I don't know what all the negative reviews are about. We loved the hotel and surroundings!

We had to wait until the last minute to get the rate we usually paid in the past, but it was worth it. Nice changes to some rooms, including the flat screen TV's, new carpet, and new paint/decorating. Our only complaint, as it has been in the past, is that either people must expect that someone else should pick up their trash, or they are just pigs. Whether it is on the beach or around the pool, the staff can't keep up with the cups, wrappers, straws or whatever else hits the ground. Someone above us even threw a diaper off their balcony into a garden area surrounding the neighboring condo/villas. There seemed to be more maintenance staff visible on this stay. Not sure what that means, but the grounds and building were in good condition. The staff did their best to get us checked in early, without luck however due to an inordinate number of guests(I assume they were all guests). The place was absolutely packed 8/9/08. Still one our favorite destinations. Something strange happening also with the beaches. Is this erosion? The beachline used to be straight, now every 50-100 yards there is a spot where the water cuts in and has pulled sand out to make a sandbar just barely under the surface. Similar occurrance in PCB.

We stayed at this property with our infant daughter in July and had a great time. We stayed in the spa building. The room was older, but huge (a plus for families). Also, the view of the ocean was great - the beach is perfect there. To be fair, we upgraded with Hilton Honors, so we might have had a better room and view. With regard to the positives, the place is perfect if you like to run or walk in the mornings. There are jogging trails and you can even walk/run to Starbucks and shops which are only a half a mile or so away (they also sell Starbucks onsite if you're lazy :) ). It also was great because there is a nice indoor pool so we could get our little one out of the sun. On the downside, like I said, the rooms are older. Also, the breakfast is pretty high ($20) for what it is. Overall though, a good choice for families.

My husband had a sales meeting at this Hilton, so we decided to bring our kids and enjoy a few days at the beach with him. Have never been to this area before, and must say it was very nice. Clean and more than well appointed rooms. Ours faced the ocean and had two double beds with a couch that also was a pull out bed if needed. We had wi fi in our room which was priceless for my husband who was working the whole time. Very large room extremely clean with a mini fridge and microwave for your use. The pool areas were very clean, and well maintained. The Barefoot bar by the pool had great frozen drinks, I had ordered the same drink inside at the lounge and it was not as good. The resturants at the hotel were very pricey we choose to have a sandwich at the picnix deli, and ordered a snack from the outdoor bar, both of which were average and also pricey. The water out front ocean front was very clean, and at night they cleaned the beach so no trash was visable. Very nice touch. Complementary beach towels pool and beachside were an extra nice touch. The daily parking rate of 10.00 daily to self park was a little unreasonable, however it appears most who frequent this area are not worried about money... over all I would return again to this Hilton, note however... be wary of asking for guideance to food, we were given some very conflicting advice and ended up lost at night in an area we were very unfamilar with..

Stayed 5.17 - 22.08. We stayed with points so cannot speak from a cost perspective. My dad is a diamond member so that got us free continental breakfast and internet in the room. Otherwise the breakfast was a whopping $19.95 and the internet was $9.95 plus tax. For the full buffet breakfast you add an additional $7.50. Other costs....an umbrella and two chairs at the beach was $40 for full day and $25 for a half. Very pricey in my opinion. The restaurant at the pool was very expensive and would not recommend.

The hotel rooms and staff were great. The bunk beds for the kids were great and separated from the rest of the room. The rooms were large so the kids had room to do things as well. Beds were comfortable, sinks drained, water was hot, etc.

I would expect to have wi-fi in the hotel rooms, but only could get that down in the lobby area.

-The hotel room was incredible. Outstanding view of the beach, which is one of the best beaches in North America. The room needed a little updating but the bed and the layout of the room more than made up for older carpet and wallpaper. No matter what the cost of the upgrade, take the balcony rooms, they are worth it. Although it was pretty chilly in the evenings this time of year, the beach was very nice, even in bathing suit's.

-The bed was very comfortable, large, and plush.

-The room had a stocked refrigerator;however, you had to call down to housekeeping to have it stocked.

-The hotel rest. was very good, but very expensive ($18.00+tax). Lunch was more moderate ($10-14). The hotel bar was exceptional, good selection, but did not have enough staff to work during the weeknights. The Oyster bar outside, but on the hotel property, made eating at the hotel nice (very good selection).

-The golf course on the resort is a pitch and put, but there are other great courses around that make up for it.

-Numerous great resturaunts around the property, the outlet mall, bass pro shop, hard rock cafe, etc are about 5 miles away.

Hints: Hilton gold members are automatically upgraded to the next higher room, internet is free, and you will receive free continental breakfast coupons for the duration of your stay (or you can use these to get up to $11 off of the regular breakfast buffet price.

Rent a car, the shuttle from the the airport is $60 one way. Cabs are plentiful from the hotel but coming back is another story. The hotel shuttle runs all over the property (which is enourmous) but is on a 30 minute schedule at all stops and doesn't run after a certain time.

NEGATIVE: Even though this is a large convention hotel, they never had enough people working the front desk. Check in, even as a hilton honors member (pre-check in) was still a 20 minute ordeal. Check-out, with billing changes, plan on 30+ minutes.

We stayed at the Sandestin Hilton for Spring Break, April 2 - 6, 2008. This is my 3rd year staying here for spring break. We stay here for two reasons: beautiful beach and bunk beds in a spacious room. I have 3 children (8,7 and 5). The bunk beds in the junior suite allow us to comfortably share one room. The hotel has been renovated but still shows its age. Our toilet kept clogging and not nearly enough elevators for the number of rooms and guests. My children love it here, and as long as the rates are reasonable we will keep coming. This year we paid $129/night. Indoor pool is fantastic, and the beach can't be beat. I highly recommend this hotel for families with elementary school age children, just remember its an older hotel and your room may have some maintenance issues.

Let’s start with the positives: The Sandestin Hilton Golf Resort & Spa sits on the prettiest piece of beach that this world traveler has ever seen. Though the Florida Panhandle’s white powder beaches are well known in the region, they’re not so famous beyond the Southeastern US. And that’s a good thing, since it means that you should have plenty of towel space on the sand.

This Hilton property is part of a much larger resort development encompassing a golf course, numerous condominium complexes, and shopping areas. It’s actually outside/on the periphery of Destin proper, which has gone upscale in a big way, and though it’s geographically close to other “Redneck Riviera” beach towns like Ft. Walton Beach, it’s worlds away in terms of amenities and sophistication.

Our family of 2 thirtysomething adults and 2 twin toddlers, aged 4, really enjoyed the beach and outdoor pool area. (There’s also an enclosed heated pool if your visit coincides with bad weather.) Beyond the standard arrangement of 2 queen size beds, our room also featured bunk beds set into wall next to the entrance, which enabled the adults to stay awake into the night without disturbing the kids. The room décor was a bit like that of the rest of the hotel: solidly traditional, with country club-like greens and browns dominant. Which brings me to my main issue with this golf resort property: the Caddyshack factor.

Fans of sophomoric Chevy Chase comedies from the seventies will immediately relate to the slightly stodgy surroundings, which, though contemporary, seem to exhale an air of exclusivity. We arrived at night and were a little taken aback by the guard stationed by the main entrance, who gruffly asked to see our parking pass. (He softened slightly when we explained that we were just arriving, but I wondered if that was really such an uncommon occurrence at the main entrance to a hotel.) Any ill feeling was mitigated by the bell staff, who leapt over buildings to make us feel welcome.

Would-be guests are advised to beware the hidden fees at this property. Charging $10 for parking might make sense in a city setting, less so on a sprawling suburban campus. $10 plus tip for valet parking seemed a little high, as did the nearly $20 per person breakfast buffet (thankfully, kids under 6 eat free). In a hotel of this caliber, I expect free wireless Internet in my room, and not to have to cough up $10 a day for this privilege. In other words, beyond complimentary beach towels and free fishwrap (USA Today), expect to be nickel and dimed for just about everything else at this property.

That said, would I stay again? Definitely. If you want a modicum of luxury – even of the hoary Caddyshack variety – amid the most perfect beaches imaginable, look no further.

Large rooms that over-look pool and beach. The beds were large and very comfortable. Balconys are perfect size and have nice furniture to sit and have wine and watch the sun set.

The pools are clean and beautiful. Beaches are wonderful with great drink service.

This hotel has ideal location to outlet malls, little shops, restaurants and the grounds surrounding are beautiful.

I would come again and again.

This a very beautiful property... My husband, 15 year-old son, and I flew into Pensacola (great fares with Air Tran) for a 4-day Springbreak holiday. The Hilton folks were wonderful and even upgraded our room to one that had a little alcove with bunk beds (and a separate TV) that my son enjoyed. We had a beautiful King bed with a lovely linens. Lots of room and easy computer access. The beach is long and beautiful, but the weather was more windy and cool than we would have liked. Thankfully the sun came out! There were folks on the beach, but the chaise loungers at the pool were actually nicer to use due to the wind-protection on the deck (and were free!) My husband loved the Raven golf course and I loved the hotel spa (which was nicer than I'd expected)! We had a car but there's a free shuttle that can take you throughout the massive Sandestin resort with tons of restaurant offerings and lots of shopping (including outlets). Just a short drive away we happened upon a new shopping/restaurant complex and had a fabulous meal at Flemings (they have great-priced specials each night and an outstanding wine list!) The hotel was full -- with lots and lots of kids (both little and college aged) -- but we still got good service and enjoyed ourselves!

I stayed at the Sandestin Hilton with my husband and two children for four nights during the first week in April. As with any beach vacation, the weather has a lot of impact. I'd say the weather was "okay" but one is safer to go further south in Florida at this time of year. However, the Hilton offered great rates and we were interested in seeing this area for the first time.

The Sandestin community is very beautiful and upscale. It seemed to attract a very family oriented and safe crowd. We enjoyed our visits to the Village at Baytown Wharf.

The Hilton has a prime location right on the beach. We only paid for a "partial ocean view" so our view was on the east side of the building, primarily looking at the pink condo building next door, but we were on the 6th floor and could see parts of the beach also. No problems with check-in and the bellhops were attentive and personable.

The beach, grounds, and pools were very attractive. The gulf was warm enough for our kids to play in. It was also nice having an indoor pool when the weather was iffy, although it is fairly small and noisy.

We had one of the kid rooms with the bunk beds. It was not "deluxe" (updated) although it seemed some things had indeed been updated. The bedding looked to be the same as the udpated, the bathrooms are the same and we had a flat screen tv. The bunkbeds were still the old style and they didn't have the extra TV in that area. The room is very spacious although in some ways it seemed to be some wasted space. The lone TV was really set up to be watched from the king bed, and it seemed all of us ended up congregating there rather than using the couch. Another negative is the bunk beds are right near the door to the room, so the kids hear all the hallway noise.

I agree with some previous posters that the biggest issues seem to be with housekeeping. We did receive service each day, but once it wasn't until about 4pm and we'd been out of the room since 10. They didn't consistently resupply soap, etc., but it was easy to get. What bothers me most is when garbage and dirty plates are left in the hall, and there were some near our room (not from us) for nearly 24 hours. I also felt they needed more service around the beach and pool picking up garbage. Also, as others have commented, they tend to run out of pool towels (to be restocked in 30 minutes, etc.) which seems unacceptable at a beach resort.

We had breakfast once at the buffet. It was very good, but they could have used more people restocking. We also had lunch once at the little cafe, and it was very good but expensive.

We certainly felt we got a good deal for the rates we paid and would go back.

This hotel has an excellent location on the beach and some of its rooms are very well decorated and quite roomy. We have stayed there twice and really the hassle is not worth it. We arrived at 2:15 PM and unlike other hotels we have stayed at -both deluxe and budget- we had a hassle for the second year over getting a room. We paid for a beach view but the first room we were assigned had no view -giant palm leaves covered the patio. Returning to the lobbyto ask for a room change, we were told we could stay in that room or sit in the lobby for nearly two hours because no other beach view room in thw whole hotel was cleaned. However, magically after 4PM, all would suddenly be ready. We were also told there were no Hilton honors floors which we found to be untrue.We are Hilton Gold. When we found the floors on our own and pointed that out, they shrugged.This is the same run around others have reported. We have never been treated like this at other places. It would finally agreed that we could sit in the first room for an hour and a half and then return for another room. We were also told that there would be no parking charge since the parking gates weren't working. Well, they charged us anyway.

They do have an indoor pool which was nice since the weather made it impossible to go out to the beach. The waitstaff in the cafe where we ate breakfast were pleasant and efficient. Unfortunately, the way were treated at check-in (and it was attitude as well as what they said), left us with a bad feeling about our stay. It seemed they did not want us there.

For the price --- the room is nice. There is a great beach and several pools. There were only 2 places to eat dinner. One was very expensive and one had a very limited menu. We were also hoping to Golf but there was only a $20 discount for staying there and then green fees with the discount were $100-$150 --- no deal there. Also if you need the internet , there is an extra $10 charge. Parking in $10/night. My advice -- stay there and go outside the resort for everything else.

Ok, so after a couple referrals and a look at online photos, I picked the Hilton to spend a long anniversary weekend in Destin. After 7 years and 4 children, this was the first vacation my husband and I have ever had together. The goal was to find a really nice room and a really nice location where we could thoroughly enjoy ourselves. I booked the King Executive Suite. Sounds really nice, huh? It's not! What bothered me the most, and what I don't see any of these reviews mention is that NONE of these rooms are actually suites! Its a standard room with a loveseat and a small table. That does NOT make a suite! When we walked into the room, I couldn't believe I was hit for $150/night. We were placed in the Spa Tower. The room was incredibly small and outdated and the bathroom was TINY! The tub was half a tub so forget a romantic bubble bath for two! Some towels were white, some were grey, but they all felt like scrub pads~hello?? Downy anyone?? There were scuff marks on the walls and the carpet looked old and dirty. We didn't arrive until 6:30pm and were exhausted after the 3 hour drive, so we just settled in. In the morning I looked online and found another hotel about a mile down the road that offered true suites for $99 night. I called down to see about checking out early and was told I would still be charged for an extra day since I made the reservation for 3 nights.

I, of course, went downstairs to personally complain. The best thing I can say about this hotel was that the staff was very friendly and very professional everywhere we went. I didn't have to get ugly or rude with the front desk staff. I was immediately offered another room and allowed to check it out before agreeing. We were moved to the emerald tower where the room basically had the same layout, but had been renovated, updated, and was CLEAN, so although I was still not getting a "suite" I was much happier with my surroundings.

However, not once during our entire stay did anyone come by to clean our room. Only once did housekeeping stop by to see if we needed towels or anything. We were visiting from Biloxi, MS and have stayed a couple times at the Beau Rivage there. A STANDARD room comes with a King or 2 Queen sized beds that are so comfortable, you never wanna get up. The rooms are lavishly decorated. The bathrooms are HUGE with marble tiled floors and seperate shower and garden tub, and bath robes hanging in the closet. Everyday when we left the room, we returned to find the room clean, towels replaced, and bed was made as if we'd just checked in. Mind you, they have almost 1800 rooms. A suite in this hotel is defined by an actual seperate living space and bedroom. Oh, and they don't charge you $10-$20 extra for self parking or valet! The valet charge is whatever you decide to tip the driver for parking your car.

This was our first time staying at a Hilton hotel, and we were definitely not impressed. The only impressive part of our stay was Room Service, though expensive, was always extremely quick and courteous. Oh, and although checkout is at 11am, housekeeping made sure to knock on our door at 8:50am to ask if we were checking out soon. In other words, "Are you leaving soon so I can hurry up and clean the room?"

This hotel is in a beautiful location and has a lot to offer, however watch out for the slamming doors in the suite tower! I think the wind gets in the room and the door when closed slams! It is very disturbing while sleeping. I am sure the hotel has heard this before.

The main restaurant was wonderful for breakfast! The Staff was very accommodating!

The hotel was remodeling areas so watch out for wet paint! The hotel is wonderful and remodeling rooms will make it better!

Please take advantage of the Baytowe Village, lots to do and great places to eat!

We come back at least twice a year! Great place.

My husband began working for his company in 1993. Since then, I have visited the Sandestin Hilton over 25 times for conferences and conventions. My next trip will be 8-8-08 through 8-12-08 and here are some preparations I will make:

* I will bring Tilex Mildew Remover Spray and I will spray the entire bathroom as soon as I hit the room. The caulking in the tub will be mildewed and there will be a general appearance of "not really clean" that I will take care of myself before putting my naked feet on the tile floor or my naked bum on the potty.

* I will bring two scented candles to enjoy during my stay. I know that if I get a room in "the old section" (the tallest building of guest rooms) it will smell like mildew because there has been hurricane damage (minor, but wet) over the years and once the carpet gets wet, there is absolutely nothing anybody can do to really get it dry.

* A reservation has been made for one of the corner rooms with the wrap-around balcony. If something happens and I am downgraded to a Jr. Suite, I will INSIST that I get a room as far away from the elevator as possible to avoid all-night noise from partiers who do not sleep. If I am offered a room above the third floor, I will refuse because I will only hoof three flights of stairs, knowing that the elevators take forever if you get on an upper floor. Also, I will NOT open the curtains during mid-day in a corner room since, with the added windows in the corner room, it is impossible to cool the room. Continuing to crank down the air conditioning until it is set on 60 will only freeze up the unit.

* I will remove the top bedspread immediately and make sure the little card is in place to tell the maid I want my bedsheets changed every day instead of their usual routine of every third day (to conserve water).

* I will plan to take the shuttle on my one excursion to shop because parking spaces - well, there won't be one. Ever. I could Valet, but who needs the hassle?

* When someone is using the suite directly below mine as a Hospitality Suite and has "Sweet Home Alabama" cranked up beyong the endurance of his speakers, I will call management - not once, but every fifteen minutes. Like clockwork.

I will avoid a certain bartendress at the poolside bar who has been an employee there since at least 1993. Three years ago, she served my friend a beverage with a long, curly, dark hair floating on the top. I happen to have short, curly, dark hair and happened to be standing on the other side of my friend. When said friend asked for "One without the hair," bartendress screwed up her face, gestured to me, and said, "Well, its HER hair."

Excuse me? It jumped off my head, grew 6 inches, floated horizontally three feet across my friend and into her glass?!?! I wrote this incident up on a comment card. No response from management.

All in all, if you must go to the SDH, be prepared and take it with a grain of salt. If you add a little tequilla and lime juice, you'd have one of their $9.00 margaritas.

We are loyal Hilton customers. I am a gold honors member and used the majority of my points to stay 6 nights at this resort. I will say this is a beautiful resort. It is in a perfect location and close to everything. However, I will never in a million years suggest this resort to anyone! We had so many issues that we ended up checking out 2 nights early.

This hotel nickle and dimes you! When we checked in I was told we were supposed to have breakfast coupons for every day of our stay but to come back because they weren't filled out. We forgot about it , went the next morning to only be given 2 coupons and told yet again to come back for the rest. We went to breakfast (which was supposed to be FREE) and had to pay $20! I was never told but the coupons are only for dry food and anything hot is considered the buffet cost. We were not happy at all and the waitress was so mean when we asked why we were being charged. We paid our bill and went back only 1 more time for cereal. Parking is $10 a day, which is nuts, and there is no free internet anywhere in the hotel. Daily charge is $9.95 or you can use their business center which is $5 for 10 minutes!

The room is pretty spacious but for some dumb reason the bunk bed area is in the front of the room and right by the door. The sliding door to the deck was falling off the railing and would get stuck. Also, unlike most Hiltons, the main bed was extremely uncomfortable. There were also stains on the floor. The cleaning staff would only make our bed, put in new towels, and leave. I don't think they ever vacuumed once.

This also had to be the nosiest resort I have ever stayed at. Not only can you hear the water running and toilet flushing from next door, but the doors slam so loud it would shake the room! Understandably, this resort is filled with families. I can understand a certain amount of noise but to have children running up and down the halls at all hours of the night is insane! I am not a complainer, but after 3 nights of dealing with a 2 year old who couldn't sleep due to the screaming and yelling in the halls, I finally called down to the front desk (it was 11:30 pm). A security guard came up to check on the situation and then started banging on our door. I opened it quietly and explained I was trying to get my daughter to sleep. I was rudely told "you were the one who called and I took care of it", then he stormed off. The next morning we checked out. I have since filed a complaint with Hilton Honors and received an email from the resort saying I would get an upgrade if I was to return. Why the heck would I return?? I would rather poke my eyes out!

We only stayed at the Hilton one night (thank goodness), while we were awaiting our condo to be available. I have to admit, you cannot beat the location (if you can deal with the crowds). However, I was very UNHAPPY with the cleaniness of our bathroom. There was hair all over the floor, in shower, sink, and no telling where else. I seriously doubt we will ever return.

My fiance and i wanted a weekend relaxing getaway on the beach. This hotel could not get anything right!!! We requested a room with a beach view and received one with a parking lot view. No remote control for the tv, so 3 calls and an hour later we get one. The valet losses our keys!!!! And then just a bunch of little things. On the positive side: large room and a gorgeous beach. Will never stay here again!!

We just got back from our week stay at the Hilton Sandestin. The room was beautiful, clean, and the view was fantastic...however, we had major problems with service.

It took many calls to even get out reservation right and with each call the price for the room changed and one time even doubled. When we talked to Sheryl to complain about the confusion, she said that we needed to make up our mind and that she would gladly cancel our reservation for us!

On our five day stay we only had washcloths two of the days, even after calling the front desk for more! Some days we had coffee supplied in the room but no cups!

When we checked out there was a suprising $10 per day charge for self-parking! We had not been informed of this and when we questioned it they said it was posted on a small sign on the bellhop desk! They finally took this off, but not very happily! Then we were told "next time we would know better"!!

The hotel itself was beautiful, but the service was very sub-standard!!!!

I stayed here 8-9 to 8-15 with my wife and three kids. I was surprised when checking in at 4:30 that our room was not yet ready. When I asked for an approximate time when it would be available, I was told that it wasn't possible to say, could be 10 minutes could be an hour. Since we self parked and carried our luggage into the lobby, I asked if we could have it held at the bell stand until our room was ready. I was told that there was no where we could stow our luggage, he suggested we put it back in the car. Thankfully, bad situation was avoided when the room became ready 10 minutes later. As a Hilton Diamond member, I used points for the stay but was still able to get a beach/pool view junior suite in the tower.

The room was passibly clean but there were piles of lint under the blowers.

Daily room cleaning was only cursory and we had to request replacement of sundaries as this was overlooked. When we called for these and additional towels, we received prompt attention.

The phone was not working correctly as all of the "speed dial" buttons were not functioning. In order to call the various departments, we needed to dial "0". The remote was missing the menu button so we needed to work around the other buttons in order to order a movie one evening.

I thought the price of a daily rental of 3 beach chairs and an umbrella was quite excessive capping out at $60. The policy on the towls (checking them in and out) was confusing. I was told we would be charged if we did not check them back in but when inadvertantly, we deposited them in the recepticals located poolside I was releived to see that we were not charged. A few times, the poolside towel counter was closed and we had to hunt around for towels located in the indoor pool. None of the staff was able to tell us why they were closed nor where we could get towels. Another guest informed us that there were towels indoors.

We ate lunch at the poolside restaurant only one day, the quality of the food was subpar and quite overpriced. We had the buffet breakfast one day which was also overpriced but better quality.

The $10 daily parking charge also seemed high for self parking.

I have had the opportunity to stay in many of the Hilton brand hotels and resorts and have to say that this property is well below the standard that I have become accustomed to with Hilton. The area is beautiful and the beaches are spectacular, there was plenty to do in the area for a family with teens and pre-teens but I would definitely make other hotel arrangements.

We stayed at the Sandestin Hilton from July 6-12, 2008. The first thing you want to avoid is the front desk clerk. Her name is Ariel. There are several other clerks. But I got so lucky **not**. She was rude. She erased the notes that Hilton Honors had put in our reservation about a free upgrade. She told me we would have to pay $50 a day to upgrade from a partial view to a beachview room. She told me that upgrades were based on availability. Well apparently they had them or else she wouldn't have offered me one for a price. Hilton Honors read me the notes in my file when I was getting ready to check out. She called me a liar. She said I told her two different stories. I was really pissed when I went down to the lobby. I asked for a manager. After about 5 minutes one appeared. She spent 15 minutes listening to me about what happened. She assured me that "Ariel" would be disciplined. (yeah right) She even called us later to tell me that they sat her down for retraining. I am not sure that happened either. I am still going to report them to Hilton Honors.

On to the room, which should have had a beachview and only had a partial if you stood on the end of the balcony and looked around the building beach view. I am by no means the world's greatest housekeeper. I expect more when I stay at a Hilton. We have stayed at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. Now that place is a hotel with cleaning standards and beautiful rooms. I digress. The room was dusty. At every wall and corner of the carpet there was a pile of dust. I found several dead bugs in the same area and a couple live ones. The ceiling by what I would consider the return air vent was black. I like to wash my hair before I go to the beach. I don't like going out with it standing straight up. I was washing my hair leaning over the tub. The ledge that ran down the length of the tub, you know where you put your shampoo and soap, etc. Don't look under that ledge. OMG!!!! It was black with mold. It was disgusting. My husband is a pacifist. I wanted to call the front desk and have someone come clean it up. He said no, we wouldn't be there that much. But when I was at the front desk at check out, I let the manager know all of it. We used Hilton Honors points to book our room. At check-in you would have thought we came from a homeless shelter and were asking for a free meal. Ariel was rude. She acted like we had no business staying there. After everything that happened we would have been better off at a Holiday Inn. We have been going to Destin for over 10 years. We have only skipped 2 years. We will take a condo on Holiday Isle any day over the Hilton.

Now for the housekeeping staff. They were very pleasant. They came quickly when we asked for towels or blankets. They knocked on our door to clean it. When I informed them that we would be awhile she asked if there was anything they could do for us. She changed the sheets on our bed, the kids were laying in it with sunscreen on. eewww. She also brought us towels. I told her no need to come back today we were good. I washed some swimsuits and underclothes in the guest laundry. I was surprised the guest laundry was very clean. While I was doing laundry, housekeeping came through and thoroughly cleaned each washer and dryer. You don't see that everyday. I wish they were as thorough with the rooms.

Now the pool staff were nice. Because we needed 6 towels we had to sign them out. Geez like I would want their towels. My kids only remember one thing. One day while swimming at the pool, a guy from the hotel came out carrying a large bag. He sat it down next to the pool area. He looked around hollered "Free Ice Cream!!!" The kids swarmed him. He gave everyone a free container of ice cream including adults. He had chocolate and vanilla. He even gave out a few seconds. The kids thought that he was the best.

I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. When I think Hilton, I think of something beautiful. I think of large spacious clean beautiful rooms. I think of being treated politely by every person you come in contact with from the hotel. I don't think of dirt and rudeness. Especially by the first person you meet when you walk in.

The manager informed us that there was a fireworks display that night again on the beach. I told her we weren't interested. We would watch it from our clean comfy surroundings of the condo we rented for the next week on Holiday Isle. By the way, we had a wonderful time the next week.

Hope this helps someone. I also told her that we would not be staying there again. I expected more from a Hilton. Don't get me wrong the common areas of the hotel were beautiful. I was left with a sour taste in my mouth from front desk. The manager asked me why I didn't ask for her at check-in. I told her the clerk pretty much pissed me off royally and I was afraid of what I would say or do. I was so pissed, I was ready to come across the desk at Ariel. But I was good and maintained self control. Needless to say I will drop a couple grand down on Holiday Isle. Apparently the Hilton doesn't need my money. I did get my own dig in about Ariel. I told the manager that Ariel would be better suited to a job in the hotel laundry dept. She didn't need to have direct contact with guests, especially not the first person they meet.

It was a very fancy place and I could go on and on about how wonderful each area was, but I won't since the point of my review is that it wasn't worth the high price I paid. I had looked online for the fanciest hotel I could find so that my family would have the best experience possible. I thought I had found it at this place. I paid $403 per night and expected a nice room. I was a bit concerned that their web site had almost no room photos. Well we got a big surprise, a fairly worn out below average room. We were very disapointed that it felt like we had a motel 6 room in a seedy part of town. My wife still won't let me forget that I wasted so much money on that place. ugh!

I booked directly with the HIlton Hotel. I asked before booking if I could get an early check-in as I had meetings all day Sunday and was told "no problem", I arrived at the hotel and was told "we have no rooms available" I said that was not good enough and asked for the manager. A little fat man came out to see me and give me a lesson on booking hotel rooms and the policies of the Hilton at Sandestin -- If you are looking for a hotel in this area, go to the Courtyard by Marriott, it is friendly, welcoming and they will do everything to make you stay wonderful.

I stayed in the tower with the corner suites. The front desk was "OK" the Seagar's restaurant used to be much better in quality and service. I was told that the General Manager doesn't know anything about food and thus is not a priority. Obviously that was true. Housekeeping was fair at best, lots of trash in the hallways never cleaned up.

We stayed here during the gustav evacuation of New Orleans. Any change in our plans forced by the evacuation - having to arrive a day early, leave a day later - was met with "sorry, any change in the original reservation must be charged full price". No empathy for us, just coldness with an eye toward taking advantage of others. We came here with 6 other families, but none of us will ever patronize a Hilton resort again after our experience, here.

I travel all year for business and picked this hotel for a few days or R&R. Hated it, Hated it, Hated it. Please, stay at the the Motel6 and spend the difference on food and fun. Parking is a problem, my room felt like a Dungeon and they would not move me, trash in the outdoor can has not been removed for the entirety of my 3 day stay, and they ding you for B.S. fees right and left. I was so disapponted that I cancelled future Hilton stays and am switching out of the Diamond program. Destin is great, just don't expect a classy Hilton Hotel.

TRAVELERS, PLEASE BEWARE! The stardards at the Hilton have dropped to far below par. I have stayed in this hotel several times before and prior to this visit, had been my first choice of places to stay in Destin. The hotel is great if you are looking for a beach hotel with great pools, super spa, beautiful beach, Kid's Day Club, and a close proximity to everything. However, the inside of the hotel is in need of renovation, a thorough cleaning from top to bottom and most importantly, a more efficient cleaning staff with managers/supervisiors who take pride in making sure that the cleaning staff is doing a proficient job. The hallways are dark and dingy. The paint is peeling in hallways and rooms. The carpet throughout is well worn and stained. The tables in the lobby and on each hall as you get out of the elevator are caked with dust. The chrome on the elevators have not been cleaned thoroughly in years it would appear. It looks like no one takes pride in making sure the hotel is clean! The sheets and comforters are stained. Even when they change the sheets and the comforters, they are stained too!

We arrived on Friday, August 1 and witnessed several guests discussing their issues with management at the front desk. We shopped all day and went to the room assigned in the tower building around 8:30 p.m. Upon entering the room, there was a smell of mildew. The pillow cases were stained and appeared to have mascara on several of them. The sheets were also stained. It looked like the maid service had not changed the sheets from the prior guests and instead just made up the bed. After going to the front desk to complain(again witnessing guests loudly expressing their displeasure with management or clerks), we were given a room in the Spa Building. The room smelled better and had a perfect view. Couldn't ask for anything better right? The sheets in this room had human hair on them. YUK! The pillows had even more stains than the first room. The comforters were nasty and the throw that went across the bed had stains we couldn't idenfiy. We called the front desk to complain again and the clerk said that she would send someone up to change the linen. These sheets and comforters were clean but dingy. The towels were so dingy that they looked more faded gray than white. W

If you are picky as I am about hotels, then I'd suggest staying at the Couryyard, Residence Inn or a place in the Wharf with beach access. You might also try renting a condo through VRBO. I love Destin but I'll be renting through Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort for one of their beach properties, VRBO or choosing to stay at a Marriott property with beach access. Unfortunately, no more Hilton Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort for me.

P.S. Kudos to Taylor at the front desk and Kevin in the Spa for delivering superb customer service.

Unfortunately, this is my first negative review on TripAdvisor. After spending a great week in Seaside, we needed to book a hotel room for one night b4 returning home from our summer vacation. We are frequent visitors to the South Walton Beach area and have often admired the Hilton Sandestin complex...from Hwy 98. We booked a room with 2 queen beds on Hotels.com and were anxious to spend a restful evening in beautiful surroundings. After check-in, much to our surprise, we found the room that we were given had not been cleaned with unmade beds. When we returned to the front desk, the college interns (who, by the way, were GREAT) were very apologetic and offered to upgrade us to a room in the newest building in the complex. We accepted, although it was a King room (with sofa bed) as there were no available rooms with two beds.

Notes from the "upgraded" room: carpet stains, "scuffed" walls in need of paint, stains on sheets, no pillows for sofa bed - they arrived approx 45 minutes after a request was made - unfortunately, they too had stains, and stains on shower curtain.

I wish we had consulted TripAdvisor before booking as we passed the Residence Inn and Courtyard by Marriott @ Grand Boulevard enroute to the Hilton. Either would have been a better choice for a comfortable night's stay.