4 Best Hotels in The Panhandle, Florida

No detail has been overlooked—from the grand foyer to the beautifully appointed rooms decorated in soothing coastal shades—making this the ultimate resort for luxury and tranquility. Many rooms have a superb view of Henderson Beach State Park's 208 acres of unspoiled natural beauty. Other rooms offer express service to the hotel's Salamander Spa, with an extensive menu of treatments to revive body and soul. Thirteen local artists were commissioned to create 465 custom pieces of art that decorate the hotel. Sister properties include the one- and two-bedroom Henderson Loft Condos and the Henderson Park Inn, a 36-room hotel on the beachfront adjacent to the park. The Inn is adults-only and its amenities include a breakfast buffet, box lunch, happy hour, and access to the pools and other services at the resort hotel.

At the crown jewel of the area's latest—and largest—planned resort community, nature meets seaside chic in dune-level bungalows that have private courtyards with outdoor showers and upper rooms that have huge balconies and walk-in showers with windows overlooking the Gulf so you can see the sea while you scrub. Standard rooms come with a king-size bed and a queen sleeper sofa, but consider one of the three rotunda rooms for something larger and more spectacular. Included in the room rate are parking, Wi-Fi, one hour of canoeing, one hour of tennis, and bicycle use.

Not only does this boutique property, the newest hotel within the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort complex, have coastal chic written all over it, but its sleek rooms have Gulf or Choctawhatchee Bay views. The vistas are also spectacular from the Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge, which serves creative cocktails, as well as salads and other quick bites. At Ovide, chef Hugh Acheson uses French techniques and seasonal local ingredients to prepare inspired dishes at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

No detail was overlooked in the creation of this hotel, which offers luxury, elegance, and comfort. It is also home to Havana Beach Bar & Grill, which has earned AAA's Four Diamond rating and Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence.