10 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.

Of the properties in the Sandestin resort complex, this hotel offers the best value, with the lowest rates and plenty of amenities, including free bicycles, bodyboard and kayak rentals, fitness center access, and tennis court time.

You can sleep at least four and as many as eight in the luxurious one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments at this high-rise resort on Panama City Beach. There are lots of on-site activities and amenities, including eleven pools; four whirlpool tubs; shuffleboard, pickleball, and tennis court; a par-3 golf course; and sunsets galore.

Even locals seek out the views at this harbor-front destination-within-a-destination that has luxurious accommodations, as well as amenities like a spa, marina, health club, and indoor/outdoor pools. Guest rooms, from suites to four bedrooms, have balconies with panoramic views. The HarborWalk Village, just steps away, offers oodles of activities and entertainment for the whole family, including shops, restaurants, water sports, thrill rides, fishing charter boats, pirate and dolphin-watching boat tours, and nightlife.

Known for its 250-foot lazy river and cascading waterfall, this Gulf-front hotel is one of the most family-friendly on the beach. It has stylish guest rooms done in a cool and vibrant color scheme inspired by the ocean. For families, or adult travelers who are still kids at heart, the hotel offers Kidsuites with a PlayStation, as well as an indoor game room and such amenities as seasonal movies and children's activities. After sunset, the friendly staff mixes up concoctions at a four-story tiki bar.

At this family-friendly beachside resort, activity revolves around a 194,000-gallon pool (allegedly the area's largest) with a spectacular swim-through waterfall and a bar in the Grotto's rock wall. There's even a mermaid named Misty. There are several on-site dining options.

One of Southern Living's 10 Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Florida, these vacation-rental condos are luxuriously appointed and feature both sound and Gulf views. Each tower has its own private pool in addition to the larger resort pool, where you can have drinks and food brought right to your lounge chair. 

Accommodations here include high-rise condo units and low-rise townhouse villas; some are directly on the beach, and others are just a short walk (or golf-cart ride) away. Convenient to the properties are the Dunes Putting Course, a basketball court, and winding paths. There is a tunnel underneath the highway for those who might want to walk or bike to the bayside amenities.

This resort with 1,000 feet of beachfront on the quieter end of Panama City Beach has something for everyone and enough amenities and activities to keep you busy for days without ever leaving the property. Accommodations range from studios for two to beach houses that can sleep 16 people. There are multiple indoor and outdoor pools, some heated, as well as sizeable water slides and lazy rivers. It's a kid's dream, with on-site mini golf, a games arcade, and a playground. In summer, special activities include games, karaoke, sunset s'mores, and foam parties. 

Accommodations in or near The Village of Baytowne Wharf—amid the resort’s many bayside dining, shopping, nightlife, and outdoor-activity offerings—include Observation Point North and South; Market Street Inn; Pilot House; the commanding, hotel-like Grand Sandestin; and the luxury options at LaSata, Bahia, and Elation in the Grand Complex. Among the bayside attractions are the Baytowne Marina, Sandestin's Tennis Center, and the kid-friendly Jolee Island Nature Park.