Photo provided by Sandestin Hotel. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

By Pamela Dittmer McKuen

11-Dec-24 – A beachfront vacay to the gorgeous Emerald Coast is even more alluring since the extensive renovation at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa.

The $35 million makeover brings elevated experiences and lush furnishings to the resort’s 590 guest rooms and suites, restaurants, and spa. The project coincides with the resort’s 40th anniversary of welcoming its guests to Miramar Beach in Northwest Florida.

Sandestin is an upscale beach and golf development on the Destin Peninsula with Choctawhatchee Bay on the north and the Gulf of Mexico on the south.

Hilton recently invited me to visit the upgraded property for a few days of stay, play, and sunshine. I’m delighted to show you around:

Casual luxury

Exuding a contemporary coastal aesthetic, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa is divided into two towers: Spa Tower and Emerald Tower. Situated between them are the lobby, restaurants, and gift and apparel boutique. On the lower level of the Spa Tower are the spa and salon, fitness center, and indoor swimming pool.

(Left) Lobby of the Hilton Sandestin. Photo by Michael Booini

The heart of the resort is the sundeck, where palm trees and cobalt blue umbrellas mingle with swimming pools, chaise lounges, cabanas, a whirlpool tub, and fire pit. Beyond that is the pristine beach, shared with avian and marine life.

Guests have access to four golf courses and more than a dozen tennis courts within the greater Sandestin community. Also nearby are state parks, coastal dune lakes, underwater art museum, Silver Sands Premium Outlets mall, and miles of hiking and biking trails.

My room, a generously sized junior suite with a balcony overlooking both the beach and swimming pools, was furnished with both a king bed and a sofa sleeper. A cool family feature is the bunk bed niche with its own wall-mounted television monitor. A separate second mirrored vanity is in addition to the one in the bath. There’s also a coffee station with a microwave and mini-fridge.

Water ways

On Miramar Beach, sugary white sand meets up with the crystal-clear emerald water of the Gulf of Mexico. The team at the resort’s Beach Hut will set you up with a duo of lounge chairs and an umbrella to anchor your own private space for sun or shade. They can also arrange for kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, beach volleyball, and bonfires with s’mores.

Two sprawling outdoor swimming pools, which are heated in winter, are circled with lounge chairs and eight reservable cabanas. Hilton Sandestin

There is also an indoor pool in the lower level of the Spa Tower near the fitness center and Serenity Spa.

Spa sensation

In addition to the robust menu of facial and body therapies, salon services, and fitness classes, the much-lauded Serenity by the Sea Spa now provides touchless wellness treatments.

They’re a great alternative for guests who may not be comfortable with the intimacy of a traditional hands-on massage. Photo by Michael Booini

I first indulged in a Swedish-style massage with lavender oil and moved on to a touchless hydrojet massage. For that, you lie on a bed while the warm water-filled mattress gyrates in a wave action beneath you, from head to toe and back again. You’ll have to experiment to get the intensity of the pressure right for you. My initial setting felt like rigorous wave action, so I turned it down to a gentler swaying motion. I also added red light therapy during which I was covered with a full-body pad, or blanket, which emits low levels of infrared light to your skin cells. The light is said to stimulate collagen production and enhance overall wellness.

I blissed out even further in the soothing ambiance of the women’s spa lounge, which is decked out in an array of cushy seating and a quiet room with zero-gravity loungers. Light, healthful fare and premium libations are served for breakfast and lunch.

Let’s eat

Hilton Sandestin stirs your appetite with six onsite dining options, from grab-and-go to white tablecloth fanfare.

The resort’s signature venue is Seagar’s, an exquisite fine dining venue under the artful leadership of executive chef Fleetwood Covington. Known for prime beef and fresh seafood, the restaurant has been honored as a AAA Four Diamond Steakhouse since 2000. The 600-plus-label wine list has repeatedly earned Wine Spectator magazine’s prestigious Best of Award of Excellence.

At your table, service captains, smartly attired in black suits and white French cuffs, deftly assemble Caesar salads, debone and filet Dover soles, and flame bananas Foster (right). Photo by Pamela Dittmer McKuen

We indulged ourselves by ordering all three.

Just off the lobby, Sandcastles Restaurant is the primary all-day dining room with a menu featuring local and seasonal cuisine.

The new brick pizza oven is a proven hit. Sit at the counter and watch the kitchen artisans at work. An expansive buffet and eggs-to-order breakfast is served in the morning. The adjacent Sandcastles Lounge is an energetic sports bar. Sandestin Hotel

At Hadashi Sushi Bar, generations of sushi masters hand-craft raw-bar favorites and a rotating roster of specialty rolls along with Asian-inspired appetizers and noodle dishes.

Overlooking the blue-green waters of Miramar Beach is Barefoot’s Beachside Bar & Grill, a seasonal al fresco eatery with a casual menu of burgers and seafood sandwiches, tropical cocktails and 30A Beach Blonde, a local ale.

Visit the village

Hop aboard a complimentary tram from the resort to the nearby Village of Baytowne Wharf, which resembles a charming fishing hamlet with eateries, boutiques, souvenir shops, live entertainment, and more fun times. Follow the boardwalk to Baytowne Marina, a 210-slip marina on Choctawhatchee Bay that offers charters, pontoon rentals, and no-wake watersports.

(Right) Baytowne Wharf. Photo provided by Sandestin Hotel.

We took a cruise around the bay on the Solaris, a 125-foot yacht by SunQuest Cruises, which hosts public dinners with live music and private events. It was a sunny afternoon, and we were thrilled to spot a couple of dolphins at play.

Afterward, we stopped in at the Marina Bar & Grill, a highly rated sports bar with Jimmy Buffet vibes. That’s where we met up with Mary Ann, the bar’s ambassador blue-and-gold macaw, whose vocabulary consists of “Hello,” “Hola,” “Mary Ann,” whistles, dog barks, cat purrs, and kissing sounds.

Someone should teach her to say, “Come back soon,” because we surely will. Sandestin Hotel

More info:

• Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa
• Sandestin – Visit South Walton, FL
• Sandestin Marina
• Serenity by the Sea Spa
• The Village of Baytowne Wharf