Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Experience southern elegance with thoughtful design and exquisite detail. A fresh take on a coastal Florida hotel featuring smart solutions for the modern traveler. Taking inspiration from the locale, our fully appointed rooms and suites will welcome guests with a complement of amenities to include fine-dining, a rooftop bar and pool with cabanas, fitness center with Peloton, free transportation to the beach, and endless shopping, dining, entertainment and nature trails within the gates of the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Nice room. No iron (steamer instead), mini fridge, small balcony, shower only(no tub) but with a bar/foot rest that my wife says is for women when shaving their legs), no recycle bin, hairdryer, make up remover, cotton swabs, cotton balls, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, shower cap, lots of shelf space in bathroom, in room, coffee maker, in room safe, slippers, robes. Some corridor noise, but no noise from outside. Rooftop pool ~15 yards long, small fitness room one regular bite, one Peloton bike, two treadmills and one elliptical. Free freshly baked chocolate chip cookies at 5 in the lobby. Off-road bike/jogging/walking path to beaches almost 4.4 miles round-trip. Free shuttle, free beach towels. Larger pool at aquatic center available for guests. Self parking areas some are Eco friendly Gravel mesh. Amazingly never saw a mosquito. Walkable to "town square" an area with many restaurants and some shops (including a small grocery store. Most of restaurants in town square are typical somewhat overpriced theme park type food. The restaurant in Hotel Effie is actually quite good - and that was where we had our tastiest meal.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hotel Effie was such a great place to relax and enjoy pool and family time. From the moment we arrived we were welcomed by the one and only Nick W. He was awesome. Great recommendations, enthusiastic, and always welcoming when we saw him through out our stay. You cannot find people like him and we really appreciate Nick and the whole hotel staff. The resort is modern and only 2 years old so everything feels brand new from the rooms, pools, and hotel lobby. The hotel itself is located near the village with so many restraunts and fun activities for kids and family (ziplining, ice cream spots, escape room, braiding). You name it they have it. Amazing place I would highly recommend this hotel if your looking for fun in the sun. Oh I forgot to mention that the hotel has its own private beach location where a shuttle will take you daily. Thank you Hotel Effie!
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jo Brown, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection
Responded 5 Aug 2023
Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your experience at Hotel Effie Sandestin! We hope you can come back to see us again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel is beautifully renovated, great surroundings, easy to get the bus in and out. The restaurant in the hotel is one of the best I've eaten in the USA. Rooms are nice. The beach is amazing.
When we arrived we were offered "points or Breakfast", because of a loyalty hotel program my wife has. We chose breakfast. No problem there.
The stay was nice and all the employees were polite.
BUT at the check out we questioned the breakfast charges on the bill....
The lady was borderline rude, saying that we had to pay it. We questioned politely, saying that was offered by the receptionist at the check in, so they gave us the option and we chose, we were not understanding the charges.
She was again borderline rude and with no patience saying that we booked through a website not through the loyalty program so the breakfast could not be offered and there was nothing she could do (or she wanted to do) and that she saw it happen many times and they never refund the breakfast because of it.
At this point she was only talking like that to my wife and I stepped up and questioned, that the way she said sounds like We are the ones at fault, when it was offered by the receptionist of the hotel, otherwise we would never even know breakfast was included and we would paid out of pocket problem, it wasn't a money problem, but when the situation was that the option given came from the hotel, they should earn it and accept the refund. She was still on the defensive saying that the manager should check and the manager would arrive at 7 am, mind that it was 6 am and we were going to the airport.
In the end they stood by their word and refunded the breakfast BUT the whole conversation at check out and the manners of the lady was unacceptable, nothing should ever be talked like it was, the hospitality business is focused on the experience, and everything was great but ONE simple person marked the memory to a point that a month later I spent more time writing about 5 minutes of a conversation that SHOULD never happen than writing about the stay.
But the hotel is nice
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm disappointed by the changes made by Marriott. Upon arrival we were not greeted with complimentary beverages as we were in previous stays. Also the cleanliness of our bathroom was not up to par with hair left behind in the shower. Extremely disappointment with not having the direct bus route to the beach along with no private beach access however we did appreciate the complimentary beach chairs given. Also was disappointed to hear that most kitchen staff was fired and they were short handed during the holiday weekend. Rooftop closed at 9pm on a weekend night was frustrating also. I hope that this hotel does not take a decline or we will have to research different accommodates for our next holiday weekend.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We came for a wedding celebration..Effie hotel did not at all meet expectations for a four star hotel. Upon arrival our room smelled of cigarette smoke. We were transferred to another room however, it was difficult to regulate the temperature and it was very hot and stuffy. The staff said it takes a long time to cool down, but that never happened. It was hot throughout the night and difficult to sleep. we arrived Friday and left on Monday. Housekeeping never visited our room despite several verbal and in person requests. Each time I was promised they would come to the room to clean and make beds , however, they never did. I had to help myself to towels from housekeeping cart in the hallway, because our towels were never changed, and the bathmat was soaking wet. Each time I reported to the front desk, they said they would take care of the situation however, they never did. There was dog excrement on the main lobby floor outside the elevators. My husband had to report to the front desk However, they did not act out of urgency and clean it up. It was left there until somebody eventually came to clean. There were other amenities missing in the room that would have been helpful, including towel hooks in the bathroom bedside tables next to each side of the bed and bedside lighting and outlets. the shower Water pressure was extremely poor. I will say the beds were comfortable. And the hotel is very pretty, however, did not meet our expectations at all esp For the money we paid.. sad -cannot recommend this hotel - As much as I want to..
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Abigail Zaleske, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection
Responded 24 Apr 2024
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. Your feedback is essential in our effort to improve our service standards. I apologize for the experience within and beyond your guestroom. Your comments have been shared with the appropriate departments so that they may be addressed. Thank you for choosing Hotel Effie!
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We came to Hotel Effie for a quick anniversary getaway. Upon arrival Jace was inviting and helpful with our valet and getting us informed on how to call for our car when needed. Our room wasn’t ready since we arrived so early and Peter, the bellman, was very kind and assuring when storing our luggage. When we originally booked, we had spa appointments our first day of arrival but due to the weather we switched around our days so we could enjoy the rooftop pool on the nice day . The spa was very accommodating in making this happen. Unfortunately by the time we arrived the weather switched on us! We did get to the pool immediately after arrival to hang out and have lunch but it was so windy! The pool was very pretty and clean, and also heated. The pool deck is very nice with comfortable loungers, cabanas and a green space. I was a little disappointed in the pool bar/restaurant. The menu is limited, so we just got both of the sandwiches offered. The smash burger was pretty good but the lobster roll was just ok! Because of the weather we ended up heading to Baytowne for the rest of the day. The next day we had our spa appointments for a couples massage and pedicures. The spa is very pretty, comfortable and relaxing. Slade and Candy were awesome in their skill. We both felt soooo good after! We also loved our pedicure experience. Yvonne and (oh no I don’t have my techs name!!) were so sweet and funny! We had such pleasant conversations with them and also they did a fabulous job on our legs and toes. Not to mention plenty of refills on our delicious champagne! Later that night we dined at Ovide and OH MY GOODNESS…it was amazing!!! The atmosphere is beautiful, Jennifer, our waitress, was a sweetheart and knowledgeable about the menu, her recommendations were on point. We had so much food and I don’t regret it! The Biscuits, the kale salad, were enough to fill us up but we didn’t stop. My husband raved about the gumbo and he is a gumbo expert! Said it was some of the best he’s ever had. I had the snapper as my entree and it was a perfect portion after my starter. My husband had the filet and scallops and he is picky about his steak temperature. It was amazing! I know this is a long review but it’s well deserved. The hotel itself is so clean, beautifully decorated, minimal but perfect! Modern and sophisticated decor, fresh flowers everywhere! Our room was huge and impressive. I loved the hardwoods instead of gross carpeting, the bathroom was spacious and nice shelving allowed for storing/organizing. 5pm fresh cookies on every floor!! We could go on and on but bottom line, we will be back! Thanks Hotel Effie for a memorable stay!
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel Effie, Other at Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection
Responded 23 Apr 2022
Happy Anniversary MWheelless627! We are so happy you entrusted Hotel Effie with such a special occasion and we are thrilled to know we were able to contribute to your memorable experience! We love all of the valuable feedback and team member shout outs you gave. We try to treat all of our guests as family and we love hearing about our guests experiences... so Thank you! We are all looking forward to your return!
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This hotel should receive an award for excellence, from the beautiful landscaped exteriors, the absolute spotless clean interior and sophisticated rooms. The staff is beyond excellent, from the front desk the valet services, the wait staff, house keeping, restaurant and managers, bartenders, exemplary superior service. This is a high standards resort, unbelievable experience. Reasonable rates for this Superior Resort. Definitely returning!
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Abigail Zaleske, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection
Responded 3 Apr 2024
We sincerely appreciate your kind words about the service provided by our team members. We take great pride in our staff and their dedication to delivering exceptional service and will be sure to recognize their efforts with their leadership team.
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Hotel Effie is one of the best hotels I've stayed at in Destin! From the valet parking experience with them unloading your vehicle to them opening up the doors. They also bring the luggage up to your room after you have checked in. The hotel is very clean we had complimentary breakfast that we paid extra when we booked the room for 2 days and it was delicious. The overall look of the hotel is very clean and modern. I love the look of it. This is my third time staying there and I will have to say maybe two times I've stayed that I had to call housekeeping back up to come clean up the hair off the bathroom floors and in the room. My only complaint is that they need to have Swiffer sweepers to clean the room instead of brooms. The best could be a little bit softer they are more on the firm side but overall the stay is great. The pool is heated and the bar on top of the rooftop is amazing. I love the Baytown area when you walk outside of Hotel Effie you can go left or right and it is the most beautiful place in Destin to me. I enjoy my stay at Hotel and can't wait to go back!
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel Effie, Other at Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection
Responded 14 May 2022
Home away from home is exactly what we strive to create for our guests! Thank you Dabachelor69! We can't wait to have you return!
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The hotel itself is beautiful but beyond that, this wasn’t a luxury experience. The rooms are just fine, nothing spectacular, and our “ocean view balcony” had no furniture and you had to squint to see the water. The towels were threadbare and there was oddly not a solid bar of soap. The restaurants were frequently out of main items (pina coladas, avocado, coconut water, pimento cheese??) and had very little seafood, which should be a staple for a Gulf Coast resort. All food service stopped by 9pm. The pool deck closed every time it rained at all, and did not reopen despite the many hours of sunshine following the rain. The pool area is also very low on seating, and the pool is small and crowded. Finally, the pool menu itself is very small and uninspired. Having been to many luxury hotels, this just doesn’t measure up. Skip it and go to the Watercolor instead.
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Go elsewhere if you’re looking for a luxury vacation
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sophie Olsonowski, Guest Services / Front Office at Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection
Responded 25 Jun 2023
Your feedback is essential in our effort to improve our service standards. Your comments have been shared with the appropriate departments so that they may be addressed. Please feel free to contact us directly and it will be our pleasure to assist you.
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At first glance it feels like an upscale hotel-beautiful lobby, lovely floral aroma, and welcome drinks upon arrival. The room was spacious with thoughtful amenities. The experience, unfortunately, was less than upscale. The problem is with the staff. The majority of the staff are clearly inexperienced in hospitality. Our room, while beautiful, was not clean. The previous guest’s belongings were all over the room. There is also a problem with the water pressure and toilet flush. The bellhops gave a lackluster welcome and although there were a few of them outside they never offered to open doors or even greet us as we came and went and we tipped them all generously upon arrival. The front desk staff and inside bell staff made no acknowledgment as we walked past the desk to the side door even when we were the only guests in the vicinity. We were given a sheet of paper with amenities but no instruction on how to access the shuttle, bike or kayak rentals. The pool attendant greets you with “rules” about where you cannot sit unless you pay and reserve the spot. This is not a welcoming way to enter what should be a relaxing and fun space. The entire stay we had the feeling we were not welcome. The pet fee for one night was astronomical at $250 and as I mentioned our room wasn’t even clean when we arrived. You are also limited to a low level floor, thus no view. For what we paid for one night I expected to feel welcomed, appreciated, and to have the feeling that we wish we could stay longer or come again, but this was not the case. We had a second night available to stay but decided to move on. When I politely voiced my concerns (For future guests I think you should know…) both at check in and at check out I felt unheard and ignored. The only staff member who truly understood hospitality was the man at the coffee counter. He is wonderful and a pleasure to chat with-he has years in the hospitality industry and it shows. He should be training the rest of the staff and given a higher profile position. If you are used to hotels with high class service, you will be sorely disappointed with Hotel Effie.
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Poor water pressure, high pet fee, lack of hospitality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Imani Clairsaint-Moore, Owner at Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection
Responded 4 Apr 2023
Thank you for your feedback, and please accept my sincere apologies for the troubles you encountered during your stay. We pride ourselves on delivering an outstanding experience for our guests, and direct guest feedback when we fail, is an essential learning tool to help us improve. I would like nothing more than to turn around your impression of Hotel Effie, as I feel comfortable in saying that your experience, is not a typical guest one at our property. If you have the opportunity to provide additional detail, I assure you I will do everything in my power to remedy the situation. At your convenience, please feel free to email me directly at icmoore@hoteleffie.com so we are able to discuss in further detail. Thank you again for taking the time to leave a review, I hope to hear from you soon. Imani Clairsaint-Moore Front Office Manager
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If I remember correctly they aren't even beachfront. Id recommend bringing everything you'll need to whichever beach you go to. Go down to the 30A for the best experience.
Yes there is a charger
For the cabanas. The price is different for weekdays and weekends. We spent 400 and it was not worth it. The curtains ties were broken and the shades for top were broken as well. They do not come out and take your order for food or drinks,you have to go into the bar and order yourself. Just not worth the money.
i enjoyed my stay there. The spa was fabulous. We spent a day in Rosemary and one in Destin. It was easy to visit both. Depending on time of year, the traffic in Destin can get congested
There are more places to choose from in the Miramar Beach area.
PRICE RANGE
RM 963 - RM 1,615 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaFlorida PanhandleDestinMiramar Beach
NUMBER OF ROOMS
250
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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