Sea Oats Motel
3420 Scenic Highway 98, FL 32541-4725
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About
#1 of 2 motels in Destin
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Rooms
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Finding an ideal family-friendly motel in Destin does not have to be difficult. Welcome to Sea Oats Motel, a nice option for travelers like you. Rooms at Sea Oats Hotel offer a flat screen TV, a kitchenette, and a refrigerator providing exceptional comfort and convenience, and guests can go online with free wifi. A pool will also help to make your stay even more special. If you are driving to Sea Oats Hotel, free parking is available. Mid-Bay Bridge (1.3 mi), located nearby, makes Sea Oats Hotel a great place to stay for those interested in visiting this popular Destin landmark. If you like cafes, Sea Oats Motel is conveniently located near O Crepe Du Soleil, First Watch, and Whole Foods Market. Looking to explore? Then look no further than James Lee Park (0.4 mi), which is a popular Destin attraction – and it is conveniently located within walking distance of the motel. Sea Oats Motel puts the best of Destin at your fingertips, making your stay both relaxing and enjoyable.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Pool
Beach
Non-smoking hotel
Self-serve laundry
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Fence around pool
Room features
Air conditioning
Private balcony
Telephone
Coffee / tea maker
Kitchenette
Flatscreen TV
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Kitchenware
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Bay View
Great View
Hotel links
Location
Getting there
Car recommended
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.
Grade: 40 out of 100
40
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Hotel's Favourite
The view is unbeatable!!! The room we stayed in was definitely adequate for a couple and probably a child or two. We had 2 queen beds, the AC worked great, the bathroom has storage under the sink, there is a closet to hang clothes and a 3 drawer dresser. There is a small table for 2 plus 2 barstools and our balcony, which is gulf front, had a small side table and 3 chairs. The kitchen has an apartment size stove with oven and a full size fridge. The microwave is a small one and the coffee pot is drip, not a Keurig. There was service for 4 in dishes, flatware and glasses. Our unit was missing a few cookware items like pizza pan, pizza cutter, mixing bowl and can opener so we just ran to the Dollar Tree and picked them up ( a few miles up the road). There was 2 skillets, sauce pan and colander, and a small glass bowl. Beds were comfortable and bedding was nice. Pillows were as good as we sleep on at home! There are towels but make sure to bring beach towels too!
Franky, it’s a great affordable place to stay! We had a wonderful time, it’s very conveniently located to food, coffee and bars. This is not a boujee place but it’s perfect for a get away when you don’t want to spend your kids college fund for a vacation! Keep in mind…you are at the beach. There is always sand, things rust very quickly, humidity causes paint to peel and it’s impossible to keep every square inch of any place immaculately detailed.
Franky, it’s a great affordable place to stay! We had a wonderful time, it’s very conveniently located to food, coffee and bars. This is not a boujee place but it’s perfect for a get away when you don’t want to spend your kids college fund for a vacation! Keep in mind…you are at the beach. There is always sand, things rust very quickly, humidity causes paint to peel and it’s impossible to keep every square inch of any place immaculately detailed.
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
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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 loved the Sea Oats! We stayed in room 20 and the view is just amazing! The beach is right outside, the water pressure in the shower is phenominal and the office staff were very friendly, along with the outdoor cat! We will only stay here when we come down in the future. No frills and budget friendly but also comfy beds, a small kitchen, and beach front! What a gem!
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip 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.
We’ve been visiting The Seat Oats Motel for the past 20 years on a regular basis. The rooms are up to date; the beach is right out your back door; you can choose the style of room you need for your trip (efficiency apt, motel room, suite); and it’s reasonably priced. The only drawback during our last visit was the constant passing of the helicopter ride. The property manager needs to demand that that establishment change its course in my opinion.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip: Second level rooms have no overhead noise from people walking around the room and the views are...
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 checked in kind of late, 7:40ish, due to a later flight. The office closes at 8:00. No big deal, but it is if you just get your keys from the box and need something after. We were not advised where the pool is or pool hours or that there is no maid service. We check out our room, and it's adequate. I knew it was a motel and driving up and seeing it didn't do much for us. I booked solely for being able to walk out my door and be on the beach. Right after we get a little settled, my husband took off the bedspread to put it in the closet. There is no blanket, not even in the closet, just a sheet. So I go up to the front desk, and it's about 5 or 10 minutes after 8:00. I knew that the office was closed but figured I could call someone. A lady comes up to me and asks if we locked ourselves out. That's the only reason you're supposed to use the number posted on the wall. I told her we needed a blanket. She was irritated and pretty rude about it. Said she could get me one but that she would have to shut off the alarm, blah, blah, blah. Fine, either do it or don't, but don't complain to me. There is no maid service for the room, and whoever cleaned the room before us did not do a good job of getting the sand out. They do leave you a broom and dustpan. You can exchange your towels at the front desk once a day. There are no beach towels supplied and you can't take theirs down to the beach. I thought this so odd for a beachfront place. We stayed in Room 7. It's on the bottom floor. We had roaches. Maybe the upper floors have better luck in controlling them. You can rent chairs from their beachside service for $40 a day or $200 for a week. We chose just to use our beach towels that we bought from Walgreens. Please don't spend $40 for rentals. You can go down the street to Alvin's Island or any of the other shops down 98 and buy 2 chairs and an umbrella for $27. I would never stay at this place again. I gave it two stars solely because it was on the beach.
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Date of stay: April 2021
Value
Service
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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.


September 3-10, 2021,
We rented room 14. That was located on the second floor and there was no elevator. Upon arrival to the interior of the unit we did what most people do. We headed directly to the balcony which had a terrific view of the ocean and beach. Like the Perspective buyers always say in Bargain Beach House show always say, it had a million dollar view. But if you deduct the quality of the rest of the unit, it reduced the million to a $1.98 value. Not too sure where to start but will go from the left side of the entry door and walk around the unit. On the left was a small table and 2 chairs, then a (maybe) 42” LG TV with multiple stations and the dresser it was sitting on had multiple scratches all over, especially towards the bottom. It didn’t have a decent speaker in it but it did have a remote. The door to the back door had rusted metal parts on it and the Morton tracks were brown from the rust. On the balcony were 2 decent chairs and a thin white railing that didn’t feel attached safely enough that I would trust an active child on there by himself. Although the bed was soft, the sheets already had sand on them even though we hadn’t been in the bed yet. The wooden floor was also full of sand. The bathroom was very outdated and not cleaned enough to make a homeless person happy. My wife actually had to get down on her knees to clean the tub, toilet, and sink. Next to the entry door was the HVAC unit that was so loud that every time it turned on, you had to raise the volume of the TV 5-6 notches. Then turn it back down when it automatically shut off. There was no chain on the door that was hard to open. After a few days, a roach was spotted in the bathroom. We checked out the following day.
NOTE: There is not enough parking spots if the motel was half occupied and you had to park across the busy street if there were no spots available. The office staff was very friendly but would not refund the unused days of occupancy. They did not tow any vehicles that didn’t have a parking pass or were parked in a handicapped space and didn’t have a handicapped plaque. The only perk was that it was only was 50 feet from the beach.
We rented room 14. That was located on the second floor and there was no elevator. Upon arrival to the interior of the unit we did what most people do. We headed directly to the balcony which had a terrific view of the ocean and beach. Like the Perspective buyers always say in Bargain Beach House show always say, it had a million dollar view. But if you deduct the quality of the rest of the unit, it reduced the million to a $1.98 value. Not too sure where to start but will go from the left side of the entry door and walk around the unit. On the left was a small table and 2 chairs, then a (maybe) 42” LG TV with multiple stations and the dresser it was sitting on had multiple scratches all over, especially towards the bottom. It didn’t have a decent speaker in it but it did have a remote. The door to the back door had rusted metal parts on it and the Morton tracks were brown from the rust. On the balcony were 2 decent chairs and a thin white railing that didn’t feel attached safely enough that I would trust an active child on there by himself. Although the bed was soft, the sheets already had sand on them even though we hadn’t been in the bed yet. The wooden floor was also full of sand. The bathroom was very outdated and not cleaned enough to make a homeless person happy. My wife actually had to get down on her knees to clean the tub, toilet, and sink. Next to the entry door was the HVAC unit that was so loud that every time it turned on, you had to raise the volume of the TV 5-6 notches. Then turn it back down when it automatically shut off. There was no chain on the door that was hard to open. After a few days, a roach was spotted in the bathroom. We checked out the following day.
NOTE: There is not enough parking spots if the motel was half occupied and you had to park across the busy street if there were no spots available. The office staff was very friendly but would not refund the unused days of occupancy. They did not tow any vehicles that didn’t have a parking pass or were parked in a handicapped space and didn’t have a handicapped plaque. The only perk was that it was only was 50 feet from the beach.
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Date of stay: September 2021Trip 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 had planned on coming with two other couples, but decided to cancel due to Hurricane Ida. Our friends called to cancel and got a full refund minus a $50 cancellation fee. We called to try and get the same, and they refused to give us a refund. Why give our friends a refund and not us? Why aren’t the rules the same for everyone? Won’t be returning.
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Date of stay: September 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.
This is a very old motel and it smells like an old motel. Positive 1st: The room was fairly clean and the mattress was comfortable and you do have a view of the beach. Negatives: Water dripped on my head every time I opened the door. The dead bolt would not lock. The sliding glass door did not lock but there was a piece of wood to stop it. The blinds over the glass door were broke and when you closed them, they would fall to the floor. If the small parking lot is full you have to part across the road and down about half a block. No elevator, only stairs. Pool is tiny and has 4 chairs. They stress No Smoking and one of the workers was standing outside the office smoking. My son's room the air did not work. There is no one to call at night. We reported it at 8am. Was told they got it fixed. When he returned to the room at 7pm it was 91 degrees in the room. He asked for a refund and the lady said she could not do that. He left and drove 6 hours home. Never, Never will I stay here again.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: No room service. You have to go get your own towels and return dirty ones. They even want you to...
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.
If you are looking for a a trip back to the glory days of the 1950s, this is the place for you. On the plus side were the location (right on the beach), the comfort of the bed, the essential working order of the basic appliances, and the price. But for that you also have to contend with ratty and uncomfortable living room furniture, chipped paint, dingy color schemes, barely functioning vertical blinds, and sketchy TV and internet service.
On the whole, would not recommend.
On the whole, would not recommend.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip 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.


This motel is right on the beach so location was wonderful. It is an older motel and needs a little updating. Loved that there was no carpeting and had engineered wood (or something like it) instead, which is much cleaner. The room and bath were clean, but bath really needs another shelf to put all toiletries on. The tub was cracked (something heavy dropped??) and they glued it so that REALLY needed to be replaced. The sink stopper wouldn't stay up (we got it closed and had to pry it open, then use a spoon to keep it open) and several slats were off the blinds on patio door so people could see in which we told them about. We were to wash glasses/cups before leaving and they supplied dish soap. So you have to do this at bathroom sink, which sounds unsanitary. I washed them good without putting in sink, but you don't know what the previous occupants did. At night, there wasn't enough outlets to plug in 3 electronic devices (phones, ipad) along with a cpap machine.The patio door didn't lock so had to use a stick provided. All in all...location was everything and the price was the best around so can't complain too much.
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Date of stay: April 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Not all the rooms have a patio. I'd get one with a patio
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 arrived on 3/22/2021 and were very excited for our first stay ever in Destin (and it was our 21st wedding). When I first called about a reservation, I explained to the lady on the phone that it was just myself and my husband. We would only need one bedroom and one bathroom. We talked about the condos available and she said that Cabana 203 was available and the owner was giving a discount on the condo (because it had not rented in a while). I did see the pictures and thought that it would be ok for us. And I love the fact that the condo was right on the beach. When got checked in and went to the condo. This condo is in desperate need of an update. So many mirrors on the walls and the closest doors. The couch and loveseat were dirty and I had to place a sheet on the couch so we could sit on it. The decor was dated. The shower was small. The huge jet tub took up half of the bathroom. The sliding glass door would not lock. The bathroom light over the sink only had 1 working bulb (2 bulbs were burnt out and 1 bulb was missing). There were no hangers in the closet. I went to the office on Tuesday and reported the sliding door not locking and that we needed some light bulbs. The young girl in the office “wrote up” a work order. The lady in the office stated that the door not locking and no lightbulbs were unacceptable. She did give me a lightbulb and said that she would see that the work order would be given to maintenance and that someone would come by and take care of the problems. Well guess what? Never seen anyone from maintenance. So we slept with a door that would not lock and a partially light bathroom. Very disappointed. Destin is a very lovely city with much to do and see. I hope to visit again. Next time I will not book a room simply because of a discount. Maybe I should have asked for another condo or a room at the motel. But then again, maybe the lady should have offered us another room and she could have checked with us to see if maintenance had been by. I give the condo a 5 out of 10 and that is because it is on the beach.
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip 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.
Check in is at 4, check out at 10
"I would definitely not stay here unless you think a 20.00 a night hotel is a 5 star experience. There are other options available."Read full review
"Ask specifics on Sleeping Accommodations, and have management respond in E-Mail. The Third Party Apts can put you in bad family situation."Read full review
"No room service. You have to go get your own towels and return dirty ones. They even want you to take your own trash to the dumpster."Read full review
"You will need a car since most things are spread out a bit but still some restaurants within walking."Read full review
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ALSO KNOWN AS
sea oats hotel destin
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaFlorida PanhandleDestin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
46
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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Frequently Asked Questions about Sea Oats Motel
Which popular attractions are close to Sea Oats Motel?
Nearby attractions include Emerald Coast Olive Oil (1.2 km), James Lee Park (0.6 km), and The Shores at Crystal Beach Park (1.0 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Sea Oats Motel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and free parking.
Which room amenities are available at Sea Oats Motel?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What are some restaurants close to Sea Oats Motel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Jackacuda's Seafood & Sushi, Sarah K's Gourmet, and Crab Trap Destin.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Sea Oats Motel?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Are there any historical sites close to Sea Oats Motel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting 2025 Vacation (0.3 km).
Does Sea Oats Motel have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the ocean view available here.