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.
Reminiscent of a luxurious grand seaside manner of yesteryear, Henderson Beach Resort, seamlessly blends modern conveniences with the nostalgia of days gone by - all set against a backdrop of the authentic bustling beach town of Destin located on the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast. With reverence to its humble beginnings and nautical history as "The World's Luckiest Fishing Village," The Henderson beautifully captures the timeless romance of traditional coastal architecture and complements it with spectacular sunset celebrations, sumptuous gulf-to-table cuisine and toes-in-the-sand hospitality - all delivered with five-star level service. Nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and 200 acres of pristine nature preserve, this gracious, four-story 170-room resort hotel is the ultimate beach retreat for both leisure and business travel.
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.
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Henderson Beach Resort garners praise for its exceptional service and wide array of quality amenities, including a luxurious spa and diverse dining options. The beachfront location is a major draw for guests, offering stunning views and direct access to the beach. While some travelers have encountered room maintenance issues and service lapses, particularly at dining venues, the resort's atmosphere—with live music and elegant decor—often makes up for these shortcomings.
However, the value proposition is questioned by guests facing unexpected fees and inconsistent service standards. Despite this, the resort's cleanliness across facilities receives high marks from visitors.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Vibrant
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Top-notch
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We stayed 7 nights at this beautiful beach resort. We loved our ocean view balcony room on 2 nd floor. Across from our room was a Starbucks coffee room that also offered chi tea, water & sparkling water. We enjoyed the dining & ate all our meals at the resort as there were plenty of options to chose from. Egxon was our waiter for most of the restaurant dining & he gave us good service & wonderful recommendations to make our experience the best. All the employees at this resort were so kind & helpful & we were always greeted with a smile. I even received text messages throughout our stay to offer assistance if needed. Susan, the concierge arranged for my husband to have special water for his cpap machine since we didn’t have a car. Colleen at the rooftop bar was amazing in making us feel welcomed every evening while we enjoyed the gorgeous sunsets! She even brought me a blanket to stay warm by the fire while enjoying the beautiful evening. The pools were lovely but we didn’t get in. The lazy river pool was heated. The pool bar was wonderful & the nice walk area to the beach was easy. The workout gym was top notch with excellent machines, weights, video workouts, etc. Everything about the place is high quality & now with the beautiful Christmas decorations in place, it’s magical! The beach is so amazing walking on the beautiful white powdery sand, the beach attendant set up our chairs & umbrella for us. We had a great time & look forward to returning soon!
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Date of stay: November 2024
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Trip 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 John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 26 Nov 2024
Thank you for your stellar review from your visit this summer, and taking a moment to share your comments and feedback. We look forward to welcoming you back to cool off in the Gulf of Mexico at The Henderson Beach Resort soon again!
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We had a fabulous stay during Spring Break! We stayed in a gulf view room and our view was wonderful. From the moment you hand the car off to the valet, to check in at the front desk, you can get a sense for the exceptional service at this hotel. I have stayed in hotels all over the world, and I can say that the service at this hotel competes with any hotel anywhere. We loved Berry at the front desk! She was amazing! Also Sherry at the concierge was fabulous and hooked us up with some fantastic dinner reservations!
Our room was gorgeous with a separate tub and shower. Everything felt new and fresh and luxurious. It was incredibly spacious and we had a huge balcony. I do wish there was more furniture on the balcony to fill the space, but that is a minor criticism.
The food at the hotel was delicious especially at Primrose. Our kids also had a fabulous time at Poppy’s Club several different days. The pools are wonderful and the beach…oh my that beach! The sand is white sugar and the water is crystal clear. Beach service was great although you have to book a beach setup the day before to get anything in the front row.
So the very minor criticisms I have were that they did run out of towels at the pool. It wasn’t a huge deal but something that was a slight annoyance. Additionally they, like many in the hospitality industry, are suffering from understaffing. This was very apparent at the rooftop restaurant and that is the only place where service was a bit lacking. Also $16 for the saddest tiniest scoops of gelato I have ever seen in my life…problematic. This part of the hotel is the one place they need to focus and do some work.
Overall, we love love loved the Henderson and would absolutely come back.
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Date of stay: March 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.
Response from John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 7 May 2024
Thank you so much for taking the time to review The Henderson Beach Resort! We are so glad we could exceed your expectations across all facets of the resort. We hope that you will come back again soon to enjoy the first-class experience that only The Henderson Beach Resort has to offer!
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Upon checking we realize our Gikf view room was the view of the marsh/forest I was there for my birthday and polities asked to be moved by pool. The manager Asian lady kept saying well what did you book ? Show me what you. Book!! I said I know what we book by I do to like close dark I want light sin and online it is avail I could write a book on her lack of compassion The best day Brooklyn resolved the issue without hesitation! But we spent one night of my birthday very frustrated ..so much that our mood was to Leave My mom has been with Marriott 50+ years as a supervisor and never has she been unable or unwilling to help. This made Facebook bc I was in tears and frustrated but also embarrassed at this Asian mgr .. she ruin ed my birthday night Tganntgevonlybithervyhibg when they moved us the cleaning person threw out our beverages ..liquor fir my birthday sodas for grddhtr and our cocktails 🥲 Bybtgecwayvtgere was a lady in training and by the look on her face she wanted to crawl into a hole!! We actually reported it to var tender at beach and he was appalled as well General manager should send her back to training I’m sorry to write such a terrible review being a first responder we value how we treat visitors patients and each other Sincerely Ibrahim muasher day of stay 6-7-24
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Not on the beach for those that like to step into the sand this is a walk
Two pools. One is...
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 John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 12 Jun 2024
Thank you very much for your review of your most recent stay at The Henderson Beach Resort. Your feedback is extremely important to us, I do believe our Front Office Director Laura Castro, has been in contact with you to emend the issues you experienced during your stay. Our main priority is to ensure our guest satisfaction, so we do hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back to provide the seamless service that we strive for here at The Henderson.
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My daughter and I spent six days at The Henderson Beach Resort, hoping to soak up some sun before she headed to college in the fall. Sadly, it rained every day until our last day. Fortunately, the beds were so comfy and the room so quiet, we slept in and spent an entire afternoon at the spa getting massages, lounging in the relaxation room, and enjoying the steam room and hot tub. The rooms were spacious and well-appointed with lots of surface space and extra touches like a vanity/makeup nook, separate toilet area, tub and shower. Unfortunately, there wasn't much else to do at the resort during the day. But at night we got a ride to some local restaurants like Lucille's Kitchen for karaoke and the Beach Bar at Royal Palm Grille where we made many new friends. We didn't spend much time on the beach (due to rain) which was a short walk away, but it was beautiful. The sand was a soft white and the water was warm. The staff was exceptionally friendly and accommodating throughout the resort, especially the Sea Level restaurant by the pool. Shout out to Arianna, Mihilo/Misha and the gang! They made us feel very welcome. Raged at Primrose recommended the off-menu butter cake for dessert which was amazing! The front desk staff was courteous and cheerful and the bell staff was conscientious and always concerned about our welfare.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2022
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 Robert Morgan, General Manager at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 14 Sept 2022
Thank you so much for taking the time to review The Henderson Beach Resort! We are delighted to hear you had a relaxing visit to our Spa. I am sorry that you were not able to visit when the weather allowed more pool and beach time. I hope we can welcome you back when you can enjoy a sunny day on the beautiful white sands of the Emerald Coast! Warm Regards, Robert Morgan General Manager
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Beautiful hotel, but be prepared for a lot of little annoyances: 1) your expensive room probably doesn’t include a refrigerator, but does have a ‘cooler’ and a warning note on the front that its not meant for perishables, but you should also know it won’t actually keep already cold drinks cold, they get warm, its possible they are cooler than the actual air in the room, but not guaranteed. 2) the icemaker in the hall cannot keep up with all the demand from people keeping their personal ice chests full so they can have cold things 3) the sundries store with snacks and cold drinks closes at 5 for some reason 4) the pool side bar closes at 6 regardless of how full the pool is or how thirsty any of your friends or family may be 5) the food is average. I guess there just isn’t much competition for nice hotels in the area so they don’t feel they need to excel beyond the physical building. Definitely would not come back. So disappointing given so much potential.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Bring a big ice chest and lots of extra ice if you want to keep anything cold. Plan on eating...
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 John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 12 Jun 2024
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry your experience didn’t match your expectations. Even though this issue has been resolved; please contact us directly at 850.424.4404, if you would like to discuss in further detail. We certainly hope to welcome you back to The Henderson in the near future.
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This was our second consecutive year celebrating our wedding anniversary at the beautiful Henderson Beach resort. As with any resort of this caliber, it is the people (staff) that help make our stay really memorable in addition to the exceptional facilities and location. It was indeed a delight to see many of the same staff still working here from our visit in December 2022. As a Hispanic American and US Navy Veteran I was impressed with bilingual staff such as Jazmin and Johan, the skilled sous chef. They were both courteous, professional and knowledgeable as well as with a focus on delivering outstanding customer service. The valets like Clayton and Tanner are young, personable and professional in their daily duties. Brooklyn and Paisley were delightful fulfilling their duties at the front desk, Erick was also very helpful with several inquiries I had. The Primrose restaurant staff of Daniel, Donna and Ariah were wonderful, courteous and a pleasure to interact with. Lastly, if anyone is thinking of going to the Orlando, Tampa or Miami/FTL areas for a vacation, I encourage you to visit this oasis in Northwest Florida instead. The greater Destin area is beautiful, the white sand beaches are pristine and the people are very friendly and hospitable.
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Date of stay: December 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 John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 19 Dec 2023
Thank you for sharing your experience with us as well as other travelers! We are delighted to hear that our staff exceeded your expectations, and I will personally share your kind words with our team, we cannot wait to welcome you and your wife back to The Henderson Beach Resort very soon!
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Fabulous multiple pool areas in hotel with outside bars/food. Beautiful lit fire pits at night. Unfortunately due to weather only used for an hour. Private keyed beach access with chair rental ($65 -should be included in resort fee) and food option. We dined at Primrose (upscale casual), Horizons (casual) - used outside porch with view, Rooftop for cocktails, and Sprinkles for grab n go. Convenient dining options onsite without having to navigate the Emerald Raceway! We stayed in 1 bedroom QQ suite as wanted a living area where we could meet. My adult son stated that the sleeper sofa was quite comfortable and great quality. The complimentary Starbucks coffee machine on floors was a nice touch. The hotel lobby has multiple seating areas inside and an expansive porch with north view of Henderson Beach Park.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Hotel has 7 day cancel. Not good for September travel as weather can decline rapidly in Florida.
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 John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 13 Sept 2024
Thank you for your stellar review from your visit this summer, and taking a moment to share your comments and feedback. We look forward to welcoming you back to cool off in the Gulf of Mexico at The Henderson Beach Resort soon again!
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I read a T&L article where The Henderson Resort in Destin was a top ten resort in Fla. Not sure I agree they are a Top Ten. Maybe top 25.......
Pros: The property grounds are stunning for sure. It is right across the street from the beach and has a few restaurants within walking distance and several on property which are good but very pricey. The beach here is amazing and we love the adults only pool. Pool drinks are good too, just expensive which you expect at a nice resort. Great location and our view from our room overlooks the pool and Henderson Beach State Park and we have nightly sunset views! We are in a 1 bedroom/2 ba in The Lofts unit 305. They were able to honor a early check in request which was super awesome.
Cons: I read some reviews before booking and now I can see where they do 'subcharge' you to death. Upon check in on Sunday they indicated I could park under the Lofts for $25/day. I was waiting for my entry code or parking pass to place in the car and the new lovely front desk team member indicated the entry was not restricted. I asked so anyone can park there? The manager stepped in overhearing the conversation and said they check the deck daily and use the 'honor system'. After pushing a little more she reduced the rate to $15/day. After much more discussion and she was obviously irritated with me, she said we will just take the charge off all together. I really appreciated that but it took much discussion. The chairs and umbrellas are about $15/20 day which we are only using for a few hours a day. After questioning that, the lovely beach attendant said he was not supposed to, but he would only charge us for 1/2 day. Again, I so appreciated that but why isn't that a standard choice for 1/2 day charge as we are not ones to spend all day on the beach? Also on my estimated bill there is a $48/night amenity fee which includes the bikes, boogie boards and entry to the state park. I would think the chairs/umbrellas could be included in that fee. There is a departure cleaning fee for the Lofts of $140! They will clean daily upon request for $50/day! I had to track down a housekeeping team member in the hall and ask for another trash bag. She gave me one.......I am here for an entire 7 days. Still confused why I should be responsible for a departure cleaning fee when you would have to clean it anyway when we check out? For families planning to visit, there is a Dollar Store down the street and I picked up some garbage bags and paper towels there. Lastly, there is a NON refundable damage waiver fee of $75. If I dont damage anything I am still charged???? These subcharges just feel like a way to up the total bill.
This is a nice resort for sure but I will try the Inn at Crystal Beach down the street the next visit. The gen manager here may want to visit The Jekyll Island Resort in Ga we recently visited from a service perspective. They have no exit cleaning fee, no charge for chairs/umbrellas , no damage waiver fee, and no parking fees. Thank You, Katrina King
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Date of stay: September 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:305 sunset views
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 D Mars, Other at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 19 Sept 2020
Ms King, First and foremost, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to relay feedback regarding your most recent visit to The Henderson. We are humbled by your kind comments and I am so pleased to hear that the early check in was helpful. As for the comments related to areas of which we can improve, please know that I take them very seriously and I will take each of them under careful advisement. I certainly hope you will choose to return to The Henderson in the future. If there is anything I can do to be of assistance, or if you wish to discuss your stay in further detail, please reach out to me accordingly. Warm regards, David Mars General Manager The Henderson Beach Resort
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Overall, the resort is great. Upscale feel and solid food and accommodations. Only issue was our room.was infested with swarms of mosquitoes. Killed at least 20 of them and barely made a deny. Obviously, rhe less than bright previous guests left yhe balcony doors wide open for a very long time. For the rates they charge, I'd rather not be part of a lab experiment. However, the management team was very helpful and quickly moved us to another room on a higher floor with a better view. That's how you make things right. Good job. The private beach was great too. Although fairly crowded (expected on evey Destin beach in June), it was all resort guests. The guys working the chairs and umbrellas were awesome. Very friendly, helpful and accommodating to whatever we asked. Great job Matt, Marco & Jake! Total experience was positive and enjoyable. Would definitely come back.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Adult pool has a DJ on weekends and feels more like being in Vegas.
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 John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 17 Jun 2024
We appreciate you taking a moment to review your recent visit! We are delighted to hear that our staff exceeded your expectations. We hope we can welcome you back to The Henderson soon!
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The hotel and property are gorgeous. The beach is beautiful. The staff is friendly. But, the whole experience is destroyed by having a commercial heliport adjacent to the property with noisy helicopters roaring down the beach every 10 minutes. Yes, the heliport offers 5-8 minute rides using two helicopters. You will not find any outdoor activities peaceful. Until the hotel gets this fixed, you do best to avoid this property.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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 John Carns , Owner at Henderson Beach Resort
Responded 5 Aug 2024
Thank you for providing us with feedback from your recent stay. While I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed our property, please accept our apologies for the noise you experienced from our neighboring business. We have attempted to reach out to further discuss the service issues you encountered within the resort. I do hope that you will give us another chance to make up for our shortfalls and provide the seamless service that we strive for here at The Henderson.
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There are more places to choose from in the Destin area.
PRICE RANGE
RM 1,269 - RM 2,245 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaFlorida PanhandleDestin
NUMBER OF ROOMS
170
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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