Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa {US-FL}
 

Anyone stayed in the Hilton Sandestin in Destin, FL, and know if they do anything special for golds? I am staying there over the 4th of July Hotel and it looks like a nice resort. Just wondering if anyone had any comments.

Jay

Well, JaymanAU, I'm afraid that I can't help you too much here, but I did not want you to thing that you were being ignored.

The SanDesting Hilton is, unfortunately, way too close to home (~35 minutes) for me to have ever stayed at it. So take everything I say as very general, OK?

I went there for a conference in 1990 or 1992. The property then was very clean, impressive, and nice. But again, I didn't stay in a room, just a conference room.

IN GENERAL, offtopic to your question, there are several potentially nice things about this Hilton...
1. You are in Sandestin, not Destin. You will therefore be out of the worst of the summer tourist traffic. This is GOOD!
2. There is lots to see and do in the Sandestin area. There are lots of shops and places to eat there..including Elephant Walk, which used to be a very fine restaurant and prob'ly still is, I just haven't eaten there in several year.
3. You're a hop and a skip from great eating and pretty uncrowded areas in Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, etc. Plus pretty uncrowded beaches in that direction. Oh, yeah, there's Seaside, too, where they filmed "The Truman Show." If you go there, be sure to visit Modica Market. Grab a deli sandwich or some GREAT crab or shrimp salad, cross the road to the beach, and have a Gulfside picnic.
4. You're close to Silver Sands Outlet Mall, which has some good shopping/deals. (Don't know if this interests you or anyone that may be with you, sorry)

I won't go on, but hope the above makes up for my not being to give a valid comment on the Hilton itself. If you want more advice on places to go/things to see, feel free to email me!

BTW,

You're welcome.

Just spent a weekend at the Sandestin Hilton and was I disappointed. Checked into my room, looked at the bath and the toilet, had not been flushed or the room had not been cleaned. Shower curtins barely hanging on the rod and the telephone did work, when I tried to call the Front Desk.

Used my cell phone to contact the Front Desk and they wanted to know if I wanted to change rooms!

I stayed there last year and thought it was great. Nice views, nice beach, and huge rooms. The only problem I had was trying to use their new spa for a workout. Had to get a manager to verify that Gold and Diamond get to use workout facilities for free.

We have stayed at the Sandestin Hilton on several occasions. Always during the peak July season. It is a very nice hotel. The rooms are a little dated or at least they were when we stayed there 2 years ago, but they are spacious junior suites. The pool area is very nice. The beach is gorgeous. There are always a lot of conventions there so sometimes you can feel a little like an "outsider" since they really cater to the convention guests and many people seem to know each other from prevoius conventions. We have also noticed that a lot of the teenagers and pre-teens are kind of left to their own devices in the evenings when their parents are attending convention functions and things can get a little out of hand with packs of teenagers roaming the resort. One year we were there on the 4th of July and they had a wonderful fireworks show out over the ocean. The shopping is really good at the Silver Sands Outlet Mall as another poster stated. The breakfast buffet is fabulous. It really rivals those of the Hyatt Regency Maui and Kauai. My son and husband REALLY enjoy this! If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. It is really a wonderful resort and we have thoroughly enjoyed it the numerous times we have stayed there over the years.

ONLY if the facility is owned/operated by the Hilton Hotel.

Hilton Sandestin...any new info
 

I did do a search already, but was looking for any recent info. I am thinking of using a TEEN award here before the property goes up to 175k pts. Particularly interested in whether I could get the junior suite with the bunk beds for by boys on an award stay...and what others results have been.

thanks

I don't know about an award stay, but I got the room with the 2 bunk beds on a Priceline stay about 3 weeks ago.

Most, if not all rooms have bunk beds.

my bad...I was under the impression that it wasn't most rooms. So what is the layout of the rooms like with the bunks???

I guess what I mean is are the bunks in a separate room.

[This message has been edited by zipual (edited 05-27-2003).]

I have a TEEN award burning a hole in my pocket. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

After taking a look at TEEN properties, I came across this one.

A search reveals old info on this property. And the info revealed is not good.

Any current info out there?

Upgrades?
Breakfast certs?

Dan

When I stayed there last year, as you enter the room, you go down a short hallway and the bunk beds are kind of 'in-the-wall' on one side of the hall. The short hallway then opens to where the other beds are.
There are 5 in our family and it was a pretty good set up. Highly recommend the property. Can't give you advice on upgrades...was there during a medical convention and the SEC coaches conference, so most of the good rooms were already taken.

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Just returned from a 6 night stay using a TEEN award.

When arrived, they gave me 12 breakfast coupons for the three of us, but since my daughter is only 4, she got breakfast for free anyway. I did not have to ask for the coupons, they had them with my reservation when I checked in.

Sandestin is a beautiful place, but I would only rate the rooms average. They also make you pay a $14.00 a day resort fee, which is also taxed at 10%, making it $15.40. I still had to pay this even though I was on an award stay. You don't really get anything of value for this fee, in my opinion, it should be part of the room rate.

I never asked about an upgrade, it just was not that important to me. I did receive a junior suite, limited view, but as it was at the end of the hall, we did have a full view of the beach.

This is really a golf and beach resort, and both are really, really nice.

The bunk beds were just inside the door, and would be considered part of the room, as there is not a separate door, just a short hallway that went straight and opened up to the King sized bedroom. The bathroom was separate, and the was an extra sink/vanity area outside of the bathroom. The room itself had a small refrigerator and microwave at a bar type sink.

Not sure if it is really worth using a TEEN on, especially since now it will take a TEEN2. But, hey it was free, and the resort itself is nice. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

(Edited for spelling and added paragraph on bunk beds and room).

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Regards,

John

[This message has been edited by jbertsch88 (edited 06-08-2003).]

Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort
 

Planning a late spring trip for my family. Haven't read any recent experiences here, specifically how HHonors status is honored (i.e. upgrades, breakfast). A post a while back suggested that this property does not recognize Gold and Diamond with anything. I believe poster said the front desk check in employee told him this. Any information would be appreciated. Also would love to hear any general comments re: this resort. Thanks.