Home Town Inn & Suites

Home Town Inn & Suites is an independently owned hotel on South Ferdon Boulevard, the stretch of State Road 85 between Interstate 10 Exit 56 and the Crestview Commons shopping center. It describes itself as a proudly independent alternative to the chains that cluster around the exit, and it is bookable directly or through the major travel sites.

The three-story building dates from 1995 and was renovated in 2022. It has 67 non-smoking rooms, each with cable television including HBO, a work desk, a microwave and a refrigerator. Suites give a little more space for families or longer stays.

Amenities are simple but cover the essentials. There is an outdoor pool, a guest laundry room, a business center and a 24-hour front desk, and Wi-Fi and parking are free. Travel sites list a continental breakfast, though the hotel’s own site does not mention one, so it is worth confirming when booking. Pets are allowed on request for a nightly fee.

The hotel sits about a mile south of Crestview Commons and close to the restaurants and fuel stops at the interstate. Its own list of nearby outings leans local: the Emerald Coast Zoo, Shoal River Country Club, Twin Hills Park, Peaden Brothers Distillery and the Baker Block Museum in nearby Baker. Blackwater River State Forest, with its canoe runs and trails, is within about half an hour, and Fort Walton Beach and Destin are around 40 minutes south.

Home Town Inn & Suites suits value-minded travelers who prefer an independent property, guests traveling with a dog, and anyone who wants a pool and a laundry room for a few nights while visiting family at Duke Field or Eglin Air Force Base. The hotel site describes the pool as open year round, while travel sites list it as seasonal from March to November, so off-season visitors should check before booking.