SpringHill Suites by Marriott Navarre Oceanfront

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Navarre Oceanfront sits on the Gulf at 8375 Gulf Boulevard on Navarre Beach, the quiet stretch of Santa Rosa Island between Pensacola Beach and Okaloosa Island. When it opened in June 2017, the hotel was announced as the only hotel on Navarre Beach, where most visitors otherwise stay in condos and rental homes. Its neighbors include the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier and the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station, so guests can walk to the pier, which reaches more than 1,500 feet into the Gulf, for sunrise or a morning of fishing without moving the car. The property was originally marketed as SpringHill Suites Navarre Beach, and some booking sites still use that name.

All 161 rooms are suites spread over six floors, with 50-inch smart TVs and room configurations that include Gulf-view suites with balconies, while other suites look back toward Santa Rosa Sound. The all-suite format gives families and couples a little more room than a standard hotel room. Free Wi-Fi and a hot American breakfast are included for every guest, and the lobby market stays open around the clock for snacks and drinks.

The pool deck is the centerpiece. A zero-entry outdoor pool and a lazy river run along the dunes, with a whirlpool alongside, and the hotel also lists an indoor heated pool for cooler months. Beach equipment rentals are available so guests can set up chairs and umbrellas on the sand just past the boardwalk. A complimentary fitness center has treadmills, Peloton bikes and free weights, and the hotel is built with wheelchair-accessible facilities throughout.

Dining stays on site. Beach House Social serves Gulf-to-table seafood with brunch and dinner service and outdoor seating that looks over the water, Whitecaps Sweets & Treats scoops milkshakes, floats and desserts, and Emerá Café Coffee + Cocktail Exchange handles coffee in the morning and drinks later in the day. The hotel also has more than 3,000 square feet of event space, which it uses for beach weddings, reunions and small meetings. Up to two pets weighing 50 pounds or less are accepted for a fee, and self-parking is on site for a daily charge.

The hotel suits travelers who want a branded, full-service stay on a beach that stays calmer than Destin or Pensacola Beach. The Navarre Beach Marine Park and the Gulf Islands National Seashore lands on Santa Rosa Island are a short drive in either direction, the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center is just down Gulf Boulevard, and the Navarre Beach Bridge connects to restaurants, shops and the Navarre Park area on the mainland. Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base are within easy reach for visiting military families, and Pensacola and Destin both make simple day trips.