SummerPlace Inn

SummerPlace Inn is an independently operated hotel on Emerald Coast Parkway (US 98) in the middle of Destin, a few doors from The Track and the Homewood Suites. The building dates from 1996, and the inn is not part of a national chain, with a relaxed, Florida-styled look inside.

The four-story building has 72 rooms and suites. Choices include standard king and double-queen rooms, balcony versions of both, an extended double-queen suite with extra space, and a one-bedroom king suite with a separate living area. Balcony rooms are worth requesting for a place to sit outside in the evening.

The heated indoor pool is a real asset on cool winter days and during summer storms, and there is also an outdoor pool and a hot tub. A hot continental breakfast is included each morning, and the hotel has a 24-hour fitness center. Wi-Fi and self-parking are free. Dogs and cats are accepted for a per-pet fee, which makes it a useful option for families traveling with a pet to the beach.

The public beach accesses on the Gulf side of US 98 are about a six-minute walk, and The Track’s go-karts and mini golf are next door. Big Kahuna’s Water and Adventure Park and Henderson Beach State Park are each under a mile away, and HarborWalk Village and the Destin Harbor Boardwalk are about three miles west. Restaurants, grocery stores and beach shops line the highway in both directions.

SummerPlace Inn suits travelers who prefer a locally run hotel, families who want two pools and breakfast included, and visitors coming in the off season who will appreciate being able to swim indoors. Charter fishing, parasailing and dolphin cruises leave from Destin Harbor about three miles west, and most of Destin’s attractions are within a short drive. Destin Commons and its restaurants are about two miles east.