Summerwind Resort

Summerwind Resort sits on the Gulf at 8577 Gulf Boulevard on Navarre Beach, a short walk from the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, which stretches more than 1,500 feet into the Gulf. Navarre Beach occupies a slim section of Santa Rosa Island between Pensacola Beach to the west and Okaloosa Island to the east, and it has kept a low-rise, residential feel. The resort is made up of three Gulf-front condominium towers: Summerwind, the Inn at Summerwind and Summerwind West. Together they form one of the larger condo resorts on this part of Santa Rosa Island, and the rental operation runs from an office on the property, so guests check in at the resort rather than at a management office on the mainland.

The units are privately owned one, two and three bedroom condominiums, and every one faces the water. Each has a full kitchen, a washer and dryer, floor-to-ceiling windows and a private balcony looking out over the Gulf, and many three bedroom units have wraparound balconies reached from more than one room. The layouts work well for families, groups of friends and longer winter stays, since guests can cook, do laundry and spread out the way they would at home. Upper-floor units look far down the shoreline in both directions, while lower floors put guests closer to the pool deck and the sand.

Resort amenities are split among the towers. Summerwind has three swimming pools, three hot tubs and three fitness rooms, plus grilling areas for cookouts, and the beach is directly in front of the buildings with boardwalk access over the dunes. Guest services from Best Beach Getaways, which manages reservations for the resort, are available at the property from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with a local phone line offering support around the clock. Because units are individually owned, furnishings and extras such as beach chair service vary from condo to condo, and some units are rented by other local management companies.

Location is a big part of the appeal. The Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station and the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center are all within walking distance along Gulf Boulevard, and a handful of casual restaurants and shops sit near the pier. Navarre Beach itself is low-rise and uncrowded compared with Destin or Pensacola Beach, with long stretches of protected shoreline on both sides of town.

Summerwind suits travelers who want condo space on the Gulf with the convenience of an on-site office for keys and questions. Hidden Creek Golf Course and the restaurants along Navarre Parkway are a short drive across the Navarre Beach Bridge, Gulf Islands National Seashore lands on Santa Rosa Island are a few miles west, and Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola Beach and Hurlburt Field are all within an easy drive.