Wavecrest Lodge

Wavecrest Lodge sits on the Gulf at 540 Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island, in the stretch of hotels and condominiums west of The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island. The four-story building previously operated as the Fairfield Inn & Suites Fort Walton Beach-West Destin and now runs as an independent hotel under the Wavecrest Lodge name, keeping its beachfront setting and simple, easygoing style. Sundrift Inn and Beal House are its neighbors to the east and Wyndham Garden Fort Walton Beach is just down the road. Okaloosa Island forms the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island, and beyond this hotel row the island opens into long undeveloped stretches of Eglin Air Force Base land, so the beach here tends to feel less crowded than the area around The Boardwalk.

Rooms range from standard queens and kings to oceanfront rooms and suites, with six room types in all, and every room has a mini refrigerator, a microwave and free Wi-Fi. The Gulf-facing rooms look directly over the dunes to the water, while standard rooms face the island. The hotel is entirely focused on beach stays and does not allow pets.

A private boardwalk leads from the property over the dunes to the sand, so guests can step out and be on the beach in a couple of minutes. The heated outdoor pool has a zero-entry walk-in area and a mushroom waterfall that younger kids enjoy. A complimentary continental breakfast of pastries, fruit, cereal and coffee is served beachside each morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on weekdays and 7 to 9:30 a.m. on weekends. A fitness center, a business center, guest laundry and a small corner market for snacks and drinks round out the amenities. Guest laundry is handy for longer stays, since sandy towels and swimsuits pile up quickly after a few days on the Gulf.

Wavecrest Lodge suits couples and families who want an uncomplicated beachfront room with breakfast included and a pool for the kids, without paying for a full-service resort. It also works for military families and business travelers visiting Hurlburt Field or Eglin Air Force Base, both a short drive away. There is no full restaurant in the hotel, but guests have plenty of choices nearby, from seafood and Italian spots on the island to casual beach bars.

The Boardwalk’s restaurants and shops, the Okaloosa Island Pier and the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park are a short drive east along the island, and quieter public beach access areas lie to the west where development thins out. Downtown Fort Walton Beach, with its waterfront parks and restaurants, is just across the Brooks Bridge, and Destin’s HarborWalk Village, charter fishing fleet and Crab Island are a few miles east across the Marler Bridge.