18th Floor Pelican Beachfront with Ocean View
Guest rating: 4.9 / 5
Overview
This is a privately managed, 18th-floor beachfront condo unit inside the Pelican Beach Resort in Destin, Florida, offering panoramic Gulf views and direct beach access. The unit is styled as a full vacation home rather than a standard hotel room, with upgraded furnishings intended to give guests a residential feel. It sits directly across from Big Kahuna's Water Park and a short distance from The Harbor Walk, placing it in the heart of Destin's tourist strip.
Rooms & Layout
The condo sleeps guests across a master bedroom with a king bed and ensuite bathroom, a hallway bunk-bed setup with two twin beds, and a living room sofa bed for two, plus a separate guest bathroom in the hallway. A pack & play crib is provided (without mattress or linens) for traveling families. Coin/credit-operated washers and dryers are located on every floor near the elevators.
Kitchen & In-Unit Amenities
The kitchen is fully equipped with dishware and kitchenware, a refrigerator with ice-maker, microwave, electric oven and stove, dishwasher, k-cup and drip coffee makers, and a toaster. Guests also get starter supplies of toilet paper, soap, shampoo, and a few dishwasher and laundry tablets. Both Smart TVs carry the Cox Ultimate cable package, and high-speed Wi-Fi covers the unit and resort grounds.
Resort Amenities & Recreation
The Pelican Beach Resort building offers heated indoor and outdoor pools, a hot tub, sauna, steam room, fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, outdoor grills, seasonal beach chair/umbrella service, and a seasonal beachside Tiki Bar. Free parking is available on-site with paid EV charging stations. The unit itself comes stocked with two beach chairs, an umbrella, and a cooler, though beach towels are not supplied.
Location & Surroundings
The resort is set right on the beach in central Destin, with several other hotels and plazas (Sunsations Plaza, Big Kahuna's, Wingate Inn, Holiday Inn) within a few hundred meters, functioning as informal local bus stops. Destin Executive Airport is about 1.6km away, while Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport is roughly 12km away, making the property reasonably convenient for fly-in visitors.
Best for
This property suits families and groups seeking a self-catering beachfront stay, thanks to its full kitchen, crib availability, bunk beds, and sofa bed sleeping arrangement. It also appeals to travelers who want resort-style recreation without leaving the building, given the indoor/outdoor pools, hot tub, sauna, and fitness center. Couples or small groups drawn to walkable water-park and boardwalk access (Big Kahuna's, Harbor Walk) will also find the setting convenient.
Travel tips
Door codes and detailed arrival instructions are sent by email and text seven days before check-in, so confirm contact details are current ahead of arrival. Because private beach chair setups are restricted to behind rental umbrella rows and rental chair sets can book out months in advance, arrange beach seating early if that matters to your stay. Laundry is available on every floor near the elevators (coin or credit card operated), which is useful for longer stays, and free on-site parking includes paid EV charging for those driving in.
What guests say
Many guests highlight the panoramic ocean views from the 18th floor and describe check-in and host communication as smooth and easy. However, a recurring negative theme involves cleanliness and maintenance concerns despite general tidiness, including a lingering smoke odor in a supposedly smoke-free unit and an out-of-service ice maker. Some reviewers also reported frustration with unclear amenity details (such as limited beach chair availability) and with unresolved noise or conduct issues from other guests around the pool area, citing slow response from on-site staff to complaints. Overall sentiment skews strongly positive on the view and communication, with occasional but pointed criticism of property upkeep and shared-space management.
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