Hotel Effie Sandestin, Autograph Collection

I work in hotels and know what service at a top-tier property should look like, and this didn’t meet that standard. The hotel itself is pretty and clean, and the toffee is incredible. Some staff were very good: the front desk manager upgraded my room, explained my benefits after I asked, and stayed communicative by text. The concierge was cheerful and seemed eager to help, and the room service staff member was nice. Those positives are why I’m giving three stars instead of two. At arrival, the valet was reading a book and didn’t come over, so I had to roll down my window and ask for help. I asked about self-parking and was sent a quarter mile away to a field, even though there was a self-parking option next to the hotel that I was paying for. Later, I had to keep looking for service. We came back twice before anyone helped us, and the restaurant was hard to find a host at. The only helpful person there was a friendly Asian man who went out of his way for us. Room service was also hard to reach: I called twice, then called the front desk to get connected, and it took ten minutes to reach someone. The reason I’m writing is an unexplained $300 charge with no receipt. I could have let the other frustrations go as hotels have bad days, but the errors accumulated, and that charge pushed me to air my grievances.

The rooftop bar was a lovely extra, with stunning sunset views and a relaxing evening atmosphere. We had dinner at the restaurant too and loved it. Breakfast was fresh, varied, and delicious, a real surprise for us as Europeans who often struggle to find good breakfasts in the US. The front desk staff were friendly and professional. Our room felt brand new, was spacious and quiet enough for a great night’s sleep. Fresh cookies are served daily, and they’re honestly worth dying for. The hotel is in a secure residential area with a big parking lot, and felt safe and comfortable throughout. Everything made the stay memorable.

The room was small, dated, dirty, and far too expensive. The heat didn’t work right, the balcony door wouldn’t seal properly, and the luggage rack was broken. We were charged for water bottles that weren’t in the room, and the front desk never explained the resort fee. The luggage attendant and valet staff were the only ones who were nice and helpful. There may have been black mold in the shower.

We were there for my husband’s yellow ribbon ceremony. The counter staff greeted us warmly, and the hotel immediately felt luxurious, right down to its signature scent. Our room was clean and spacious, with two robes in the closet and a tablet by the bed displaying our name. The shower pressure was among the best we’ve had. The problem came when we went back to the room before the event ended at noon: our key had stopped working, so I returned to the front desk and was told checkout was at 11, not noon as we’d been told at check-in. We had to hurry upstairs for our belongings to avoid an extra charge. We’d also heard there was a great rooftop bar, but didn’t get a chance to see it.