Hilton Vacation Club Bayside Resort Panama City Be

The room was clean and the bed was comfortable, but I was disappointed by the disorganized front desk. I’m a Hilton honors member, yet I had to fill in my information on paper after already entering it online. The receptionist said they’d only been partnered with Hilton for about a year and their systems “do not talk to each other yet.” In today’s digital world, after a year of partnership, that surprised me. There was no digital key or online check in or checkout. She also made a point of saying they’re a “resort,” not a “hotel.” You have to pay for the stay upfront, plus there’s an additional $200 credit card hold. That hold didn’t feel justified. It was my first visit, and getting basic information took pulling teeth. I wasn’t told about breakfast options or complimentary water until checkout, when I was offered water. We’d already bought some at Walmart the night before. Check in is at 4 p.m. and checkout at 10 a.m., which is crazy. The location isn’t close to the beach either. I definitely won’t return.

We were close to many local attractions, and the bay area around the resort is beautiful. The property was clean and well kept, with attentive and respectful staff. Our room was spacious and clean, and had the amenities that helped make the stay special. The shower had great water pressure, and there were plenty of activities on site to keep us busy.

We stayed in building 1 and didn’t have a bay view, which was fine since I hadn’t expected one with my reservation. Next time, I’d choose a bay view if I could. It would be beautiful. The rooms in our building felt like hotel rooms, with a mini fridge and microwave for convenience food. On-site food is pricey, and it’s a drive to other restaurants, so that’s something to plan for. We knew that ahead of time, so it didn’t bother us. The site clearly says so, which makes some of the low reviews hard to understand. We really enjoyed the resort. It’s beautifully laid out, with a nice boardwalk, a little private beach, and lovely pools. Flip Flops had great drinks, though they were a little pricey. The staff were so nice, especially Kayla at Flip Flops. I’d definitely stay here again!

The location and property were great, and our room looked clean and nice when we arrived. But the walls in the hotel rooms were so thin we could hear our neighbors as if they were with us. At first, we thought the talking was coming from a video on our phones. We didn’t think too much of it, since that can happen, but one day we came back early from the beach and heard moaning and groaning through the wall. I’m not blaming the neighbors, we’re all on vacation to have a good time. Still, with the TV on, we shouldn’t be able to hear everything. People should have some privacy on vacation and be able to relax without worrying about things like that.