Radisson Beachfront Hotel - Panama City Beach

I had booked and prepaid for a two-bedroom suite for six people two to three months ahead. When we arrived, we were told it had been downgraded to a one-bedroom suite. That was completely unacceptable. The hotel blamed Expedia for overbooking instead of acknowledging that they had given away my room. They offered only two choices: fit six people into two double beds and a pull-out couch, or take a full refund. It was Thursday at the start of summer vacation season, and I was very worried about finding somewhere else. I was lucky to have the money to arrange other accommodations, but I kept thinking about guests who might not have those extra funds. Getting the refund was frustrating too. The manager took far too long to process it, and I had to call several times before it was done. The hotel kept blaming Expedia and a new employee instead of taking responsibility, and I was still charged for one night. I did find a beautiful three-bedroom apartment for the same price, so in the end the change worked out for me. But the stress, inconvenience, and lack of accountability were unacceptable. I can’t recommend this hotel.

The staff were lovely, especially Deanna. Whenever anything came up, they sorted it out and were very nice. With all the sand, it would help to have a broom and dustpan in the rooms, or maybe a rug or runner between the beds for wiping your feet before getting into bed. I’ll definitely stay again.

The location and view earned it two stars. Traffic on the main road was awful, and parking was even worse. Once you find a space, don’t move your car or you might not get another one. The room was okay but smelled, and the pullout couch bedding was covered in pubes. We went three days with no cleanup and no towels. Some staff were decent, but others were rude, useless, and a bit trashy. They held up the elevators multiple times in our three days to chat while customers waited. The night clerk with dyed hair, the emo queen, didn’t want to help with anything. Beach access was great, but I wouldn’t stay again or recommend it. I expected better from a Raddison, and after this stay I’d probably avoid the whole chain.

You get what you pay for at this very old, bare-bones hotel, though it had what I needed. The staff were courteous, my room was stocked, the bed was comfortable, and parking was available across the street. The ocean view and easy beach access were great. The main problem was the smell. It was bearable if I aired out the room and used room spray often.