I stayed her with my family in August of 2007. We rented a 2 bedroom condo in the Osprey building (I'm pretty sure) and our cousins rented a condo in the adjoining building. We booked for the first week in August that was cheaper than the rest of the summer, and it was GREAT!
The condo was absolutely beautiful--stainless steel appliances and granite countertops in the kitchen, beautiful furniture, and very clean!
We had a corner unit, so we had 2 HUGE balconies. (See pictures!) Our unit also had an extra den that could be used as a third bedroom. There were even flat screen TVs in the living room and bedroom. It was just great!
The pools in the complex are absolutely beautiful. My cousins basically spent the entire week in the pool. The lazy river is great, and though the actual pool is small, there is a huge other pool on the gulf side of the complex. There are 2 other little pools designated for specific buildings (which really didn't make alot of sense). The grounds are beautifully landscaped with tropical plants, and there are grills and picnic tables to have a nice bbq. (Get out there early!)
The complex is divided into two parts, bay and gulf. The lazy river is on the bay side, and we thought it was the better side. The pools and the grounds are just so amazing. It was a bit of a walk to cross the bridge and go through the other building, especially dragging tired kids and loads of stuff at the end of the day. The bay isn't really for swimming, but it is clear enough to go in. My brothers took a raft out there.
The actual beach is very pretty, and next to a boardwalk (which is kind of disappointing with a few restaurants and a few overpriced shops). You can pay a small fee and go fishing on the pier. Look hard and you can see the stingrays on the bottom. Watch out for seaweed and jellyfish. There were jellyfish all over the place in Destin later in the week, but apparently there weren't many by where we were.
My only complaint is that though the resort is away from the hustle and bustle of Destin, it is also away from the great beaches and nightlife.
Make sure you make a trip out to Norriego Point (BEST BEACH EVER--it is right across the bridge going from Fort Walton to Destin next to the Emerald Something condos--you have to go around to get there but it is SOOOOO worth it--like being on a tropical island)
Also, check out Pompano Joes in Destin, and the Village at Baytowne Wharf. Old Bay Steamer in Fort Walton (just 2 minutes from Destin West) is great, affordable seafood.
We would definitely come here again!
