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On Okaloosa Island, this beachfront hotel is 6 miles west of Destin, a 9-minute walk from Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park and adjacent to the Boardwalk. The relaxed rooms and suites have enhanced WiFi and flat-screen TVs, plus mini-fridges, microwaves and coffeemakers. Some rooms offer beach or pool view. Kids 17 and under stay free with an adult. The property has direct beach access and amenities include a Grotto swim-up bar, Tripp Tide beach bar and several restaurants, as well as an outdoor pool, kiddie pool, hot tub, and fitness center. There's also a guest laundry and meeting rooms with 24,000 square feet of meeting & event space.
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Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach is celebrated for its dynamic atmosphere, with live DJs and entertainment enhancing the clean and welcoming environment. Guests often commend the resort's cleanliness and the pristine conditions of both rooms and beaches. Its prime location offers easy beach access and scenic views, despite some concerns about renovations.
While many guests appreciate the attentive staff, others have encountered disappointing service. Visitors have mixed feelings about the value, with some criticizing additional fees and room quality, yet they enjoy the comprehensive amenities, even if they come at an extra cost.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Abundant
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To celebrate my 40th birthday, I wanted to treat myself and go to a really nice hotel in Destin. We picked The Island Resort based on all the good reviews and were not disappointed. If you’re looking for a “resort” experience, The Island will definitely deliver.
There were plenty of food and drink options on the resort to choose from and the food was good. Their beach bar was absolutely fantastic. The pool with the waterfall and grotto was very fun and the sound of the waterfall was really relaxing.
They had special activities for the kids every single day which looked really fun.
Additionally, The Island was literally next door to a major shopping and dining attraction called, “The Boardwalk,” where they had multiple restaurants to choose from if you didn’t want to eat at the resort. Plus, the Okaloosa Pier and Gulfarium was right there as well. The Island Resort is literally walking distance from all of these attractions!
We would like to recognize a few phenomenal staff members and hope that this message is shared with them — our bartender, Becca, who was so kind and attentive. She was a joy to speak to during our evenings at the bar. And, Natalia at the Coastal Kitchen. She too was kind and attentive and knew exactly what we would ask for after only the first day. We thank them both and wish them all our best!
There were a few things, however, that we didn’t enjoy, which were the additional, “incidentals” that we felt should be complimentary, given the high costs to stay at this resort. We hope management will take a second look and consider making some adjustments.
We stayed 4 nights in a gulf view room and spent $2,500 — which doesn’t include what we spent on food and drinks during our stay.
So, for that amount of money, the following services should absolutely be included complimentary with your stay:
- Parking - Daily Continental Breakfast - Umbrella Service on the Beach
To close, we had a lovely time at The Island Resort and would certainly recommend it to anyone that is interested in a really nice place to stay in Destin that has a lot to offer its guests.
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Date of stay: June 2024
Value
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Island Resort, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Jun 7, 2024
We are delighted to read your review and learn that you had a fantastic time at The Island Resort. Your praise for our pool and the onsite dining options warms our hearts. Come back soon and make more cherished memories with us!
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I chose the island based on the price (we did not want to spend $2000 on a 4 day vacation ) and location, but was kinda weary based on other reviews others had. I was very surprised once we arrived! I chose the beach side room with a “private” patio to the beach which was VERY VERY convenient for beach access which I really enjoyed. I definitely would not call it private, as there is just a railing where anyone could walk around as they please or take things off your patio. Also it is verrryyy noisy, and smokers would sit outside and smoke, and their smoke smell would travel into our room. The room itself was very nice, the beds were comfortable, the down pillows were very nice, and the tv had chromecast which made it nice if there was nothing on tv we wanted to watch. The bathroom was okay, they do provided the basic toiletries, but the shower was very disappointing. It was a waterfall shower, but spits out a very small amount of water. Also there was no door to close off the shower, which spit water out all over the floor, and I would think that would be a fall hazard?? We ended up running out of room to put our things to dry (which never ended up drying and were covered in sand - 4 days later I took home sipping wet / soured clothes) due to only having 1 hanging hook. I wish there would’ve been a public laundry room at least to help get rid of the sand covered clothes / wet clothes. Of course there was sand all over the room / bed / floors. Which wasn’t too terribly bothersome (what do you expect!) but the room service the 2nd day did not get any of the sand off our floor / bed. Which makes me believe they did not change our bed sheets or sweep the floor. We ended up scooting around on a towel to keep the sand off our feet to keep it out of the bed. The pools were wonderful, with one heated in the back, a hot tub, and the grotto not heated. All of them were busy and was too cold for the non heated grotto pool so we ended up not getting in. Besides wishing we had a laundry room, I wish we also had a microwave!! But you lose some you win some!!! Definitely recommend staying, just be aware of a few things listed above!!
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Charles Cruger, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Mar 31, 2021
Dear Selena S Thank you for your honest feedback as it assists us with perfecting our oasis of paradise, The Island. I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed the convenience of our beach front location, world class recreational amenities and newly appointed rooms. We will certainly look to improve this particular shower and I apologize for all troubles it caused. Please know we have a 24/7 front desk ladies and gentlemen who are always here to assist. We do have a on-site guest laundry facility which I will ensure we have better signage to inform all of our guests. I do hope you will give us another try when your travels take you to the Emerald Coast. Warm Regards,
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The rooms were clean. Beds were comfortable! Amenities were lovely. We ate breakfast buffet every morning and all but 1 was good, (food seemed like it had been sitting awhile on first day). Lunch we had tacos and chicken tenders at the lounge, bartender was friendly and food was really good! Happy hour appetizer were wonderful that evening! Beach side bar was super convenient! The heated pool was closed for maintenance first 2 days of our 4 day stay, the grotto pool was closed the last 3. The grotto being closed ment the walkway was closed so you had to walk around, would be nice if there was a way to not cut off walkway. Biggest complaint was that the walls to the rooms are really thin, our neighbor had a horrific cough that went on all night, all three nights... we were 3 rooms from the ice machine and could hear it all night when people would get ice in there metal ice buckets. All in all the view from the balcony was breathtaking, beach acces was great, food was delicious and we would stay again!
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â We stayed in October the town is kind of dead then, and a lot of things were closed.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alexis Bell, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Oct 29, 2024
Thank you for choosing The Island Resort for your getaway! We're thrilled that you had a wonderful experience, especially appreciating our beach access and the breathtaking sunsets. We can't wait to welcome you back to create more unforgettable moments.
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We cannot say enough wonderful things about The Island Resort in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, and the extraordinary care we received during our 10-night stay.
Traveling with our 2-day-old baby, we were in a unique situation—waiting for approval to bring our son home—and unsure how long we’d need accommodations.
From the moment we arrived, the hotel manager, Alexis, went above and beyond to ensure we felt welcomed and supported. Her compassion and reassurance that we could stay as long as necessary truly put us at ease during an emotional and uncertain time.
The staff's thoughtfulness was unmatched. They kept our room impeccably clean every day, provided extra towels to assist with baby care, and regularly checked in to ensure we had everything we needed. Their kindness and attention to detail created an amazing environment to care for our son during his first days of life.
We even spent Thanksgiving at the hotel and were met with warmth and understanding that made the holiday special despite being away from home. Alexis and her team truly transformed what could have been a stressful experience into one filled with peace and comfort.
The Island Resort is not just a beautiful place to stay—it’s a haven where guests are cared for like family. We are so grateful for their incredible hospitality and highly recommend this hotel to anyone, especially families.
Thank you for making this milestone in our lives so memorable! We can’t wait to come back next year!!
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alexis Bell, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Dec 11, 2024
Thank you for the kind words and feedback provided. I have been in my career for 12 years and my customers that I have a connection with such as ours is why I continue working in this industry. You all have such a wonderful story and I am so happy we are now apart of your story. We can't wait to welcome Henry back for his 1st Birthday as well as you two beautiful souls. I hope you all enjoy your first Christmas as a family. The Island can't wait to welcome you all back. Please reach out to me directly when ready to book. Best wishes your Island Family.
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We stayed here Monday August 5th through Thursday August 8th and we had a wonderful time. This was our first time visiting Florida from Texas and it didn't disappoint. We requested a pool side room with a balcony and we got a room on the 4th floor overlooking the pool with the grotto. As a suggestion for anybody wanting to stay here I would recommend requesting a poolside ground floor room with a balcony. You can literally step off the balcony straight into the pool which my kids thought was awesome. Probably not the best rooms if you have toddlers though. Also they have rooms that are beachside and I would recommend requesting a ground floor room beachside as you can leave directly from your balcony to the beach. The room we stayed in was a little small but it was fine for a family of four. It had a mini fridge and microwave which is handy to have. The room was also clean and housekeeping was amazing. They were very prompt and kept our room clean for us. The grounds of the resort were really nice. They have two pools and a hot tub. The pool with grotto is very cold though so we mostly swam in their heated which we enjoyed very much. They have plenty of lounge chairs and towels and also a few bars by the pools. My only complaint is that the drinks were pricey which was expected however they were very weak. The location of this resort is in my opinion the best part. It's beachside so you can walk to the beach and of course the beach was beautiful. You can rent chairs and an umbrella for the day and there is also a bar and food truck between the hotel and beach. Right next to the hotel is the boardwalk which has several restaurants and shops so we never had to drive to go eat or shop. Overall the experience was amazing and I would definitely recommend this place.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Island Resort, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Aug 15, 2024
We are delighted to read your review and learn that you had a fantastic time at The Island Resort. Your praise for our pool and the onsite dining options warms our hearts. Come back soon and make more cherished memories with us!
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My wife and I had the pleasure of staying at The Island Resort in Ft Walton Beach for 4 nights in late October of 2024. The resort was clean and easy to navigate. Our 5th floor room with a decent sized balcony in particular was very comfortable for the 2 of us and had a spectacular view of the Gulf and beach in front of the resort.
Room service when requested was efficient and thorough. We enjoyed breakfast twice during our stay and found the food to be in proper portions sizes (Thankfully not oversized) and tasty. Restaurant service was good and fairly speedy as well. We took advantage of the gym access in the nearby condominium complex and found it to be fully equipped.
The Island beach bar right in front of the hotel is an excellent spot to have lunch or enjoy the sunset right on the beach. The menu options are varied enough but not over done. The music selection at the bar has something for everyone: classic rock, pop and country. Be aware that umbrella and beach chair rental is quite expensive; we made due hanging out at the beach bar.
The resort is an excellent value for money; it offers comfort, good parking, a clean wide beach and fantastic Gulf views.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alexis Bell, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you for the feedback and rating. We're happy you still decided to leave us a review even though you stayed in October. Come back and see us anytime!
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We enjoyed our stay here overall. There was one issue we had but Gabby and the manager Terrance resolved it for us. I also need to shout out Ralph the head of security. He helped us carry our bags upstairs since there’s no elevator. He also helped our door dash driver carry up a heavy tote of drinks. One day during our stay he also noticed that these 3 guys in the hot tub didn’t have wrist bands & got them out within minutes. I’ve never experienced such a nice employee anywhere!!! We felt very safe during our stay because of him. There were other security people too that were nice and greeted us throughout our stay. There were also two lovely ladies in the restaurant that helped make my friend’s bday great. One gave me 2 of their balloons and one made a muffin plate that said happy bday. I didn’t get their names sadly. The lady working in the gift shop was so nice, asking about our families and where we’re from. I’ll list the positives during our stay since Gabby and Terrance resolved our concerns. Pros: heated pool, hot tub (this was our fave part), fridge in room, 3 min walk to beach & some restaurants. Onsite restaurant had stellar pizza. We loved having a gift shop on site with snacks and toiletries.
Note: The price for one personal sized pizza with 3 toppings was steep at $27 but I wanted to lick the plate clean it was so good so I overlooked the cost. One small alcohol drink was $15 before tip so note that the inside restaurant is kind of pricey. The food truck and outside pool bar/snack shack weren’t open since it was off season.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Island Resort, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Feb 6, 2024
Thank you so much for your glowing review! We're delighted to hear that you had an amazing experience at The Island Resort Fort Walton Beach. It's fantastic that you enjoyed our beautiful beachfront location and the friendly service from our staff. We can't wait to welcome you back for another memorable stay!
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Many thanks to the absolutely 'stellar' staff, with special 'kudo's' to Vanessa Blackmon, Jackie Gibson, Kristy Foggitt-Bisbee, and our 'Weekend Liason' Marion Sanders...!!! Every single need of every single guest at the conference was taken care of. They even adjusted our air conditioning system by the use of a telephone app every time that we texted them and it was done immediately with innocent communication. Marion set up a special dinner for the VIP's and the committee with every option that we asked for. On time without a glitch. Thank you so much Marion... I have been staying at the Island Resort and before that...the Ramada Plaza Resort since 1988. We moved our annual conference here from Panama City after their hotel became too deteriorated. When the Island Resort Company purchased the Ramada... they immediately began investing $4 million into the upgrades, beginning with the front lobby...the restaurant, and then in 2018, began the transformation of the rooms. Believe me it is a complete difference from when it was owned by Ramada. Built in 1966, I have watched many transformations and improvements since I arrived here in 1982. Our conference holds 350 people, and "sells-out" every year since the island resort took over. And it's not just because of the location and the proximity to the sand dunes and our beautiful emerald green water and sugar white sand. It's because the island resort brought in a group of people that have the "Island Spirit". That's what completes the package. They have also upgraded to provide a activity area for the Children, and also one for the Teens. A separate Exercise Facility overlooking BOTH of the pools...the Heated one, and the World's famous "Grotto Pool", where you can swim thru the Waterfalls to the 'wet bar' with the Mermaid. And the Beach 'Gazebo-Boardwalk offers all amenities, including the Food Truck (seasonal). To tell you how much I appreciate the Island Resort, this is where I booked our wedding in 2014 and we rented all the first floor pool access rooms where you walk out of your sliding glass door onto a very small patio and step right into the pool. The new Coastal Restaurant offers so much more than the old gardening cafe and bubbles lounge. It is a definitely more modern vibe. And if you are prone to, the boardwalk is right next door with the entire variety of restaurants, stores, and equipment. Chip Bowdren, Destin Resident
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
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Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip:Â as a Beach Resort, Contact them if it's during the winter time or fall to see what amenities are...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alexis Bell, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Feb 18, 2025
Thanks for taking the time to share your well valued review. We're so happy to hear you had such a great experience as well as amazing customer service. The Island looks forward to hosting you again next year.
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House keeping restocked and cleaned and was very kind and joyful to help. I loved the pool view but saw one of the ocean views and will book that view next time. They are both great views regardless! I had to upgrade my Netflix account to allow for TV casting to watch tv in the room at night which I didn’t like having to do the entire process of casting plus upgrading my Netflix account to the $20/mo package to do so. I would recommend downloading the app to the TVs so people can just log in directly.
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Date of stay: March 2025
Value
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Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Â The adjoining rooms have no verbal privacy. The heated pool has very limited seating so snag one...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alexis Bell, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded 4 days ago
Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion about our property. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your time at our property and we look forward to welcoming you back again in the future. We also appreciate your feed back and will definitely take your feedback on board as we strive to improve our property ever day.
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Unless you are staying in the boathouse you might as well be staying at an old Motel 6. The toilet/shower room is the size of a cruise ship bathroom, your air turns off every time you leave the room so it’s 75 when you return. There are NO elevators in building B or C and they both have 3 floors of room so don’t bring anything with you and make sure your luggage is light because you will be hauling it up the stairs by yourself. They wouldn’t even consider a late checkout and rooms were not sold out. This was the worst experience ever and I travel a lot.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alexis Bell, Guest Services / Front Office at The Island Resort At Fort Walton Beach
Responded Apr 19, 2024
We apologize for the inconveniences you experienced during your stay. Your feedback is important to us, and we're committed to addressing these issues to ensure a better experience for our guests in the future. We hope you'll consider giving us another chance to exceed your expectations.
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The rooms are not clean. The ceiling on the outside balcony is literally falling down or sagging on most of the units. I would rather sleep in a tent than stay there.
There are more places to choose from in the Fort Walton Beach area.
PRICE RANGE
$180 - $287 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
ramada plaza beach hotel fort walton beach, ramada fort walton beach, fort walton beach ramada
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
The Island, By Hotel RL
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaFlorida PanhandleFort Walton Beach
NUMBER OF ROOMS
333
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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