Who wouldn’t admire a hotel developer who names a property after his grandma? That’s exactly what Tom Becnel of Sandestin Investments did with Hotel Effie, the new property going up on the grounds of the Sandestin Beach Resort. The hotel, which broke ground last summer and is expected to open in May 2020, will have 250 guest rooms.
Located on Northwest Florida's Gulf Coast, the hotel is the first inside the gates of Sandestin Beach Resort, which now accommodates visitors in condos, homes, and villas. Groups at Hotel Effie will have access to the resort’s 15 tennis courts, 123-slip marina, and four championship golf courses, all in a 2,400-acre property between the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay.
The new hotel is adjacent to the Baytowne Conference Center, which offers two ballrooms (13,500 and 5,500 square feet) and multiple smaller spaces.
Hotel Effie will also feature a spa, fitness center, and rooftop pool. James Beard Award–winning celebrity chef Hugh Acheson, a judge on “Top Chef,” is developing the food and beverage outlets, including a three-meal restaurant, coffee bar and market, lobby bar, and rooftop pool bar.
A rendering of the lobby of Hotel Effie opening spring 2020.
