Slowing the roll at Destin's Henderson Beach Resort

24.06.2024 - 22:09 / travelweekly.com

On my second day as a guest at the Henderson Beach Resort, I was scheduled to go to a morning yoga class. But I wasn't feeling it. Somewhat guiltily, I slipped into a pair of sandals and crossed an empty road to the nearby beach.

The sun was climbing, and the emerald waters were glistening. A family strolled by, the children scaring the birds. A fisherman was tending a trio of rods held by tubes in the sand. A line of blue-and-white umbrellas shaded a regiment of mostly empty beach chairs. I felt relaxed and carefree, ready for the new day.

That, in a nutshell, describes the vibe at the Henderson Beach Resort. With five buildings, three large pools and 170 rooms perched on the Florida Panhandle, the Henderson is big enough to offer morning yoga and a host of other activities, amenities and premium features. But its biggest asset may be the sense of tranquility and easy Southern living it confers on guests.

Whether you're floating down the lazy river, recharging with a massage at the spa or watching the sunset from the Rooftop bar, you're never far from a rejuvenating experience at this resort.

That makes it a bit of an anomaly in Destin, where the main road through town is lined with waterparks, minigolf courses, surf shops, arcades, outlet malls and other familiar tourist magnets.

Southern feel

While the exterior look is suggestive of a New England or Cape Cod village, the hotel's large lobby and interior spaces have a more Southern feel, with a wide veranda overlooking the adults pool and an even wider one on another side that offers views of the adjacent 200-acre Henderson Beach State Park.

Magnolia trees dot the park, and a westerly wind lends a fragrant scent to any activities in that space. Our Chef's Table dinner on opening night, normally staged in the kitchen, was moved there to take advantage of the nice weather.

Executive chef Tyler Simmons presented a four-course menu himself. It included carrot-caraway bisque, a spinach salad, a sous vide filet of beef entree and strawberry cheesecake.

The six food venues and lounges at the Henderson vary from pool grills to semiformal dining. Notable is the previously mentioned Rooftop, which offers a vista of the Gulf of Mexico and the adjacent park from seven stories up that is magical at sunset.

The Henderson is decorated with 465 pieces of original art, mostly marvelous black-and-white photos of a more rustic Destin in the 1950s and '60s. They line the handsome blue and gold corridors