Usually an explorer, I happily never left this Florida resort and my amazing view

Visiting Florida beaches, I usually can’t wait to explore nearby restaurants and bars, but when I checked into the Hilton Sandestin, I turned contrarian.

While guests flocked to the beach to see gorgeous sunsets slip below the horizon, I stayed back, as every room had a private balcony. Looking over prime steaks on the menu at the AAA, four-diamond steakhouse, Seagar’s, I cherished the pan-seared, tableside-deboned Dover Sole. At their spa, I couldn’t decide between the deep-tissue massage or jumping inside the touchless Hydrojet Light Pad table, so I did both.

Naturally, at check-out time, I didn’t want to leave.

Please see the rest of the story.

– Chris Schroder, Publisher

kayaks on beach at Hilton Sandestin — Step onto the Gulf of Mexico’s sugary white sand and rent kayaks, paddle boards, play volleyball or chill under an umbrella. (Photo courtesy of Hilton Sandestin)

The Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, along the 100 miles of Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast, just completed an extensive $35M renovation, coinciding with the resort’s 40^th anniversary.

While I heard the call of 40-plus golf courses and countless sugary white beaches along that stretch of highway, I was content to stay close to the Hilton’s one indoor and two outdoor pools, where I could swim up to a cool bar and order a drink or a sampler flight of favorite beachside beverages.

(For those wanting to head to the links, The Hilton has a shuttle to four championship golf courses nearby.)

Guests enjoy exquisite sunsets by the waves. (Photo by Chris Schroder)

To hit the beach, I could step off the 22,500-square-foot pool deck and wander past the 30,000 sea oats the resort planted along the dunes to take a long walk along Northwest Florida’s emerald ocean’s edge.

Resort staff can set up umbrellas and chairs for you for less than $50 a day. At night, you can request they light a private beach bonfire so you can keep those sandy toes toasty as you gaze at the waves, stars and moon.

room at Hilton Sandestin — You can book spacious guest rooms and suites with one king or two queen beds or all three. Some also include a sofa sleeper. (Photo courtesy of Hilton Sandestin)

All guest rooms feature a mini refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, premium cable TV and WiFi. Rooms on the first floor also feature a covered patio.

Kids will love the junior deluxe suites, which are perfect for families. Parents don’t need to watch another episode of “Paw Patrol” on vacation – the bunk beds have their own TVs. Suites also have a king or two double beds, plus a queen sleeper sofa.

The 500-square-foot Deluxe Junior Suites each have bunk beds –with TVs – for the kids. (Photo courtesy of Hilton Sandestin)

You can always order In-room dining, but it’s hard to pass up the restaurants at the hotel. Moments after checking in, I was seated at Sandcastles in the lobby, enjoying a tasty half dozen baked oysters with butter, garlic, lemon, jalapenos and Romano cheese and a blackened grouper sandwich.

After I checked in, I stopped by the lobby restaurant, Sandcastles for one of my favorite foods – baked oysters with butter, garlic, lemon, jalapeños, Romano cheese and panko. (Photo by Chris Schroder)

You can order top-tier sushi from the adjacent Hadashi Sushi Bar. Outdoors, you can also order the grouper on your salad poolside at Barefoot’s Beachside Bar & Grill.

Or walk downstairs to Seagar’s, a stunning, award-winning steakhouse where the steaks are all prime and hands-on staff entertains you tableside. I overheard a staff member describing the Dover Sole to a guest on the beach and I was so taken by his description of its gentle searing in brown butter with a drizzling of lemon and capers before being deboned and plated at your table, I had to order it the next night. It was amazing.

Seagar’s Executive Chef Fleetwood Covington with Wagyu beef. — Seagar’s Executive Chef Fleetwood Covington waxes poetic about the ways he prepares Japanese A-5 Wagyu beef. Your cuts can be 4 or 6 ounces. (Photo by Chris Schroder)

But if you love steaks and lamb chops as much as I do, book a second night under the care of Executive Chef Fleetwood Covington, who can also host a private dinner with multiple courses of different cuts, capped by a slice of luscious Wagyu steak.

The dining experiences at Seagar’s alone are worth booking a stay at the Hilton. For instance, if you feel a need for something green, order the Caesar salad for two, assembled and tossed in front of your table. To keep the show going, ask for the Bananas or Peaches Foster for two, also theatrically prepared and flambéed tableside, poured over vanilla ice cream.

staff deboning dover sole at Seagar's — The Seagar’s team will debone the Dover sole at your table. (Photo by Chris Schroder)

Other dining options include Picnix Poolside Market for a quick snack, meal of ice cream treat. The Coffee Shop serves coffee, fresh fruit and pastries.

With all that dining under your belt, you’ll want to hit the Precor or Peloton equipment or take yoga classes at the 24-hour Fitness Center, conveniently located near the Serenity by the sea Spa, a 14,500-square-foot facility with massage options, whirlpools, sauna and steam rooms.

If you do want to slip off property for strolling, drinking, dining or shopping, the nearby Village of Baytowne Wharf has dozens of establishments to wander through and hosts concerts and festivals throughout the year.

Baytowne Wharf near Hilton Sandestin — If you want to venture out, the nearby Village of Baytowne Wharf features concerts, festivals, bars, restaurants and shops. (Photo by Chris Schroder)

While Northwest Florida has many attractions to keep your friends and family on the run, you may find yourself breaking your normal routines – as I did – and just find a cozy beach chair at the Hilton Sandestin and digging in for a long and completely relaxing stay within the parameters of this superbly managed resort on the Gulf.