• The best hotels in Western Florida take advantage of the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico that make up a region called the Emerald Coast.florida beachs image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
  
  The best hotels in Western Florida are on the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico that make up a region called the Emerald Coast. White beaches present green sparkling water from Pensacola Beach, Fort Walton Beach and Destin. They rival Florida's more urban, Atlantic-facing beaches and help make the state a world-renowned vacation destination.
  
  

Holiday Inn Express

• The eight floors of the Holdiay Inn Express on Pensacola Beach offer great views of the Gulf of Mexico and the white sands on its edge. All 76 non-smoking rooms face the beach. Each room has complimentary high-speed Internet access, a mini refrigerator, a coffeemaker, a hairdryer and an iron. Rooms are subtly decorated with neutral colors. The morning paper is delivered to your door, and a complimentary buffet breakfast is available off the lounge. There is a business center conveniently located in the hotel. A fitness center with floor to ceiling windows overlooks the water. There is also a Zero Entry lagoon-style pool with splash jets.
  
  Holiday Inn Express
  
  333 Fort Pickens Road
  
  Pensacola Beach, FL 32561
  
  850-932-3536
  
  hiexpress.com
  
  

Ramada Plaza Beach Resort

• All 335 rooms and 18 suites of The Ramada Plaza Beach Resort in Fort Walton Beach are nonsmoking. Each guestroom comes with free high-speed Internet access, cable TV with HBO, a refrigerator, a coffeemaker, a hairdryer and pillow-top bedding with colorful, quilted bed covers. Newspapers are delivered daily. Beach-facing rooms have private balconies with a view. Some rooms have adjoining doors for those traveling in large groups.
  
  The Ramada Plaza has an outdoor grotto pool, with cascading waterfalls surrounded by beach chairs and umbrellas. During the summer, there is a swim-up bar alongside the pool, a barbecue hut for outdoor dining and a splash garden for children. The Ramada Plaza also has a business center, coin-operated laundry facilities and cardiovascular equipment in its fitness center.
  
  Ramada Plaza Beach Resort
  
  1500 Miracle Strip Parkway Southeast
  
  Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
  
  850-243-9161
  
  ramadafwb.com
  
  

Palms of Destin Resort

• The Palms of Destin Resort and Conference Center is set on 15 acres along the Emerald Coast in Destin, one of Florida's vacation destinations. Each hotel suite has a full kitchen with granite counter tops and a breakfast bar that seats three. Each suite also comes with high-speed Internet access, a hairdryer and an iron.
  
  The heated pool outside includes five dancing waterfalls. There's also an adjacent whirlpool spa, a playground and a tennis court. The Palms also has a business center, a state-of-the-art of fitness center and a full-service day spa that incorporates both modern and ancient spa traditions from Bali and the Polynesian Islands. Because of its luxurious grounds and spa, the Palms is a popular wedding destination and has been featured in "Gulf Coast Bride Magazine."
  
  Palms of Destin Resort
  
  4201 2 Trees Road
  
  Destin, FL 32541
  
  850-351-0500
  
  palmsofdestin.com