jill_h

We found a secret in the Florida panhandle! Hotel DeFuniak is located in DeFuniak Springs, Florida - between Pensacola and Tallahassee and north of Panama City. I was not impressed with the hotels on the interstate, so I went in to town and found Hotel DeFuniak. It is a hidden jewel!. It is located about 3 miles north of I-10. There is a very nice picturesque spring fed lake that is surrounded by nice historic homes. The food at Bogey's is outstanding. Please take a look at their website. http://www.hoteldefuniak.com. I told them that I would post this information on Fodor's because they no longer want to be the "best kept secret of the Florida panhandle." We will definitely stay there again. It would be a great weekend getaway for those in the Florida, Alabama, Mississippi area. If you like to scuba, Vortex Springs is just down the road. If you like by ride your bike, there are great backroads in the area to ride.

WaltonOutdoors

Yes... The Hotel DeFuniak is very nice. Just a correction however, it is not north of Panama City it is west about 20 miles off of U.S. Hwy. 90. And, Lake DeFuniak is not spring fed, however Vortex Springs is.
Even better scuba diving than Vortex is a place called Morrison Springs. For more info on Morrison Springs, go to: http://www.waltonoutdoors.com/morris...ions-complete/

zelphiacat

The only time I was in Defuniak Springs was evacuating from P'Cola and following Hurricane Opal the entire way! What a nightmare!

Though I saw very little that day, I didn't realize there was much of anything there. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, imo. - I guess handy to I-10 though.

The Hotel looks/sounds really cool! I'll have to remember it.

Wayne

I agree with you, jill. I had mentioned the town and the hotel several times on this forum (well, maybe 2 or 3 times) over the past few years, and I'm glad to see that someone else likes the place also. The old victorian homes overlooking the lake make a beautiful scene. Just to help clarify an earlier clarification by waltonoutdoors, the town of Defuniak Springs is directly on US highway 90. The hotel itself is just a block or so off the highway. The rooms are all individual in design and decoration, and they are all very charming. I hope the hotel receives a bit more attention from those who travel along I-10 in the Florida panhandle.

jill_h

DeFuniak Springs is such a great place for a weekend getaway for those that live in this area of the U.S. And again, the food is fantastic at Bogey's. I just hope Hotel DeFuniak gets more attention - it is a real gem!

WaltonOutdoors

DeFuniak Springs is a great place that brings you back in time. Check out the Little Big Store if you are in town. Old antique type toys, candies and assorted items that reminds me of when I was a little girl and got a nickel to buy candy and got a sack full. Nice people that run the place too!