Ariel Dunes

This was our first time staying in Destin. We normally stay in Panama City. My first impression wells good. Easy to find, easy check in.
After a long day we were ready to settle in. I first notice the rotten egg smell when my husband came out of the bathroom. I was so looking forward to a hot bath. Well the rotten egg smell really came out the. Needless to say this v9ndo has an extreme sulfur smell when you run the hot water, not really appealing. They offered room freshener, not really going to help the smell when you are bathing and it’s strong. Nice condo not sure I’ll be back

This is by far the worse experience I’ve had on a vacation! Condo was filthy!!! The bedding looked as if someone at crawled out of the beach and into bed. The sheets were soiled, not stained. The carpets were very dirty as well. Again, physical dirt and filth aside from stains. They said they could send someone out but would be close to midnight because they were an outside contractor.
To top it off, as I wright this, the AC is out and it’s been 96* today @ 11pm. I’m thinking this won’t be handled either. Complete bust. My first Vaca in 2yrs ruined!

Terrible customer service! If you stay here, do not rent through Seascape! I was asked to leave early and not refunded my payment because the owner wanted to paint and remodel. This was not due to anything I did as a tenant. The whole situation was handled poorly, and when I tried to contact the condo association I received no response.

Ariel Dunes is a complex of 2 high-​rise condominiums nestled between the Seaside Resort and the Majestic Sun resort pretty much right next to Destin, FL on the Emerald Coast Highway. (US 98) You can easily book a condo through ResortQuest or also, through
, which is a nice idea if you want to haggle a little on prices last minute.
The location is hard to find on google/​yahoo maps and even your GPS since the condos are relatively new (built in 2006?) and sit alongside Scenic 98 which can be accessed from 98 by a series of side roads (Miramar Beach Dr., Holiday Dr, Geranimo Dr. etc.) You drive in through a large arch after picking up your key from the nearby ResortQuest office (located directly off of US 98) — there is ample parking so no need to stress! They also offer a number of dollies/​carts that are great for lugging your heaping carful of luggage to your condo in one trip.
I was impressed by the interior of the condo — our family stayed in Ariel Dunes I, 1904, a 2-​bedroom, 2-​bathroom condo with kitchen, dining room, and living area. It was gorgeous, clean, and well decorated. The view (although ‘partial’) was still spectacular and the balcony was huge and furnished with chairs, tables, and a lounge chair. The kitchen itself was grand with granite counter-​tops, stainless steel appliances, and a number of plates and silverware. You may want to bring additional pots and pans as well as basic spices (salt/​pepper etc.) if you are going to be cooking extensively, but it is perfect for easy meals.
Although we weren’t able to experience all the amenities (golfing, tennis, etc.) the 2 pools were nice. Also, they have a convenient little rinse station in front of the pools where you can wash off sand from your sandals and suits after a day at the beach. The walk to the beach was about 2 – 5 minutes and only required a short walk across a road (most cars will stop for you anyway) — sometimes Resortquest offers free beach rentals but at the time we went, the beach chairs/​umbrellas were $ 30/​day or $ 20 after 1pm. Go early to reserve a front-​row seat!
Although going into Destin proper takes about 15 minutes, there are plenty of nearby attractions to keep a family satisfied. The Silver Sands outlets are literally a few minutes away and there is a Wal-​Mart just down the road for last minute essentials. All you really need is the beach and this section of the beach is MUCH less crowded than the Destin stretch.
Don’t be deterred by bad weather — Florida weather is almost always gorgeous and ‘isolated thundershowers’ mean nothing with 90% of the trip remaining beautiful and sunny — they don’t call it the sunshine state for nothing!
All in all — breathtaking views, proximity to the beach, sugar-​white sand beaches and turquoise waters = your perfect beach vacation get away. The price was right for a family vacation and if you book an entire week you can save!