Holiday Inn Express & Suites Panama City Beach - Beachfront by IHG — Hotel in Panama City Beach

In this beachfront hotel, Holiday Inn delivers. The hotel is right on the beach.|Front desk is friendly, courteous and efficient. Check-in was easy and quick.|The bedroom was spacious. We were in a suite with 2 queens and 2 bunk beds. The bunkbeds had their own television separate from the main room. The bed was perfect for me—a firm mattress with soft mattress cover. There was a full size refrigerator with lots of space. Lots of plugs for charging stuff. Wifi worked flawlessly. The rooms were very sound proof; you did not hear the noise from the pools when the doors were closed. There was a balcony from where you could see the pools below and the ocean beyond them. All the rooms face the ocean. The AC is noisy, especially when it first turns on; it is easy to adjust. The room could use more drawers, given the number of beds. The room had an iron and board, as well as a safe.|The bathroom was spacious. Towels are soft. All soap is liquid by dispensers, no bar soap. The shower is walk-in. There is 1 grab bar at the entrance opposite the shower controls, none on the back wall. The shower floor is somewhat none-slip, but not as good as it should be.|There are 4 pools: a large pool with a lazy river, a shallow pool for children, a hot tub and an indoor pool. The hotel is right on the beach. Our grandchildren were able to go back and forth from the beach to the pools. There was entertainment during the day and the evenings by the pools. Every night a family was played on a screen that could be watched from the pool or in chairs. There is an exercise room with treadmills, stationary bikes, dumbbells, arm conditioning equipment and other accessories.|There is no way of paying for tips electronically. I know the tech exists now because the last Holiday Inn I stayed in, it was present in the room and easy to use. I had to go to the front desk to change a large bill into smaller ones in order to put a tip in place. I think it should be present in a place like this.|The breakfast was great with a lot of variety. There is plenty of parking space; I never had to worry about parking the car. The area seemed safe around the hotel. There is a laundry with 3 washers and 3 dryers. It is not cashless. You need to have quarters or get them from the front desk. This should be changed in this day and time.|I asked my family if we should return, and there was a...

We just wrapped up a 6-day family vacation at this incredible hotel in Panama City Beach, and I can honestly say it exceeded every expectation. Although it's officially rated as a 2-star property, it operates like a solid 4-star resort in every way.||The cleanliness was impeccable—our room was spotless, spacious, and well-appointed with a comfortable bed, full-size refrigerator, Keurig coffee maker, microwave, and even a small sink. It felt more like a mini-suite than a standard hotel room.||The hospitality was top-notch. From the moment we arrived, the front desk staff were warm, friendly, and genuinely helpful. I even received thoughtful text check-ins throughout our stay asking how everything was going. In the reception area, there was always hot coffee, water, and sweet tea available, which was a lovely touch.||Breakfast was a highlight—a full buffet that rivaled many upscale hotels. Every morning felt like a treat, with a wide variety of fresh and delicious options.||The location is unbeatable, right on one of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. The underground parking was easy and convenient (just note the $20/night fee), and the resort fee is $40, so be sure to factor that into your budget.||The amenities were great:||Two outdoor pools, including a lazy river|One indoor pool|A fully stocked pool bar and restaurant (open until 10 PM)|Outdoor kids’ movies under the stars every night|Live entertainment on weekends|Hawaiian fire and dance shows twice a week|It’s incredibly kid-friendly, but once the families cleared out, it transformed into a peaceful retreat for retirees—many of whom return year after year. Despite all the activity outside, our room was quiet and serene, with no noise from the pools or entertainment.||There’s also a small store onsite for incidentals, and a convenience store and liquor store right across the street, which made things super easy.||Overall, we’ll absolutely be back. The hospitality, location, and amenities made this one of the best beach vacations we’ve had. If you're looking for value, comfort, and fun in Panama City Beach, this hotel is a...

I wish I could give this hotel a positive review, but our stay was absolutely awful. My wife and I took our kids for what was supposed to be a relaxing trip, but from the moment we arrived, we regretted our choice. The entire hotel, including outside and even our 7th-floor balcony, reeked of marijuana. The smell was overwhelming and completely inappropriate for a family-friendly environment.

Things only got worse when we attempted to take the elevator down after settling into our room. As we descended from the 7th floor, the elevator suddenly jolted and stopped between floors. None of the buttons worked, there was no phone inside, and we were completely trapped. Thankfully, we had our personal phones and were able to look up the hotel’s number to call for help. After about 25 minutes, staff arrived to pry the doors open, revealing that we were stuck between floors 6 and 7.

Instead of ensuring our safety or providing clear instructions, the staff simply placed a step ladder inside the elevator for us to climb out. When we asked if the elevator was going to move while we were climbing out, they just smiled and shook their heads without saying anything. This was an incredibly dangerous and unprofessional response. Our three boys were absolutely terrified—our youngest was in tears, fearing we weren’t going to make it out. Apparently they had to reset the elevator after that happened..

When we finally reached the front desk, we were met with an underwhelming response. Their solution? Free meal tickets for the hotel’s grill. After going through such a traumatic and unsafe experience, a free meal was completely unacceptable. We didn't use it at all.

This hotel is unsafe, poorly managed, and not suitable for families. The overwhelming smell of weed, the dangerous elevator situation, and the lack of proper response from staff make it a place I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. They didn’t even have their number in the elevator. If you do stay here, take the stairs—but be prepared to deal with the strong smell of smoke throughout the property. We will never...