DESTIN, FL—Dunavant Enterprises, Inc. has chosen Salamander Hotels & Resorts to assist with the development of and manage the anchor hotel of its new multi-phase Henderson Beach Resort here.
Named The Henderson, a Salamander Beach & Spa Resort, the 171-room property will open spring 2016.
As Henderson Beach Resort’s signature hotel, The Henderson will offer views of the Gulf of Mexico. It is also adjacent to the 208-acre, environmentally protected Henderson Beach nature preserve.
According to the company, it chose Salamander Hotels & Resorts to manage The Henderson because of its extensive knowledge of luxury hotels and spas, as well as its other award-winning Florida resorts. Within the Sunshine State, Salamander manages Innisbrook Resort in Tampa Bay, Reunion Resort in Orlando and Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast.
“There are tremendous synergies between our three existing Florida resorts and The Henderson, and our experience of developing and operating iconic destination resorts will ensure that this property is properly positioned within the luxury market,” stated Sheila C. Johnson, founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts. “It has been our pleasure in getting to know the Dunavant team over the past few years, and we look forward to creating a resort hospitality environment befitting of its stunning setting.”
Incorporating a residential theme, The Henderson will feature a design inspired by the New England shingle-style architecture already prevalent on Destin’s coastline at the Henderson Park Inn. Guests will arrive in a courtyard, which leads to a living room with high ceilings and a wall of windows that faces the preserve and beach.
The guestrooms and suites will include stylish furnishings, yet remain authentic to the local, cultural surroundings, according to the company.
The resort will offer a signature restaurant with display kitchen, an octagonal-shaped bar presenting freshly prepared sushi, a poolside grill, outdoor terrace dining with sunset views, an old-fashioned ice cream shop and intimate dining on the beach.
The Henderson’s destination spa will feature 11 treatment rooms, extensive water treatments and amenities, and a women’s locker room that opens onto a private relaxation terrace overlooking the preserve.
The Henderson will also offer a sun-lit fitness room and a variety of other water experiences, including a family-oriented pool with a lazy river and a quiet adult zone. There will be numerous activities, including a dedicated children’s program.
Neighboring activities include two championship golf courses, shopping at the Destin Commons and Silver Sands Premium Outlet Center, and a variety of equestrian, water-sports and amusement activities.
The Henderson will offer 10,000 sq. ft. of indoor event space, including a dedicated meeting wing, a 5,400-sq.-ft. ballroom, a junior ballroom, private boardrooms and nearly 30,000 sq. ft. of outdoor group options.
Future phases of the Henderson Beach Resort project may also add a 95-room beachfront hotel and nearly 200 luxury condominiums. The estimated cost of the overall Resort development exceeds $300 million.
Since ground was broken on The Henderson in January of 2014, the multimillion-dollar project has already created hundreds of jobs. An economic impact study projects that the 171-room resort hotel will create more than 1,557 direct and indirect jobs. This includes 677 construction jobs and 261 staff positions that The Henderson will employ.
The Henderson’s design architect is Cooper Carry of Atlanta and interior design is being provided by Karen Kent of Kent Interior Design in Atlanta. The general contractor, DPR Hardin, is also based in Atlanta, while project management is being provided by Shannon Howell of Destin-based Devcon Services Group.