Dec. 16–Home2 Suites, a Hilton brand hotel, opened in Destin on Thursday at 14060 Emerald Coast Parkway, south of Hwy. 98 across from Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and Joe's Crab Shack.

Home2 suites are a newer Hilton concept, and the Destin location is the only one in Northwest Florida. The 112-room hotel offers kitchens in every room complete with a refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and garbage disposal.

"This will help the traveler because they won't have to eat out as much since there's a full kitchen in the room," said Melissa Fleischmann, assistant general manager of Home2 Suites. "It's almost like a condo while you're also able to cook yourself. It's still got hotel amenities so it's a nice combination of both."

General Manager Amanda Krueger said they cater to a mixture of tourists and locals, and hope to work with military in particular.

"This is an extended stay property, so all the rooms have sofa beds and a full size kitchen," Krueger said. "They've got all the utensils, and even induction burners so guests can make eggs and stuff if they want."

Home2 suites offers both king and two-queen bedrooms. Rates vary depending on season and availability, but Krueger said the longer the stay, the lower the rates. A search on the hotel's website revealed that two adults staying a single weekend night (Friday, Dec. 23) starts at $126. A search for a mid-week room (Tuesday, Dec. 20) revealed prices starting at $116 a night. Rates will go up during peak tourist times.

Even though it just opened, Krueger said they already have a surprising number of guests booked for stays, especially during the holiday season.

"We already have a lot on the books for Christmas and New Years," she said.

The hotel has a saline zero entry pool, a fitness center, laundry center and wifi. It is also pet friendly.

For more information, find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/home2destin or at their website, http://home2suites3.hilton.com.