We were road-tripping from Tampa and booked the Hotel DeFuniak after ChatGPT recommended it. And wow, what a gem. We picked it largely for the downstairs restaurant, and even rolling in around 8:30 with 30 minutes to spare before the kitchen closed, the team greeted us like old friends. We tried the fried catfish over jambalaya special, plus Alfredo pasta, Cajun chicken tendersand my husband and I split a bowl of gumbo. Every single dish tasted like someone in that kitchen really cares. Then we headed upstairs and the room absolutely matched the experience-- beautiful, comfortable, and full of character. If you're passing through DeFuniak Springs and want great Southern food and a hotel stay that feels special, this spot deserves to be on your list. read more

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I have never ever seen a room so unsanitary. There is a lot to like about this cute-looking place, but the star here is because the room was clearly not cleaned, and it was it appears it's not just a fluke, based on other reviews and the multiple areas in the room. The bed had clean sheets (other than the bugs) and the bed had been freshly made - but otherwise, I was afraid to touch anything. Both the shower and sink had debris, trash, and other patrons' hair in it. I didn't get a pic of the sink but it had the same hair in it. The bed had someone's used contact lens on it, right by the pillow area. There were live bugs in the bed. See photos. The bug in my photo was there on my pillow when I woke up the next morning. After I jumped up and shook the pillow - it ran just under the pillow area - that's what you see in the pic. If these things hadn't been taken care of, I can't trust anything else is clean, so I would definitely not stay there again. My stay was about a month ago. I held off on the review, hoping someone internal would reach out for feedback, but no one did. read more

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We were so disappointed with staff and room. Upon check-in there was no one to be found. We phoned the hotel and someone finally arrived (came from their attached resturant Nxt door.) The gave us room #1 that had a very bad leak (plaster falling of the wall and raining/dripping in our room!!) We were told they warm beigneits would be available from 9:00-10:30 am. We waited around for 30 min. and phoned the hotel and their resturant but both answering machines were full. We left at 9:30 am- NO beignets!! We were charged $147.00 for one night. I do not recommend this hotel- definitely go elsewhere. read more

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We often look for historic properties when we travel. Well, this one is a hidden gem. Built in the 1920's, it was originally a Mason's lodge. It's now owned and operated by the chef in the adjacent restaurant "Nola". Our biggest surprise were the delicious, and freshly made beignets for breakfast.... Best I've ever tasted. read more

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One night, I went to the infamous haunted Hotel Defuniak Hotel. Won a lot of cool prizes. I even got to see Room 8 where the hauntings occur. It is said a man in a top hat, a lady in a blue petticoat, and children ghosts roam around the place. Thinking of planning a fun ghoulish spend a night party with my friends in a room here one day. Spirits with spirits... Since the 1920s, The DeFuniak Hotel was known to have a haunted suite. Many guests have reported that Room 8 is very active. Known as the "Aviary Room," both housekeeping and guests have reported witnessing the ghosts of two children. Some have claimed to hear the children singing nursery rhymes in the middle of the night. You may also often find toys that are left for them soaking wet or mysteriously placed under the bed upon waking. Some think that their mother drowned the two children in the bathroom. Special thanks to Christina, Chef Ernie, Stephanie, and the staff there. read more

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We were really intrigued by staying in an old and charming hotel, however, within an hour of checking in we checked out. We were extremely disappointed when we arrived in our room to find it covered in spider webs, dust, and just an overall dirty room. Absolutely do not recommend! read more

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Lights Noise from road Sink doesn't drain The hotel is terrible and you should definitely find another read more

What a gem! Everything was clean, and the vintage decor was a refreshing change from chain hotels. Working with Ernie made everything easy! If you want a visit to old Florida with a touch of New Orleans, try Hotel Defuniak read more

no one at the front desk. you have to call ahead to make sure you have a key. They leave a copy for you and a copy for them. the copy for them you have to sign. the stairs to the carpet are filthy. Wi-Fi doesn't work. no blinds on the window just a curtain that they used clothes pins to keep back. window unit not a regular hotel type. one you actually have in a window. no extra blanket on the bed. a very thin worn out quilt. very flat very used pillows. mold on the walls. mold in the corners of the shower. the faucet handles to the sink which is in your area where you sleep were dirty. thank god I brought a can of lysol. there is no way to get extra towels. they only put 2 towels in the bathroom. 2 washcloths. I understand this is an old building but I've seen old buildings turned into hotels better than this one. I went to plug in my charger behind the nightstand and got either spider webs or cob webs on me. ceiling fan chains and ceiling fan filthy. only 1 lightbulb lite up in the ceiling fan. needless to say I wouldn't let my grandmother stay at this place or my worse enemy how they got 4 star reviews is beyond me. read more

If you don't like people, if you are a Karen. You'll be happy but complain anyways. If you like simple, elegant and natural. Bartender that makes you laugh instead of looking offended. 100% recommend. Is it 10 stars? No, but rarely anything that's real and warm is. read more

If you're driving through or have family coming to visit you in Defuniak Springs, this is the place to stay! I was recommended by a friend to stay here and she did not steer me wrong! First as you can tell by the photos the property is stunning. The restaurant is beautiful and the staff are friendly. The rooms themselves are spacious with very high ceilings and original finishes and fixtures. The owner Chef Ernie was so kind and helpful and we will definitely be back to visit him for some great food! Moral of the story: if you need a place to stay in Defuniak- stop looking you found it! Ps. They serve complimentary breakfast beignets and coffee read more

This place has the ABSOLUTE nicest staff around. Chef Ernie is the most friendly person, accommodating, helpful, genuine people around. The folks in the restaurant were AMAZING. McKenzie and the rest of the wait staff were so great! If you don't stay or eat here while I'm town, you're missing out on true southern hospitality. 100 star review wouldn't do this place justice. read more

The beignets for breakfast were amazing and the service is pretty good. The bed is not bad and and people are nice. But: They never pick the phone at night and we were arriving at 2am. read more

Very charming spot in downtown DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Upon entering, you are immediately transported back to the 1920s. The architecture is gorgeous. Rooms are small but quiet. Very comfortable mattress. Perfect weekend getaway for two. read more

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Chef Ernie and his staff are the best! They are friendly, attentive, and work hard to ensure you enjoy your stay at the Hotel Defuniak. The hotel is a beautiful throwback to an age when traveling through charming towns rather than speeding down a highway full of cookie cutter chain motels. The old school neon sign, lobby with keys in the wooden slot box behind the counter all add to the experience. Factor in the ornate furnishings and fireplace and wooden staircase are just the beginning as you make your way to your room on the second floor. Clean, well lit, and comfortable is the best way to describe the room. Step inside and step back in time as you relax in a comfortable chair or sleep in a comfortable bed. The historic district is within an easy walk. But do not miss Cafe Nola and enjoy a wonderful meal prepared by Chef Ernie. The cafe and bar are also impressively designed and furnished. Most of all, make certain to enjoy a Benoit while visiting, you will think they came straight from New Orleans! read more

I stayed here during a thunderstorm back March 11, 2019. The place is near a Tesla supercharger. The main chef Ernie is from NOLA as I recall and served up some great food. The place is an old hotel that's been renovated. There's nothing in this town really but a Walmart and Tesla supercharger as far as I could tell. They have a small historic library right by a large lake. I would stay here again if I needed a place for the night and a good meal. read more

This hotel is absolutely beautiful. The room was lovely. The shower was huge and the water from the shower came out hot. This hotel was perfect from the moment we walked in. We were both very pleased that we stayed here. read more

They're super accommodating and welcoming we loved our experience here and wouldn't come back and the staff was very friendly we wound up here on accident and it wound up being the best time we've had at a hotel. Also love the fact that its haunted. read more

Chef Ernie and the entire staff of NOLA and Hotel Defuniak are the best, just like other reviewers said. We were made to feel welcome with great food, warm hospitality and yummmm.......beignets in the morning! The rooms were charming, clean and comfortable. I hope I have reason to travel through again because I already know where I'll stay! I just wish this charming establishment was closer to me or on a road I travel often. I'd be a regular! read more

This hotel is nothing like it was advertised. It was just a bed. No breakfast or staff during our three day stay. They stated a refrigerator and a microwave it each room. Our first room had neither. Our second room had only a small fridge. The hotel had no list of activity or restaurants in town and no staff on the premises at night during our stay. We were truly disappointed after all the hype from the website. We will not be recommending this bed and breakfast to our friends and families. The Christmas light event was beautiful but we had to find out all the events info on our own. Next year we will stay at the Holiday Inn. The at least have breakfast! read more

I am a fan, because I love old buildings being brought back to life. The rooms at the hotel are very nice, but a little rich for my blood. I eat at the restaurant when I can, they have several dishes I like. I love gumbo, but can not understand why they make theirs without okra, a little touch of "all spice" would be good too. My wife loves the club sandwich. I've only been there in early afternoon, so it is casual dress, but not sure about night time. Very nice place! read more

A diamond in the ruff, but it needs some polishing. Our room (9) smelled of mildew and the paint/wallpaper was peeling from the wall. I attributed this to the building being old and the antique furniture in the room. If you are the type that enjoys boutique hotels or bed and breakfast you may find this place acceptable. There really aren't a lot of options in the immediate area. The desk clerk, Sonya, is especially nice and pleasant to deal with. The dining options are pretty well limited in Defuniak Springs so we chose to eat at the restaurant on the first floor of the hotel. Not sure if it is owned/operated by the same people, but my 2 star rating combines the two. The restaurant is small and cozy with about 7 or 8 tables. Like the desk clerk the wait staff is very nice. The menu is small offering a handful of options. The drink menu is extremely limited. They offer 1 type of beer and a few wine selections. I assume the water is tap as it was so foul we couldn't drink it. My wife ordered their chicken dish and I a filet cooked medium. It took longer than normal for our food to arrive. The waitress did stop by our table a couple time to ensure us that our meal would be right up. When it finally arrived my wife's dish tasted great, but my steak was cooked well done. This coupled with our longer than acceptable wait soured our moods. I brought the over cooked steak to the waitresses attention and she told me that they would prepare another one and not charge me. She returned a few minutes later to say that the manager said that he would not remove the filet from the bill. I thought this was in poor taste of the manager to a) not tell me that himself and b) trump his staff's offer to remove it. After another 20 minutes and not receiving my second filet I asked to speak with the kitchen manager. Virgil was apologetic and tried to convince me why our meal took so long to arrive and stated that I was his first customer to complain. He then offered to forgive the bill, but I was further insulted by this offer since it took me speaking to him directly for him to make this offer. After all of this I was so disgusted I checked out and asked that my room charge be refunded. Sonya stated that it would be and she verified my contact info. It has now been three business days and no refund has been applied. I called a day ago to speak with Tony the hotel manager and he wasn't available nor did he return my call. As I stated this diamond needs polishing. The business is inadequately run and the management does not back their staff. read more

Chef Ernie is phenomenal! His cooking is straight from Nola and is delicious. He and the rest of the family and staff are so helpful and gracious. My stay was so pleasant and such a better choice than a bigger hotel. The room is well appointed and the bed is super comfortable which is important to me. I felt so at home and treated like a princess. I mattered! Thank you to all the staff who made my experience memorable!! I stopped here on a long road trip and I did not want to leave. read more

This restaurant location is now owned and operated by the hotel. Was traveling through DeFuniak headed to Destin and stopped for lunch. Was pleasantly surprised when we selected the Hotel DeFuniak Deli for lunch. Deli has nice selection of hot and cold sandwiches and delicious salads. Restaurant area undergoing minor renovations, however the Deli had a very tasty lunch menu. They have a Chef with two Sou Chefs that have great plans for their restaurant opening in mid November. The Hotel DeFuniak is an old facility that has been completely renovated over the years and is a hidden "jewel" in this historic town. Was blown away with the decor and uniqueness of the facility. If you are in the area and are tired of "fast foods", you should stop by and try their restaurant and hotel. Unique facilities in rural areas have a difficult time in being successful when they are off the "beaten path". DeFuniak is just off I-10, just north of the beautiful Destin beach area. Try it, you will enjoy. We will definitely be back. BTW, this review was written by experienced travelers and not the owner. read more

We selected the hotel because it was different from the usual chain hotels and inns we had been staying in on a vacation in the South. We found ot charming, the food in the adjoining restaurant very good, and the suite we occupied very comfortable. As is true in most small towns, the staff were very accomodating and fun to interact with. read more

As far as the decor and atmosphere this is definitely a place to stop and see. It does take you back in time. However if you need a place to rest and spend the night I would not recommend. We had been driving for 10 hours and needed a place to stay for my husband myself our 9 year old and mother n law. We rented the presidential suite. It was next to the highway with a glass door to the street beside the trash cans that the restaurant uses all through the night and after hours while they clean. We were woken up all hours and no rest. We have 5 hours to drive this morning. As far as breakfast that starts at 9:00 no earlier you get drinks or coffee and these little and key word little pastries with powdered sugar on them. There is not other menu until 10:30. There is no front desk at all, our personal information was set on the counter and I myself had to put it at the computer, i asked for a manager and was told "oh, he won't be in til later" no time for later was given kind of like oh well you paid your done now. The room is very over priced. I asked how the hotel did and it was put off like that's not where they make their money only for weddings, it was also told to my 9 year old how haunted it was due to a man killing himself and a woman drowning her children. read more

We live out of town and were looking to host a surprise engagement party for our daughter and fiance. I needed to be able to walk in the door (yelling surprise!) and walk out when it was over. Thomas and his staff did a wonderful job! We had a delicious, fresh variety of finger sandwiches, cheeses, fruits and spreads. We did not bring in any outside decorations as we found the Hotel to be beautifully appointed. We also felt the per person charge was very appropriate. We had 25 ppl and we had plenty of room to visit and mingle. I would highly recommend this venue! read more