Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Santa Rosa Beach / WaterColor Inn
WaterColor Inn
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, United States · Independent · Core Luxury
David Rockwell designed this sixty-room Gulf-front inn for the St. Joe Company's WaterColor town on Scenic 30A, opening in 2002 as a low beach house rather than a tower on the sand. Fish Out of Water is the dining room; AAA has kept it Four Diamond. The inn sits inside a 499-acre beach-and-dune community in Santa Rosa Beach.
- 60 rooms
- Opened 2002
- Neighborhood: Watercolor
- Rooms from 500 sq ft (46 m²)
- Architect: David Rockwell (Rockwell Group)
- Interiors: David Rockwell (Rockwell Group)
About WaterColor Inn
- David Rockwell of the Rockwell Group designed the Gulf-front inn for the St. Joe WaterColor community.
- Opened 2002: about 60 rooms, plus Fish Out of Water as the restaurant.
- AAA Four Diamond, on Scenic Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach.
- Entry-level rooms start at 500 sq ft (46 m²).
History
The WaterColor Inn opened in 2002 in the WaterColor community along Scenic Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, part of a development by the St. Joe Company. The Gulf-front beach inn was designed by architect and designer David Rockwell of the Rockwell Group.
The roughly 60-room inn is complemented by additional resort accommodations and the Fish Out of Water restaurant.
The setting
4 miles from Point Washington State Forest. Overlooks Gulf of Mexico is 4 miles from Point Washington State Forest.
Restaurants and bars
- Gather Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant
Experiences
- Private beach — A private beach on the Gulf of Mexico, with sugar-white sand and Gulf views on the Scenic Highway 30A coast.
- Recreation on the grounds — Tennis courts, a boathouse and pebbled footpaths through lakeside parks and gardens.
- Dining on locally sourced menus — Gourmet restaurants serving locally sourced menus with Gulf views.
- Pools — Pools described as stunning, including a family pool area near the first-floor family suites.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Tennis
- Pet-friendly
- Private beach
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Recommended (2026)
- AAA Four Diamond (2025)
Open WaterColor Inn in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More hotels in Santa Rosa Beach
- The Lodge 30A — Independent · Accessible Luxury