You like the lake, your wife likes the beach. You like casual, she likes chic. It's so hard to find a vacation spot to please everyone. Don't despair--WaterColor Inn on Florida's Gulf Coast masters that challenge.

Located on scenic State 30-A, adjacent to Seaside, the 60-room luxury hotel is the crown jewel in the resort community of WaterColor. A hip New York architectural firm, The Rockwell Group, designed it as a sort of avant-garde interpretation of a Gulf Coast family beach house. Full of stylish amenities, it still manages to maintain a friendly, laid-back attitude.

As a Southern Living Homes editor, I fell for the hotel's decor--yellow Adirondack chairs, upholstered headboards, and a mix of colorful fabrics, all with a fresh contemporary feel. My husband relished the inn's setting among the undisturbed dunes.

Beach lovers will be delighted by WaterColor's strip, located next to Grayton Beach State Recreation Area on one side and the community of Seaside on the other. We hopped in one of the inn's many sea kayaks and paddled along Grayton's undeveloped shore. After our adventure, we cooled off in the BeachClub pool with the frozen concoction of the day. The spacious BeachClub provided the perfect spot to watch the sunset and relax.

For dinner, you don't have to venture far. The inn's restaurant, Fish Out of Water, tempts with Gulf seafood specialties as well as Southern dishes. We also indulged in the variety of offerings at the sushi bar (most around $7.)