The Grand Hotel Resort Spa, Alabama’s Romantic Hidden Gem
For Valentine’s Day this year, my boyfriend and I decided to go to the Grand Hotel Resort and Spa in Fairhope, Alabama (6 hour drive from Atlanta) and it was the BEST Valentine’s Day we both had! Upon checking in and out, it was the amenities and customer service for me.
The Grand Resort Hotel, built 170 years ago, and since, has hosted guests such as Colin Powell, Margaret Thatcher, Dolly Parton, Patty Labelle and others and it is a synergy between southern hospitality and luxury that’ll have you wanting to plan your next visit from the day you check in.
I would consider this resort the perfect romantic getaway spot because it has a private beach, and it’s not located in a congested city where you’ll feel like you have to get out and be somewhere. At the Grand Hotel Resort, you’re exactly where you need to be, and I promise you wont feel like you’re missing out.
This resort has everything from a spa, indoor pool, 6 restaurants, golf course, and so much more that you literally don’t have to leave for anything. The only time we had to leave was to grab some toiletries from Wal Mart, but honestly, you can stay there comfortably while being entertained without having to leave the property.
But since you’re reading this, let me give you a rundown on my stay at the Grand Hotel Resort and Spa:
We checked in Saturday and fell in love with our room. We were located on the same floor as the spa, indoor pool and gym which was super convenient because the resort is so huge that you typically have to take a golf cart ride to different areas, such as the restaurants. We stayed in building 3 so we weren’t too far to take a mindful walk through their garden on our way to eat. However, we did use their transportation services when the weather got nasty.
After checking in, we decided to take a tour and head to the Bayside Grill for dinner. Go for the views of the beach, but stay for the food, which by the way was UNBELIEVABLE! William, my boyfriend, had their Gulf Shrimp Tacos, which were made with fresh local jerk seasoned shrimp, yummy mango salsa, red cabbage slaw, avocados and hot sauce aioli which was sooo good! I myself had this delectable hemp crusted salmon over roasted vegetables and it was the perfect combination of flavors, presentation, quality and quantity-I HIGHLY recommend! WARNING: the fried green tomatoes are addicting!!
After dinner, our lovely waitress Susan walked us over to Bar 1847 which is this cute swanky bar serving house made elixirs, and signature wines that you can only get from there. I had the Chocolate Box #2 made with vanilla Vodka, Frangelico, créme de cocoa, heavy cream, egg white, cocoa powder and small pieces of chocolate bar. It tasted like a gourmet white chocolate martini which was as decadent as it looked.
The next morning, on Valentine’s Day, we went to their breakfast buffet at the grand Hall and OMG this wasn’t one of those buffets you typically get at an average hotel, this buffet had all the bells and whistles to start your day right! Although it was a buffet, they were mindful of COVID and made it mandatory to wear gloves and a mask when grabbing your food. I liked the fact that they also provided their guests with fresh individually sealed masks at the hostess stand. It’s the little things like that which make a big impact on the safety of their guests.
As a pescatarian, I thoroughly appreciated the smoked salmon mini bar with diced eggs, cucumbers, onions and capers right in the front of the line. I felt fancy, so instead of putting my salmon and the toppings on a bagel, I put them on a mini croissant—it makes all the difference, you have to try it!
The buffet had peach smoothie shots, fruits, cinnamon and pecan monkey bread (the best I ever had), garlic potatoes, grits, sausage gravy, biscuits, bacon, waffle bar, all the danishes you can think of, cereal and a custom omelet bar! No kidding, I really thought I was in breakfast heaven!
Once we were done with breakfast, we went to the concierge desk to find out what was there to do, and we were advised of Bingo in the afternoon which was a fun thing to do with your loved one. Will and I won about three games before we decided to leave, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the prices we recieved.
After this, we explored more of the hotel and took pictures on the beach, which was BEYOND BEAUTIFUL! We then relaxed in the hammocks, had a few cocktails at the Buckley’s bar, and went back to our room with the windows open to watch the sunset.
We ended up staying an additional day because of the weather, but we stayed in the room for the most part. However, we did make a trip to Dragonfly Food Bar and had some of the most amazing gourmet tacos for about $5-8 each. I highly recommend them if you happen to venture outside the hotel. The food and customer service were a 10/10 and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Overall, the Grand Hotel Resort, is a one stop choice for the perfect romantic getaway or even a self care staycation. Be prepared to take advantage of their daily activities, their amazing restaurants and if the weather permits, take a stroll through their beach and enjoy the sunset or rent a bike.
Whatever you do when you go, make sure to enjoy it. Life is too short not take advantage of luxury romantic experiences such as the Grand Hotel Resort!