Our Getaway Trip to Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa

What a fabulous way to bring in my birthday by having a family getaway trip to the historic Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, located in breathtaking coastal Fairhope/Point Clear, Alabama.  Grand Hotel is a hidden away gem for those looking for an escape from the fast pace life, wanting to simmer down and disconnect.

About Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa

I didn't know anything about this resort at first, but gracious the resort contacted me to check out their property that has recently completed a massive, three-year multi-million renovation and joined Marriott International’s Autograph Collection.   Although it has been renovated, Grand Hotel still kept the quaint southern charm, but with a modern twist.   So, it's like a mid-century modern style which is the kind of decor I admire.

When we first arrived at the Grand Hotel, it's like stepping foot in a tranquil garden, with majestic oak trees all around providing cool shade, and gorgeous greenery in full bloom.  The resort takes exceptional care of their grounds, and you'll notice staff members tending to the gardens throughout the day.

The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa is a family-friendly historical hotel for business and leisure guests.  The resort has something for everyone's taste.


Known for its history and Southern hospitality, the resort has been praised by leading industry publications such as Successful Meetings, Garden &  Gun, Travel + Leisure, ConventionSouth, Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and others.

The resort first opened in 1847 and is known for exceptional service, Southern charm, majestic oaks and beautiful sunsets over Mobile Bay. The Grand is indeed the Queen of Southern Resorts!


Enriched with so much history, it felt like I became a part of it, stepping foot into a place that hosted guests from American Presidents to leaders from around the world to generations of families from the across the country, it's indeed an incredible feeling.  Also, the Grand Hotel played a significant part of history to the military.  The hotel was used as a hospital during the Civil War, and the U.S. Air Force during World War II used the hotel for training purposes.

When the resort opened back in 1847, it was a two-story building with 40 rooms; today the resort offers 405 guest rooms in five buildings on 550 acres.

Plenty of Food Options

Six new restaurants and lounges opened this year: Jubilee Poolside Grill, Bayside Grill, Southern Roots, Grand Hall, 1847 Bar, and the Local Market. Bucky's Lounge remodeled and outside seating area with fire pits expanded this year as well.

We had a chance to try out several of the restaurants on property, the Bayside Grill that provides delicious local fare with ingredients sourced from local farms and their Estate Garden, Grand Hall which is the focal point of the historic main building for breakfast buffet, refreshing drinks at Jubilee Poolside Grill, and picked up some tasty on-the-go treats at the Local Market.

Spacious Room Accommodations

Our room was located in Building 3 (Spa Building) near the marina, pool, and lagoon.   Building 3 provides several different amenities, a luxurious European spa and salon, state-of-the-art fitness facility, and indoor pool.

In Building 3 hallways and rooms, you're greeted to a soft, calming nautical blue tone that gives the ambiance of coastal living. Rooms in building 3 are the largest on the property providing spacious accommodations for guests.  Also, building 3 rooms offers french doors opening up to your own private deck with a couple of seats to sit down while admiring the natural beauty outside.

The room my family and I was in was spacious, airy, clean, with soft, comfortable queen size beds, along with a small seating area with accent chairs.  Huge flat screen tv provided cable channels, including Netflix (You must sign in your own account).  While I had some downtime, I hopped on Grand Resort's free Wifi to get some work done on my laptop in our room.  The bathroom is luxurious providing essential toiletries you may have forgotten at home.

If you need more space, the resort provides large suites.

The Spa is Heavenly!

Guess what!  I got pampered at the resort's 20,000-square-foot European-style spa, and boy did I come out feeling brand new, and refreshed! When I walked in, the lights were dimmed, soft music playing, with a calming atmosphere. I knew I was in for a rejuvenating experience.


For the first time, I got a professional facial done called Hydrafacial.  It's a painless wand that extracts dirt, blackheads, impurities, while profoundly cleaning your pores.  The treatment took an hour, but it felt shorter than that since I was so relaxed in the warm, comfortable chair, I didn't want it to end.

Since this was my first spa experience, the friendly esthetician kept me in the know during the whole process of what to expect, pampering me like a queen.  After the treatment was done, she gave me instructions on how to care for my skin for the next two weeks.


There is a wide range of treatments that the Grand Resort provides from massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and body treatments for women and men. Plus, they offer a hair salon and mani/pedi stations overlooking the resort's marina and Mobile Bay.

So Much to Do at Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa!

There is never a dull moment at the Grand Resort!  My family and I try to do as many activities as we can during the two days we were there.  Here are some of the family amenities the resort has to offer:

• Complimentary use of their pool complexes with towel service.  There is a pool that has a waterslide for the kids and if adults want some time to themselves close by is an adult only pool.  Small children have a splash pad area.  Also, resort has their own private beach.

• Historic military procession and cannon firing ceremony daily (3:45 pm)  Lauren and I didn't get a chance to see the ceremony because we were at the spa, but Mr. M and Michelle attended while also enjoying free tea and cookies.

• Horseshoes, Croquet, Ping Pong, Beach Volleyball, Bocce Ball, and Bayside Putting Green are available activities.

• Board games are available for use in the hotel lobby.

• Food is provided in the main lobby to feed the friendly resident ducks.

• Daily are resort activities.  There is a schedule to let you know what the events are happening for the day.  While we were there, one of the activities for the day was roasting marshmallows on the beach.

• Non-motorized beach equipment (Kayaks and Sail Boats) are available to rent.  Also, you can rent bicycles.

• Play tennis on the tennis court.

• Fishing poles and bait supplied for fishing from the Grand Pier.

• Special holiday activities to include complimentary General Manager's Reception and extensive family activities throughout the major holiday weekends (Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas)

There are even more amenities and services, and you're not charged individually for these activities since the resort fee covers it.

If you need some time without kids, Grand Resort offers a camp for children ages 5-12.  One meal is provided in each of their two daily sessions: 10 am- 2 pm and 6 pm- 10 pm.  The fee is $35 per child and must register at the concierge desk at least 24 hours in advance.

Exceptional Southern Hospitality

The service is second to none at the Grand Resort, every single staff member I came across gave my family and me a big warm southern welcome.  You can tell staff enjoys making sure their guest have an enjoyable stay.  And, many of the staff members have been working at the resort for over 25 years!  That shows the resort take great care of their staff members.

Speaking of job longevity, a former staff member Aura J. "Bucky" Miller began his career at the Grand Resort on April 18, 1941, when the hotel reopened, until his last days. He passed away in 2002.  Bucky became the fixture of Grand Resort, where he greeted guests with a hearty, booming welcome.  He developed an ability to remember names, and regularly surprised guests with a personalized greeting upon their return.

Bucky served as a bartender and server for the majority of his career at the Birdcage Lounge.  He spent his last 12 years at the Grand Hotel as the hotel's Hospitality Ambassador and won many awards throughout his career.


In honor of Bucky's legacy, the Birdcage Lounge was renamed Bucky's Lounge.  I took a tour of the lounge, and it resembles the old time bar look, similar to the bar on the show Cheers, remember that?

We loved every bit of our stay at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, too bad we didn't stay longer.  This resort you must visit at least for a week to try out all the amenities, two days was not enough for us.

For your next family getaway, or maybe a relaxing escape with girlfriends, I highly recommend you choose Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa!  If you go, make sure you tell them I sent you!



Disclosure: I was invited as media to tour the resort, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

When was the last time you took a family getaway trip?

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