ALABAMA'S GRAND HOTEL
By T. Jensen Lacey
POINT CLEAR, ALABAMA. Hear the words ?Point Clear, Alabama? and you might think of some favorite authors such as W.E.B. Griffin or Winston Groom, both of whom make their homes in the area. You might also think of fantastic bay views, beautiful beaches, great food and a southern-coastal lifestyle that?s hard to beat anywhere in the world. Some of the trendiest people among us, however, would also think ?Grand Hotel.?
Formally known as The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club and Spa, ?the Grand,? as locals call it, has been a jewel of the coastal southeastern United States since it first opened in 1847. The four-diamond hotel has been recognized for offering excellence among its amenities, and has the awards to prove it: Travel & Leisure Magazine has named it one of the ?Top 500 Hotels in the World,? and Conde Nast Traveler has honored the Grand as one of the Top 150 Resorts in the United States.
There is always a good time to visit Point Clear and the Grand in particular. For those who wish to beat the winter doldrums, a stay at the Grand is the perfect cure for those cold-weather blues. Guests of the Grand can take in the amenities offered by the 405-room hotel any number of ways. A day at the hotel might include a sumptuous breakfast served either in your room or at one of six dining rooms. This might be followed by some time spent relaxing and rejuvenating in the world-class, 20,000-square-foot European style spa, or teeing off at one of the golf courses at the Grand or nearby. If you?re more adventurous, you might take in the great outdoors through the Grand?s bicycle rentals facilities, or get out on the water in a kayak or sailboat.
Whatever course your day staying at the Grand takes, you?ll want to wind up this delight of a day with something that is unique to the Grand: every afternoon, weather permitting, members of the hotel staff parade around the 550-acre grounds of the hotel. The culmination of their parade is the patriotic firing of a military canon, in a salute to the end of another glorious day. This is followed by afternoon tea.
It?s not only the Grand that offers guests ways to make their stay memorable: near the Grand, visitors can find all kinds of things and sights with which to delight every sense. The small yet sophisticated villages nearby offer visitors unexpected pleasures and inspirations. Near the Grand, Utopian-inspired Fairhope is an artists? and writers? Mecca, and you never know who you?ll bump into on the streets there. The other small, nearby towns of Gulf Shores, Daphne, Spanish Fort and Point Clear offer everything from fantastic food to great shopping, a variety of live music and even polo. And across the bay is the town of Mobile, which has been named by Coastal Living Magazine as one of the ?Top Ten Winter Getaway Spots in the World? in their January 2012 issue.
For those readers who?d like to delve a bit more into what the Grand has to offer, here are just a few of its highlights:
Dining A dining experience at The Grand is one not to be missed. All dining rooms are open to the public, so for guests staying at the Grand, it?s a great way to welcome friends. Of all the dining rooms at the hotel, the Grand Dining Room is the most memorable, although all have their signature ambience and dishes. The Grand Dining Room recently received the Four Diamond Award from AAA, which recognizes ?creative cuisine, excellent service and upscale surroundings.?
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Golf Here at the Grand you can enjoy some of the best golf in the South. The Grand?s two championship course layouts entice golfers with more than 14,000 yards of the ?game of kings,? in the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail tradition. Of course, golf carts are available, as is shoe rental. Near the beach overlooking Mobile Bay, there is also a lovely putting green.
Outdoor Recreation Surrounding the Grand are countless miles of paved
bicycle trails, which are also used for running or walking. The Grand offers kayak and sailboat rental for those interested in water sports. Other outdoor sports offered at the Grand include horseshoes, croquet, beach volleyball and tennis.
Spa Services. Even the most sophisticated spa aficionado will sigh with delight at this island of tranquility. The Spa offers dozens of choices of services, from manicures, massages, hydrotherapy treatments, pedicures, makeup, skin care, hair design and more.
History The Grand Hotel boasts a proud history, and the walls are lined with
photographs from days gone by?when the grand endured hurricanes, flooding tides and even a ?flood? of soldiers during the Civil War, when it was made into a makeshift hospital (and nearby Confederate Rest Cemetery honors the interred remains of more than 300 soldiers who died there). During World War II, the Grand was used as a training facility for soldiers of the Army Air Corps.
There is so much more about the Grand. Come?create your own memory. I promise, once you visit Point Clear and the Grand, you?ll be back.
Visit: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/PTLAL-Grand-Hotel-Marriott-Resort-Golf-Club-and-Spa
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