Reviewed by: Ella Walton
The Grand Hotel nominated for USA Today’s 10 best historic hotels/resorts list + how to vote
Reading time: 4 minutes
USA Today’s 10BEST list has placed our very own Grand Hotel in the running for the best historic hotel/resort. It was nominated amongst 20 other charming hideaways across the U.S., allowing readers to vote for their personal favorite.
After a nomination from a panel of travel experts, the Grand Hotel Golf Resort + Spa in Fairhope, Alabama, was nominated for the best historic hotel/resort against other properties known for keeping their history alive while still providing guests with a comfortable stay.
Voting, open to the public, will take place on the USA Today website until Monday, August 3, at 11AM. The 10 winners will be announced on Wednesday, August 12 at 11AM.
Voters will be able to vote once per day until the polls close.
To vote for the Grand Hotel in USA Today 10BEST, submit a response on USA Today’s website here.
Keep reading to learn more about what the Grand Hotel’s history + what the resort has to offer!
Why the Grand Hotel was nominated for USA Today’s 10Best list
The Grand Hotel was nominated because it has preserved its 1847 history while offering modern luxury amenities on Mobile Bay. Originally established with only 40 rooms, it has now expanded to around 400 rooms, multiple on-site restaurants, a full-service spa, championship golf courses and views of Mobile Bay — all while preserving its historic elegance.
History of the Grand Hotel in Fairhope
Learning the history of the Grand Hotel helps you appreciate the details of the bay-front resort.
The Grand Hotel’s history:
- In 1863, amidst the Civil War, the hotel served as a military hospital
- One of the resort’s original buildings, a saloon known as The Texas, was converted into an emergency hospital in 1871 following the Ocean Wave steamboat explosion
- Since there were no paved roads in 1847, the hotel was only accessible by steamboat
- A secret maritime training operation, Operation Ivory Soap, took place at the Grand Hotel during World War II
- The program trained 5,000 Army Air Forces soldiers in marine navigation and repair skills to operate floating aircraft maintenance depots in the Pacific Theater
Did you know that daily, the hotel pays tribute to the Civil War soldiers who died on the site when it served as a military hospital by firing a cannon at sunset? This highlights another way that the Grand Hotel mixes real history with all the modern comforts you’d expect from a top resort.
In 2011, the Grand Hotel joined Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation to recognize the nation’s best historic destinations. Today, it includes plenty of amenities to make it more than a historical artifact, but a resort for all to enjoy.
The Grand Hotel’s amenities include:
- Nine dining options
- Two 18-hole golf courses: the Dogwood + the Azalea
- A biking trail, jogging/fitness trail + fitness center
- A beach volleyball court
- Croquet
- Two outdoor pools (with a pool slide), one indoor pool + outdoor hot tubs
- Pool + beach cabanas
- Nall Art Gallery
- Tennis courts
- An arcade
- An estate garden
- Bike + kayak rentals
- 11 pickleball courts
- A European spa
- A pier over Mobile Bay
- Four gift shops/boutiques
Visit the Grand Hotel:
- Location: 17855 Scenic Hwy 98, Fairhope, AL 36532
- Call: (251) 928-9201
- Website | Instagram | Facebook
