Located in the southern part of Baldwin County
this lovely hotel and its grounds overlook Mobile Bay.
The site currently occupied started out with a small hotel in 1820. The first Grand Hotel was built in 1847 and became famous throughout the south. It served as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War. Three hundred soldiers are now buried on the grounds of the Confederate Cemetery nearby. Union gunboats fired upon the hotel during the war, as it was a prime target due to its location on the bay.
After the Civil War, the hotel burned, but was rebuilt in 1875. Unfortunately, soon after an explosion of the steamer Ocean Wave at the hotel pier resulted in the loss of many lives.
Until 1941, no renovations had been done to the hotel and it had fallen into disrepair. At this point it was replaced by the current structure. In fact, it was used as a planning base for the U.S. Army Air Force amphibious landings during World War II.
Now owned by the Marriott Corporation, it is a lovely place to relax, enjoy the view, the golf course, spa, and pool areas. It offers several dining options and its main lobby resembles that of an old lodge, with rustic wood paneling and dark floors covered with area rugs. Where else can you enjoy a relaxing lunch while watching brown pelicans swoop into the bay, searching for their own food?
For your viewing pleasure, photos of an excursion at the Grand Hotel last September.
i love the grand hotel. very picturesque.
ReplyDelete