One Of America's Best Hotels With Coastal Vibes For 2026 Is A Gulf Gem Known As The 'Queen Of Southern Resorts'

Located on the Gulf Coast in the far southwestern corner of Alabama, Mobile Bay is known for its beaches, delightful towns, and incredible seafood. It's also home to one of the best hotels in the entire country. Sometimes referred to simply as "the Grand," the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa has received high rankings in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards in 2026: No. 3 for America's Best Waterfront Hotel/Resort and No. 2 for Best Historic Hotel/Resort. The accolades are well deserved for a resort that's stood the test of time. Thanks to its rich history, beautiful surroundings, and range of activities, the Grand is known as "The Queen of Southern Resorts," a nickname it has held for over 175 years.

While the hotel now has 405 rooms and sprawls over 550 acres, when it first opened in 1847, it had just 40 rooms, and guests arrived by steamboat. During the Civil War, the hotel was used as a hospital, and the property was damaged by fire and hurricanes in the years following the conflict, but it was always rebuilt. The third iteration of the hotel came in the 1940s, when it served as an Army Air Corps training facility during World War II. In honor of the hotel's military history, a replica Civil War cannon is fired every afternoon.

The Grand reopened as a hotel in 1947, and the decades that followed saw the addition of pools and golf courses. And while hurricanes, including Katrina and Sally, have damaged the property, it has continued to offer guests a beautiful waterfront stay with plenty of charm. As one Tripadvisor reviewer said: "the hotel is a great example of old splendor. Oceanfront with many amenities, you immediately feel welcome and relaxed."

The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa has a range of accommodation options across a handful of buildings, each with its own vibe. In the main lodge, you'll find some of the more historic rooms, while the rooms in the spa building have some of the resort's spacious suites, and some rooms and suites offer views of Mobile Bay. While you can get food delivered to your room, the Grand has a range of bars and restaurants with everything from craft cocktails to Gulf seafood and poolside treats, along with a local market.

One of the highlights here is the natural beauty, like the more than 150 live oaks across the property, many draped in Spanish moss. During fall, monarch butterflies migrate through the area, and in summer, there's a chance you'll be there for "jubilee." This natural phenomenon brings crab, shrimp, eels, and other sea life close to shore. You never quite know exactly when or where one will be, but it typically happens in the early morning hours, and it's quite the thing to see; the only other place this happens is in Tokyo Bay in Japan, according to Gulf Shores.

For the best views of the water, stroll the boardwalk that runs along the bay; the resort's location on the eastern side of Mobile Bay leads to some truly spectacular sunsets. The resort has a private beach area where you can reserve a cabana. If the pool is more your thing, you have a choice of three, including an indoor heated pool and an outdoor pool with Bellagio-style dancing fountains. There is also a lazy river, two hot tubs, as well as a water slide and splash pad for kids.

Along with enjoying the beach and bay views, one classic activity at the Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa is croquet; it has been a tradition here since the 1940s. There are two championship croquet lawns, and it even hosts major croquet events. For more recreation, head to the Lakewood Club on the property, where you'll find two 18-hole golf courses along with tennis courts and pickleball courts. Hotel guests can reserve courts and the croquet lawns for a fee, with racquets, mallets, and balls included in the cost. Guests can also sign up for private lessons. If you really want to feel pampered on your vacation, book a treatment at the Spa at the Grand. This 20,000-square-foot spa has both a salon and private treatment rooms, and day passes are available for the spa amenities, such as the sauna and steam room.

While there's plenty to do at the resort itself, there is also a daily shuttle into Fairhope, an underrated artsy city about 10 minutes away. The resort is in Point Clear, an Alabama Gulf Coast town with romantic restaurants and Southern charm. To get here, the largest major airport is Pensacola International Airport (PNS), just over an hour away, while Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) is also nearby. The resort has its own marina, so you can also arrive by boat. If you happen to fall in love with the area during your visit, nearby Baldwin County is a great place to retire.