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Top 10 Things You Must See 08/14/2005

Publication: Birmingham News
Author: Kathy Seale

Catch your first glimpse of Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa, and you might be tempted to say, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Alabama anymore."

But you're not in Scotland, which is where, just for a moment, you think you might be when you see what appears to be a Celtic castle rising from the edge of an emerald golf course set amidst rolling, wooded hills.

Ross Bridge, like the other resorts along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, was built to complement the world-class golf course, says Bill Lang, the resort's director of public relations.
"The golf was great, but the hotels weren't," Lang says.

The $75 million resort and golf course are investments of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, and the resort is one of 130 Renaissance properties worldwide in the Marriott family of hotels and resorts.

To be a Renaissance, the design has to be unique to an area," Lang says. In other words, a cookie-cutter, you-could-be-in-any-city-anywhere look is a no-no, so they incorporated Birmingham-area materials, such as iron, and depictions of landmarks, such as Vulcan.

The resort opens Monday, so if you're hankering for a hot-stone massage, a swanky dinner sans kids or a night away from your home sweet (but perhaps occasionally frantic) home, check out the must-sees we saw at the Hoover resort, billed as the first destination resort in the Birmingham area:

1. The view - There's much talk among Ross Bridge personnel about their "back yard," an 8,200-yard golf course.

"It just so happens that our back yard is the third-longest golf course in the world," says Bill Lang, the resort's director of public relations.

One of the best views of the back yard is from a turreted balcony on a sixth-floor suite, where Joe Saling, the director of sales and marketing, says he hears the most oohs and aahs from out-of-state visitors.
"Most people walk out and say, `This is Birmingham?'" he says.

2. Brock's - You'll feel oh-so-Hollywood if you snag one of the high-backed, blue banquettes in the resort's main restaurant.

Executive Chef Robert Kamm, who trained in Switzerland, oversees the restaurant where the dinner menu is Mediterranean-inspired and features as much local food as possible.
"More than half will be Alabama product in the summer," Kamm says.

A sneak peek at the menu reveals entrees such as grilled pork tenderloin ($16.95), rosemary stuffed quail ($18.95) and dry aged New York strip ($28.95). Brock's is open daily for breakfast (6:30-11 a.m.), lunch (11 a.m.-6 p.m.) and dinner (6-11 p.m.).

3. The "couples room" at the spa - Two sheepskin-covered massage tables sit side-by-side, where you'll also find a jetted tub for a post-massage soak. A couples massage, called Beaus and Belles, costs $175 for 60 minutes, or $255 for 90 minutes.

A sampling of other services includes the Reflexology Massage ($55, 30 minutes), Alabama Mineral Scrub ($105, 60 minutes), Head in the Clouds scalp treatment ($40, 30 minutes) and Glamour Girl make-up application ($50, 30 minutes). The spa is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, and the salon is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

4. Suites - At $375 to $1,500 a night, not everyone will see the interior of a suite, including the top-of-the-line Cahaba Suite, which has a wooden cathedral ceiling, a full kitchen, dining room and a double-sided fireplace that separates two seating areas. The master bathroom features a commode and bidet, double shower (with rainfall shower heads, natch), and a Japanese soaking bathtub.
"Here's the coolest part," Lang says, as he turns on a faucet that sends a stream of water from the ceiling into the tub.

5. Signs of the Magic City - You'll see touches of Birmingham, such as limestone floors, iron sculptures and prints of Vulcan, throughout the resort property. The bar J.T.'s is named after Civil War era landowner J.T. Ross, and there's a story behind the restaurant's name, too.
"The land around the golf course was named Brock's Gap, so we named the restaurant Brock's," Lang says.

Meeting rooms, spa treatment rooms and suites also feature Birmingham-area names such as Bessemer, Homewood and Mountain Brook.
"We don't let people forget where they are," says Ross Bridge general manager Steve Miller.

6. Wine cellar - Don't expect to choose your dinner wine while sitting at your table.

"Instead of getting a wine list, you'll be asked to come inside the wine cellar for a tasting," Miller says.

The circular 860-bottle wine cellar is decorated with soft shades of gold and green, and lit with a striking brushed stainless-steel and glass-raindrop chandelier. The wine list includes top-of-the line champagnes such as Dom Perignon and an extensive array of California wines such as Ridge Zinfandel.

7. Waterfall at the outdoor pool - The waterfall, which is a smaller version of the one on the golf course, begins at a stacked-stone mill with a cedar-shake roof and a 6-foot iron wheel. From the mill, water cascades 100 feet down a series of boulder landings and ends at a curved, stacked-stone bridge beside the pool.

8. Terrace - You'll find street lamps, fire pits and umbrella-topped tables on the 12,000-square feet-terrace overlooking the outdoor pool. Bagpipers will play daily at sunset.

9. Gazebo - A winding staircase inside a two-story, stacked-stone gazebo takes you from the terrace to the pool area. The gazebo is topped with wood, glass and a copper spire.

10. Lobby library - After 18 holes, a dip in the indoor pool and dinner at Brock's, you might want to grab a book from the wooden shelves surrounding the plush furniture and enormous fireplace in the library and settle in for the evening.

An 18-foot, copper-relief overmantle tops the fireplace, which is inset with tiny, iridescent mosaic tiles. A brick-red sofa, a pair of yellow-gold side chairs and four terra-cotta leather chairs provide seating.

And even though you're not in Scotland, you might feel like you're living the Highland life.

E-mail: kseale@bhamnews.com