My husband and I stayed at the Montrose Hideaway, between Daphne and Fairhope, just to get away for the evening. We were lucky enough to get the Grand Master at the last minute for a Friday night, as it was booked Saturday through Monday, and we will definitely be going back again.
First of all, the B&B is situated on 10 acres of land, with a nice wooded barrier insulating the property from everything around it, so you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. The house is an unusual custom contemporary design of wood and stone, and the materials complement the natural setting of the property. The house has lots of windows with views of the lot and pond out back, which was very nice.
As for the house, it was decorated for Mardi Gras when we visited, which was fun and definitely appropriate for the Mobile area. When Mary showed us to our room, I was in shock and amazed at how huge the room was. The picture on their website absolutely does NOT do the Grand Master justice, as this is more of a suite than a room. While the furniture in our room had a nice antique look, it wasn't overdone. The bed was a king size memory foam bed, very comfortable. There was also a nice leather recliner in the room, which my husband enjoyed. The room has its own private balcony overlooking the backyard. For me, the bathroom is what made this room any woman's dream. There were double doors leading from the bedroom into the carpeted bathroom area, with marble sinks on both sides of the first portion of the bathroom. And then, there it was... the tub. The tub and shower area had marble floors, with the shower walls and tub surround made of marble tile, and the walls in this area were all mirrors. There is even a heater to warm the marble floor if it gets too cold. The wall behind the sunken bathtub has windows with custom window treatments, and the room comes equipped with candles so you can enjoy a relaxing candlelight soak in the tub. There's also a huge walk-in closet in case you have a lot of clothes. My goal when I saw this bathroom was to become a raisin from soaking in the tub too long before we had to leave.
Breakfast was fabulous and plentiful. We enjoyed Mary's chocolate gravy and biscuits (sounds weird but is delicious), a generous helping of breakfast quiche, cheese grits, fresh fruit, juice, and coffee. We were so full from breakfast that we didn't need lunch until mid-afternoon. Of the handful of B&B's that we have visited, this room was by far the best we have ever stayed in, breakfast was the best, and it was the best value for the price we paid.
We spent a few hours roaming the shops in downtown Fairhope before heading home, but this place is also convenient to Mobile. If you're looking for just a place to lay your head, a hotel is fine, but if you want more of a relaxing retreat and a luxurious suite, try the Grand Master at Montrose Hideaway.
