By Nanci Dixon
When our motorhome was in the shop in Red Bay, Alabama, getting repaired from a disastrous mistake, we could have stayed with it in the shop, but the paint and fiberglass dust was too much for my husband.
Red Bay, Alabama, is a small town and home of Tiffin motorhomes. There is one hotel, two small grocery stores, one McDonald’s, a Jack’s, a Subway and a dollar store. Oh, and a dog food plant.
Where to go?
Not being sure where we would go, we sat down at McDonald’s for coffee (no yogurt parfaits here) and I looked through reviews of nearby hotels. Hotel Red Bay had stellar reviews! Most were 5 star! One 3 star, but he seemed like kind of a grouch anyway.
Never having been to an “off-brand” hotel, we decided to take the risk. We didn’t have a lot of choices in the area anyway, and this was right across the street from the Tiffin Owners’ waiting lounge.
Franklin County Historic Landmark
Wow! It is a Franklin County historic landmark. The property dates back to 1838 and the first hotel was built in 1900. The tiny frame structure was replaced by a brick building in 1924. Through the years it has had different owners and managers, opened and closed.
In November 2020 it reopened (during COVID) with Sherri and Jody Ferris pouring their hearts into making it a welcoming and unique boutique hotel.
The hotel has been thoroughly updated with modern bathrooms, air conditioning, paint and electricity but still retains the historic ambiance. All the rooms are unique, furnished with antiques, and mixed with modern touches. This is the Bible Belt so there is an open Bible in every room and open area.
Each Hotel Red Bay room is unique
It’s so clean!
It is beautiful! Best of all, it is clean, clean, clean! It is the cleanest hotel I have ever been to. Thank you, Sheri!
This is still an old hotel and in 1924 they did not put in an elevator so we needed to be able to navigate the stairway up to the rooms. That is the point my husband asked me, “What did you pack? Bricks?”
BelHaven Heights Gifts
Sheri and Jody maintain and manage this beautiful hotel with a little help from their sons and an occasional college student. In the lobby, Sheri has created a lovely gift shop, BelHaven Heights Gifts, with items of a southern flavor. Light lunches are available in the lobby during the week and everything is served with a hearty dose of Southern Hospitality.
Of course, I would rather be in our motorhome, but this was a wonderful alternative. And as Bob and Judy Tiffin wish us all, “Happy Trails.”
If you have a Tiffin motorhome and need a place to stay in Red Bay, AL, check out Hotel Red Bay. You won’t regret it! Plus, it’s nice to get away from the RV every now and again, isn’t it?
##RVT1088
Sheri is a sweet little ball of fire! I wish I had an ounce of her energy! 😄 If you go across the street from the Red Bay Hotel and visit the pet friendly side of the Downtown Tiffin Customer Lounge, you will see a giant print of our dogs on the wall. We love being able to use the lounge while we wait for service.
Sounds like you visit the Tiffin service center quite a bit…is there something we should know?
We visit Red Bay yearly to take advantage of the many technicians in the area. Many residents around that area have worked at the Tiffin plant, and some who get especially good at their trade open shops that cater to Tiffins. Many of these have very fair prices and do excellent work, so Red Bay has become a yearly stopover for skilled maintenance and updates. This advantage is actually why we chose to buy a Tiffin.
Interesting review. We’ve stayed in the Tiffin Lounge multiple times and I’ve always been curious about the hotel across the street.
Thank you, Namci! 🙂 The hotel sounds fantastic! Thank you for reviewing it, and, especially, for including so many pictures! The pictures are so good that maybe you should consider becoming a photographer on the side. 😉 Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂