Birthday at The Beach Club: The Spectrum Experience
You’d think a couple rainy days would ruin a trip to the beach, but not if your stay is at The Beach Club Resort and Spa in Fort Morgan, Alabama, especially if you booked through Spectrum Resorts, which provides added benefits that make it so that you really never need to leave the property.
I escaped to the beach for a three-night getaway to celebrate my birthday. I wanted nothing more than to be away with one of my favorite people, relaxing with my toes in the sand and a drink in my hand. Mother Nature interfered with my plans a little, but The Beach Club did not disappoint, providing me with delicious food and drink options that made it feel like a party (for two) all weekend long, along with soothing spa options that left me feeling pretty spoiled.
That’s the thing about The Beach Club. It isn’t just a place to sleep. It’s a total experience that already has me wanting to return…and I’ve only been gone a week!
The drive down from Atlanta should have been a clue that it was going to be a stormy weekend. We drove through heavy rain the entire trip. But as soon as we crossed the bridge into Gulf Shores, and turned right down the road that leads toward Fort Morgan, it was clear skies and smiles. We pulled into the Beach Club just in time to quickly check into our room (which I realized later I could have done right from their phone app) and then run over for dinner before The Coast restaurant closed for the evening. If you want to celebrate a birthday meal, this is a really great place to do it.
We could have stopped at the Crispy Lobster Fingers and Murder Point Oysters appetizers that we enjoyed. But we didn’t. We continued on into a decadent meal of Parmesan Crusted Grouper (So. Darn. Good!) and Shrimp and Grits. We could only eat half of what we were served, so we took our leftovers home for breakfast and lunch the next day. Renee, our server, suggested we eat the penne pasta, pesto and wild mushroom cream cold the next day—best tip I was given all weekend! Oh, and we washed it all down with the Emerald Coast—the ideal drink for looking out over the waters of the Emerald Coast, which is what we were doing from the outdoor seating of this resort restaurant. And, of course, we grabbed a slice of the triple chocolate cake—it was my birthday celebration, after all!
After eating, we made our way back to the condo we’d call home for the next three nights. It was an easy walk, just two buildings over. Some of my favorite parts of the units at The Beach Club are the massive balconies. The full kitchens—with high quality and up to date appliances (a guarantee as part of the Spectrum Experience) made it easy to enjoy our leftovers and even make our own food if we’d had the urge (we didn’t).
The bed was beyond comfortable and we had the peace of mind of knowing the duvet had been changed between guests—that’s not something most resorts can declare. Seriously. Did you know most hotels only change the comforters four times a year? Not with the Spectrum Rooms at The Beach Club. They get a cleaning between every check-in.
Other perks of renting your place through Spectrum: the ease of a charging bracelet if you want to buy anything. You just connect your credit card to your account and voila, you can pay for whatever you need on the property—including meals—with the power of your wrist (an RFID band makes it possible). And you get a 10% discount—even at the spa!
You also get access to all resort amenities and front row seats on the beach chairs that must be reserved. If it rains on your celebration, like it did mine, know that you can have complimentary DVD movie rentals from the kiosk by the spa. There’s a fitness center there, too, if you feel motivated (we did not), and lots of poolside craft activities if you have kiddos with you who you’d like to keep busy.
The kids also get a free scoop of ice cream from Village Creamery with your Spectrum booking. Plus, if something breaks in your rental unit, there’s someone on-site who can take care of it (I’m really not sure which is better—the free ice cream or the on-site emergency help—but they’re both pretty awesome).
Right next door to the Village Creamery is the Village Hideaway—much like a sports bar, it’s a fun place to sneak away and watch your favorite sports while you eat some really good grub. I have to say the Riptide Fries are a must. They have a secret sauce that will have you wanting to lick your fingers. Try the Hideaway Stress Reliever to drink. And order up the Alabama Slamma burger to go with it. Do not, however, do not leave without getting a slice of The Beach Club Ice Cream Cake. Honestly, if you go after reading this, please have a slice for me, too.
You can take a spin with the complimentary bicycle rentals, or play some tennis or golf to work off some of that food…or, you can take a swim at the beach.
But if any of that exercising leaves you the least bit achy, make yourself an appointment at the spa. I had a Swedish massage, facial and sugar scrub foot treatment. You only live once, right? And again, I remind you it was my birthday…the one time all year where you are supposed to spoil yourself rotten.
To say I took full advantage of this celebration would be an understatement.
I came. I saw. I relaxed. And I left another year older, but off to a great start on my next trip around the sun.
The video below is a summary of just some of the fun we had–and the perks that come with your Spectrum Experience. To me, it’s the only way to go if you want to enjoy all of what I’ll call “The Good Life” that The Beach Club Resort and Spa has to offer.
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(Note to readers: I was a guest of The Beach Club for the purposes of this review. I was not otherwise compensated and, as always, my views remain my own. I would happily make a return trip on my own dime, which is the best endorsement I think I can give.)
