Fort Conde Inn :: The Belle of Mobile
Fort Conde Inn is a gem on the coastline of Southern Alabama’s port city, Mobile. Originally constructed in 1836 in the Greek Revival architectural style, it claims the title of Mobile’s second-oldest house. Located just a few blocks away from downtown, you still get the neighborhood charm as the Inn is situated in its own little “village” of picturesque two-story homes while enjoying the close proximity to the hustle and bustle.
The Inn was first a private residence of Edward Hall, who constructed the house after moving to Mobile from Philadelphia. Eventually, Mr. Edward Hall became the mayor of Mobile (fun fact)! The home was later acquired by the Ford Family, and it remained a Ford property until the late 1900s when it was purchased by the city. Hence the Inn also being known as the Hall-Ford House. In the 1990s, native New Yorker Larry Posner decided to tackle the renovation project of updating the Fort Conde village. He converted the main house into a charming boutique B&B experience for travelers to enjoy. You can read more about the renovation process here. It’s actually quite interesting to read about - I’ve always aspired to hone my DIY skills and this is just on another level.
The main house has a lovely front porch area for you to enjoy your morning coffee and a number of lounging areas (or parlors) where I imagine the original owners of this building took tea or wrote correspondence. Each of the Inn’s rooms has a different name and personality (i.e. decor). We stayed in the Margaret, which is located in the carriage house and opens up to a lovely shared outdoor patio space.
Our room was very cozy, complete with two (non-functional but lovely) fireplaces, a large armoire for storing clothing, a coffee machine, claw foot tub and a walk-in shower, L’Occitane products and the fuzziest towels I’ve ever used. When we first checked into our room, classical music was playing on the TV, which I found to be instantly relaxing. George and I both had to whip out our laptops for a few work “to dos” and appreciated the fast (and free!) wifi. A step back in time but with modern amenities! They also had an “honor bar” located in one of the rooms in the main house, which opened in the evenings for guests who might be in search of a cocktail. You take what you need from the bar and leave your name + room number (the “honor” part of the honor bar = they don’t have a bartender).
This historical Inn has a breakfast option right across the street, the Bistro St. Emanuel. You can add breakfast “cards” to your purchase of a room, which will give you a discounted breakfast price. George and I opted for “A La Joe Cain Eggs Benedict” and “A La Bamian Omlette”. Both were delicious.
Fort Conde Inn is both an experience and a place to rest your head. We loved our stay - it was truly a taste of southern luxury.
