To spot the Redmont Hotel, look for a tall, tan brick building with 14 stories, standing proudly on the corner of 5th Avenue North and 21st Street, with lots of windows lining each floor and a distinctive, classic balcony over its main entrance.
Alright, take a good look at this grand old beauty-she may look calm on the outside, but trust me, the Redmont Hotel has stories bubbling up from every brick. Picture Birmingham in the roaring 1920s: jazz drifting from open windows, cars honking on busy streets, and here comes the Redmont, opening her doors for the first time on May 1, 1925. Back then, having a private bath in every room was the height of luxury-no cold midnight runs down the hall for these guests! Imagine the clang of suitcases and bellhops bustling through the marble-floored lobby.
Fast-forward to the 1930s, and you’d find the famous Rainbow Room lounge alive with music and laughter, drawing the city’s movers and shakers (and a gang who called themselves the “Knothole Gang”-they probably had more secrets than the hotel’s ghost stories). By the late 1940s, the top floor wasn’t just for guests anymore; it turned into a glitzy penthouse for owner Clifford Stiles, where well-dressed partygoers waltzed on terraces, a pet lawn was manicured for posh companions, and glasses clinked deep into the night. Some folks around here even say Clifford loved the place so much, he never entirely checked out-watch out for a friendly ghost on your way out, just in case!
And who could forget New Year’s Eve, 1952? The legendary Hank Williams spent his last night in one of these rooms-if these walls could sing, what a tune they’d tell. Meanwhile, politicians came calling, snagging one particular suite for campaign headquarters so often that it earned the nickname, the “Lucky Governor’s Suite.” I wonder if it came with a free campaign manager?
After a few quieter decades, the Redmont’s luck turned in ’83 when a group of NBA stars pumped in new life (and more than a few dollars), giving her a mighty facelift and earning a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Still, it’s not every day a hotel can say it’s been reborn more often than a cat has lives. With every renovation, hidden treasures surfaced-original architectural details, a bit of Birmingham history dusted off and polished up.
Today, after yet another dazzling makeover, the Redmont is sleek and welcoming, proud to be part of Hilton’s exclusive Curio Collection. Step a little closer, take a whiff-maybe you’ll smell fresh coffee or hear the faint music of a 1930s jazz band drifting through the revolving door. That’s the charm of the Redmont: where the past and present keep dancing, right here on the corner.
