Hotel Highland Downtown – UAB, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member

I can definitely see the appeal this hotel probably had back in the day as the location is great and décor is cute but, in some aspects, outdated… It’s just time for a little make-​over. I will say that the service was great– the girl at the front desk was very sweet and everyone we ran into was super polite and friendly.
I’m guessing the hotel is very old and, just as a previous review claimed, there was a moldy smell. Even if inspections deem this place mold-​free, there is definitely a wet smell… Plus a hint of cigarette smoke probably seeping through the walls from when smoking indoors was the norm. It just felt humid and old honestly.
The bathroom décor was nice, but what killed it for me were the bathroom mats. They just didn’t seem like they were clean-​like maybe the person who stayed before us’s bath water was still lingering. They were the kind you’d find at a house, not the thick towel type that hotels usually give you folded over your tub.
The sheets also seemed moist and did not escape the wet theme. The clothes I slept in were a sure reminder of that as I got home, unpacked and was greeted by a souvenir of humidity and stale, 50 year old cigarette smoke.

The hotel was reminiscent of a beautiful hotel from a bygone era and yet it had the modern conveniences that we all want. Phillip Gurley at the front desk was great. He was friendly and yet very professional and helpful, answering our questions about the hotel and the area. The next time we need to stay in Birmingham Alabama this is where we will be.

We stayed at this hotel for one night as we were needing a place to be in Birmingham. I got a discounted rate online and didn’t know the hotel name before I booked. The hotel has a small lobby and check in area, along with a bar and breakfast area. Décor is on the contemporary side of things but was pleasant. I’m not sure when this hotel was built but it had the feel of an older hotel.
Check in was easy. There is limited parking on the street but you have access to either valet parking for $ 16 or use of a parking deck behind the building. We were told there was a $ 4 in and out fee at the deck, but during the time we were there the gates were open so we didn’t have to pay anything to park. The staff was friendly and efficient for the minimal interactions we had with them.
The room was nicely decorated if a bit on the small side (not surprising given the old time feel of this hotel). We had a king size bed. There was a small chair with a lamp and also a desk area. A flat screen TV was on top of a large dresser (the tv channel selection was much better than in a lot of hotels). The bathroom was small, with the shower/​tub right next to the toilet which was right next to the counter. This wouldn’t accommodate two people simultaneously trying to get ready. The shower had great water pressure though, better than most hotels I’ve been in.
The room we had did not have a ceiling fan or refrigerator, and curiously there were not ice machines on the floors. We were told to call for ice and they would bring it to our rooms. We didn’t make use of that service but I wasn’t thrilled with a room call (and associated tip) just to get some ice.
The streets surrounding the hotel are a pedestrian area, with a good number of bars, shops, and restaurants available within walking distance. We had fun exploring the area, though it was a little tempered by the large amount of homeless people camped out. We weren’t bothered by any of them, but it just cast a damper on walking around.
Our room overlooked one bar and there was a bit of audible noise/​music that night until they closed. It didn’t keep us awake (probably helped by our own bar hopping) but keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to noise.
All in all, we enjoyed our stay and would consider staying there again if circumstances warranted.

Exceeded expectations! Business trip but will be back for a personal trip soon! Staff friendly & room was incredible. Suite was spacious & classy. It was trendy & edgy, but practical with a desk, nice storage for a lengthy stay, small refrigerator, beautiful sofa and breakfast nook! Room view was looking to the hills & the Vulcan statue. What you get for the money is over the top AWESOME! Also, a nice bar downstairs. Barrow, the bartender makes a nice rum & coke.
Next door is a place called Phở Phở Sushi Vietnamese restaurant. Terrific sushi! Order the Mt. Fuji roll.
They will even deliver to Highland guests complimentary. Ask for «Kooki» the manager.
We can’t wait to come back for another visit! Thank you!

Very friendly, welcoming reception at Hotel Highland. The rooms are bit on the cozier side, but the décor is chic and unique. I wish they had self-​serve parking, since they do appear to have a lot out back, but instead they only offer valet for $ 16/​day plus tip. That and the elliptical machine in their workout center was broken, and their gym space looked as it it had been largely untouched. Beyond those points, it was overall a pleasant stay and I would recommend Hotel Highland to fellow business travelers.

I booked 15 nights at the Hotel Highland for guests for my conference in June 2014, nearly $ 2,000 to be billed to my account. Rather than follow my instructions, the hotel billed several of my guests. This was damaging to our event’s reputation and was the last impression these visitors had upon leaving Birmingham.
I asked for help and answers from the hotel for 4 weeks before giving up. The hotels’ owners in Atlanta chose instead to make (empty) threats and skip the courtesy of a simple phone call.
Needless to say, I will never do business with this hotel again, though I have paid the bill in full. If you have a billing problem of any kind with the hotel, you have been forewarned. They will ignore you. They will attempt to intimidate you. But they will not try anything remotely resembling accountability or reasonable customer service.

Stayed in one of the suites for a couple of nights for a business trip and it was a nice spacious room, compared to most hotels of this level. Upon entering the room, it was quite musty and humid, in which the blasting the A/​C on max made sense. The king sized bed was very comfortable and was perhaps the best feature in the room. Shower was totally faulty — could NOT get any hot water, despite complaining. TV selection was ok, though like one reviewer said, there was no HBO even though it was advertised everywhere. I think the worst part was little snack bar they had in the lobby where they charge $ 1 for a bottle of water. The price was fair only when I found 1) the cap’s seal was broken and 2) there was a hair in one of my bottles. Conclusion: they seem to reuse bottles and fill it with tap water. Yuck!
While I could have given it one star, the room was paid for so it wasn’t a waste of MY money. If you have a choice, I’d recommend finding a different place.

Good room for the price, close to several restaurants and bars. Our suite was clean and spacious with separate living area and kitchen area and friendly staff. For the price and location this is a great hotel.

What a great place to stay. Truly unique. The staff treated us awesomely.
We came in very early on our checkin day and didn’t have any problem getting into a room (so in other words. they didn’t make us wait till 3pm or something like that). Now I understand that is probably because of availability. but still. give credit where credit is due. We valet’ed the car (which I would recommend) the valet was always there to quickly go get our car when we needed it. awesome service. The breakfast in the mornings were pretty good as well. Waffles etc. This is not your cheap o Hampton Inn breakfast. The décor and the service in this hotel truly sets it apart. The next time Bama vs LSU plays at home. We’ll be staying here again. Thank you !
Oh. lastly. This hotel is also located extremely close to some awesome restaurants. Thats also a major plus.

Great place to stay in the middle of 5 points. Walk to all the restaurants & bars. Hotel staff was very personable & accommodating. A fun surprise was finding sticky notes in the room from the house keeper with nice welcome statements. A nice touch. So we left her thank you notes & dollars strategically places around the room.

Great location. That’s the best thing it has going for it. Lack of power outlets and faulty shower faucet marked this older hotel. The staff was obviously wanting to be somewhere else. TV had local and bare cable. No HBO, even though it was listed as a channel. The bar was only open Tue-​Sat in the evenings.

Walls are very thin, adjoining doors have no buffer. Don’t stay here if you want sleep.

Found this hotel via Siri, when I asked her to find a pet friendly hotel in Birmingham. Just a couple miles off of the highway (20). We were a little nervous because the neighborhood looked a tad run down, typical «downtown/​city-​ish». The Hotel was AWESOME! We were greeted by a very pleasant front desk staff, who immediately wanted to pet our doggie. We went to our room and were just blown away! The rooms were huge and decorated so retro and chic. Living area, dining area, kitchen, spacious bathroom and huge bedroom! It was so cool I wanted to order out and bring it back to chill in the room! We ended up at the steak restaurant next door (which was fabulous)
The price was outstanding for the quality. I was shocked that it was so inexpensive!

Hotel Highland is a really neat hotel. Right in the middle of the action. Walk outside and there are a dozen bars and restaurants to choose from. Price seems good for the area. We paid 129.00 a night and when we got to our room were surprised to see it was so roomy. We have a sitting area that is separated from the bedroom. Both the bedroom and the sitting area have a tv. The room also has a fridge and microwave. We have 5 huge windows that look right down on the five points area. The hotel bar is also a nice atmosphere. The server was very polite as was everyone else from the desk host to the valets. I love the artsy atmosphere of the place. The only drawback is the 15.00 a night parking charge. That does give you peace of mind though because your car is parked in a gates facility a level below the hotel that also has security cameras. All things considered we are happy with the hotel highland

Never actually stayed here, but I do book rooms for my clients several times a year. They always rave about this place. Trendy, Clean and priced right.
Sakura Sushi Bar & Japanese Restaurant next door, 2 minute walking distance to Highlands Bar and Grill & Chez Fonfon (two of my favorite places) Cosmo’s Pizza and others.

The Hotel Highland is a quaint hotel with really good service. For the money the free wifi, full-​service breakfast, and well-​appointed (if not opulent) rooms are well worth the visit.
The Hotel Highland’s main attraction is close proximity to some of the best restaurants in the south. From the hotel it is less than a block to Highland’s Bar and Grill (as well as more casual French cosuin Chez Fon Fon), which James Beard has placed in the top five in the US for the past several years. The place is also within a mile of the much, if not over-​hyped Hot and Hot Fish Club, as well as Birmingham hot spots Ocean, Botegga, Veranda, and Café Dupont. Any persons on a foodie tour of Birmingham would find Hotel Highland to be a prime location. (It is also centrally located between Vulcan and the shopping villages of Homewood and Mountain Brook, and UAB/​downtown.

Super trendy, comfortable and excellent location are the three ways that I would describe my weekend stay at the Hotel Highland. It was clear to me that as soon as the valet came to get my bags from the car that it would be a good stay. The staff are incredibly helpful and welcoming, which is always appreciated. Further, they have the most posh elevators that I have ever used. Wood paneling and mirrors pick up the multiple colored light bulbs making you feel like you are in a disco or NYC hotel. There is even a bar in the lobby where we spent and evening over $ 5 cocktails. Can’t be that!
The room was excellent. We had 5 windows in our King sized suite so that, if you wanted to, you could see all of Birmingham and UAB’s campus. We even had a Keurig for in-​room teas and coffee. Everything was clean and the bed was super comfortable. The bathroom was lovely and the complimentary lotion was a definite take-​home. The two qualms I had with Hotel Highland are that 1) We had to request a duvet because of the effort to reduce their carbon footprint and 2) The complimentary breakfast could be improved by better quality ingredients. So overall I think I will be staying here again when and if I return to Birmingham.

location A+wesome
Room A+
Lobby bar friday night had a jazz band. awesome way to pregame before we started the night
Thanks Otis ;)

The Hotel Highland at Five Points South is a charming boutique hotel that truly defines Southern comfort. As soon as you walk in the hotel, the cool air (which smelsl like piña colada) provides an escape from the humidity outdoors. The lobby colors are lively and inviting. Although the lobby is modern, the flowers and warm colors gives it warmth. Across the lobby is the hotel’s martini bar.
From the lobby and the martini bar, you can watch people walking by on their way to various businesses that include tattoo parlors, apothecary, a Chinese restaurant, the high-​end sushi restaurant next door, coffee shops, music shops, and other neighborhood restaurants. The area is lively and full of nice folks.
After a day of sightseeing, Hotel Highland provides a relaxing place to recharge. Our queen suite had a high definition television in the living room and the bedroom. Again, although the décor was modern, the furniture was very comfortable. The sofa was plush and the kind you can plop on to watch bad t.v. Coming back to the hotel after sight-​seeing was like coming home. It felt like my apartment– that I don’t have to clean. And the bed! Best sleep I have had in weeks. The linen must be at least 700 thread count. And although the hotel is close to various businesses and Downtown, it was still quiet.
This is a lovely, serene hotel in the middle of a lively town center. It is located on the south end of Downtown Birmingham and 5 – 10 minutes from various museums and sightseeing spots. Neighborhood to high-​end local restaurants are truly steps away.
Tip:
If you drive, park at the structure behind the hotel. All-​day parking costs $ 4.
Other nice stuff:
They have free wi-​fi and a business center.
Continental breakfast that includes waffles!

I friggin’ LOVE this hotel! It smells like pina coladas and the rooms are well-​appointed and comfortable with decent shampoo/​lotion/​soap samples, etc. Friendly, attentive staff.
Their wireless Internet was free and fast and they had an awesome Continental breakfast (boiled eggs, danishes, juice, coffee, bottled water, espresso maker, and you can even make your own waffles!).
FYI: Valet parking with the hotel is $ 18/​day, so we parked at a cheapo parking lot right behind the hotel for only $ 4/​day. Sweet! :)
The hotel is also walking distance to bars and restaurants. I dunno if I’ll ever be in Birmingham again, but if I am, I’m stayin’ here!