The historic Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham is now the Hampton Inn & Suites Birmingham-Downtown, The upscale boutique hotel has just undergone a $9 million preservation that encompasses the interiors, finishes and furnishings. The hotel has been improved with modern amenities. The hotel has been reportedly been haunted by the hotel’s namesake, Colonel Tutwiler. Whether The Colonel has remained through the preservation remains to be seen.
A bartender at the Tutwiler had several ghostly experiences in 1995. The bartender got in trouble with his boss when the lights were left on in the bar every night for a week.
It was the bartender’s job to turn off the lights in the bar and the kitchen when he closed. One night he started turning out the lights, but they would turn themselves back on. After turning out the lights only to have them turn back on four times, the bartender finally left for the evening.
The next day the general manager of the hotel asked why the lights had been left on. The bartender explained, but the manager may not have believed him. This scenario occurred for five nights in a row. On the sixth day, the general manager called the bartender and home and told him to come to work immediately. Amazingly, someone had cooked a multi-course meal, complete with candles and a very old bottle of wine that had been in a locked cabinet.
Rumors had circulated for years that the spirit of Colonel Tutwiler roamed the halls of the hotel. The bartender finally resolved the situation. Each night he would say good night to the colonel, calling out, “good night colonel, please leave the lights and stoves off and don’t make a mess.”
The Tutwiler is a historic hotel that has offered charming, luxurious accommodations for guests for nearly one hundred years.
The Tutwiler was opened in 1914 by Robert Jemison. When the hotel was built, it was with the goal of convincing the American Iron and Steel Institute to have its annual convention in Birmingham, Alabama. The hotel was built in a grandiose style, and considered one of the best hotels in the country. The original hotel had 343 guest rooms and featured a “Grand Ball Room” that could accommodate 1200 people. Tutwiler made Birmingham and center for meetings and conventions in the south.
The historic hotel is now the Hampton Inn & Suites Birmingham-Downtown-Tutwiler. The historic hotel has recently been renovated. The historic architecture, such as the marble floors, vaulted ceilings and exterior have remained the same. The building interior has received a total makeover. New amenities include a fitness center, and suite shop and a breakfast room with a view of Birmingham, AL. Icon Restaurant & Bar is the chic new restaurant that is creating buzz in the restaurant industry. The well stocked bar and friendly staff have the feel of a neighborhood restaurant.
The elegant grand Hampton Inn & Suites Birmingham Downtown – Tutwiler Hotel is a historic hotel with modern amenities and luxurious accommodations.
