So much has changed since we last visited the Gulf State Park Hotel and Resort. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has moved ahead with refurbishing the property. From the sound of things, the results are amazing. Actually, the word used is "stunning":
Stunned might be the best way to describe the sensation when I walked into one of the new cottages at Gulf State Park.
As Herb Malone of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau put it, "This is not your typical state park cabin. This is a home away from home."
In a struggle described as "one step forward and two steps back," the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources took several big steps forward last week at the state park ravaged by Hurricane Ivan, and Barnett Lawley, conservation commissioner, has no plans to step back.
At ribbon-cutting ceremonies Thursday, five of what will eventually be 11 new cottages were unveiled, as well as a 10,000 square-foot beach pavilion.
A trip through the new cottages, which line the north side of Lake Shelby, reveals three bedrooms, three baths, a screened porch, deck, hardwood floors and granite countertops among the amenities. Cottage rental prices range from $150 to $209 per night.
If the new upscale cottages are booked, the park also offers 15 rustic lakeside cabins with rates of $83 to $150 per night. Cabin and cottage guests also have full access to two new "Tots Lots" play areas for children, fishing piers and fish cleaning stations.
For those who prefer to be "way back in the woods," there are four small cabins in the wooded areas of the park with rates of $56 to $100. All cabin and cottage rates are dependent on season, type of cabin or cottage and length of stay.
"Adding new cottages and a beach pavilion makes Gulf State Park an ideal beach destination for families," Lawley said. "Now families can enjoy an affordable beach getaway that includes spectacular new lodging, white sand beaches, birding and other outdoor adventures in one place -- Gulf State Park.
"We're very proud of the new facilities. And, don't forget, the work on the campgrounds has been completed. The State Parks Division is the largest in the conservation department and the toughest to run."