Renaissance Shoals Resort & Spa

A Tennessee River waterfront resort with a revolving restaurant and live music, ten minutes from Fighting Joe.

The property

The Renaissance Shoals Resort and Spa occupies a waterfront position on the Tennessee River in the Muscle Shoals area, ten minutes from Fighting Joe at The Shoals complex on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The roughly 200-room Marriott property carries more character than its chain affiliation suggests, and the reason is location: the Muscle Shoals music heritage that produced recordings by Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, and dozens of other artists threads through the property via Swampers Bar, which hosts live music and takes its name from the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. The 360 Grille is the resort's signature feature, a revolving restaurant with panoramic views of the Tennessee River.

What to expect

A full-service resort that doubles as a cultural anchor. The 6,000-square-foot spa and the pool complex with a waterslide make the property workable for families where not every member golfs. Dinner at the 360 Grille, watching the sun set over Wilson Dam, is the best non-golf evening available in the northern stretch of the Trail. Marriott Bonvoy points apply at standard rates.

Rates and booking

$150 to $250 per night, the middle ground between the Ross Bridge premium to the south and the budget hotels that serve other Trail stops. Book via the link on this page. Golfers planning a night in the Shoals area, which the two-hour drive from Birmingham effectively requires, will find this the most complete option in the area.