ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — Alabama’s Gulf Coast is no stranger to iconic beachfront bars that have become destinations in their own right, from the Flora-Bama on the Alabama-Florida line to The Hangout and the Pink Pony in Gulf Shores and newer draws like Coastal Orange Beach and The Gulf. But one amenity common in cities nationwide has yet to arrive on Alabama’s beaches: a rooftop bar. That is about to change.
The AC Hotel Orange Beach, a six-story, 100-room Marriott property, is expected to feature a 3,500-square-foot rooftop lounge when the project opens in the second quarter of 2028. The lounge will be open to both hotel guests and the general public.
Zach Hoyt, president of Gulf Shores-based A&R Development, which is building the Marriott-branded hotel, said the rooftop space is designed to be the property’s signature draw. He called it “an experience that doesn’t exist anywhere in the market today.”
“Orange Beach has grown into one of the premier destinations in the Southeast, and it deserves a hotel that matches that,” Hoyt said.
The Orange Beach City Council appears ready to sign off on changes to the project’s planned unit development that would allow the rooftop lounge at 23370 Perdido Beach Blvd. Council members expressed support for the concept during a recent meeting, provided the venue operates within limits on hours and noise.
“It won’t affect anyone negatively to open it up for the public,” Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said. “It’s a nice place to go on a Friday or Saturday night. No loud music or bands. We talked with the neighbors next door, and they were good with it.”
Hoyt told council members the venue is meant to function as a lounge rather than a bar, connecting to eight of the hotel’s guest rooms with a maximum occupancy of 100 people. He said it is far from a “raucous or rowdy bar” and is expected to close around 11 p.m., with music played inside rather than through outdoor speakers so as not to disturb neighboring residents. The outdoor patio, which Hoyt described as relatively small, will close around 10 p.m.
“The majority of the bar is inside,” he said.
The hotel will replace a former church building that Kennon described as a longstanding beachfront eyesore. Romar Beach Baptist Church once occupied the site; the building was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, rebuilt in 2008, and left with heavy water damage after Hurricane Sally in 2020.
“It was a church and zoned for a church, and the church left, and it’s become a significant eyesore,” Kennon said. “Unfortunately, there is no other church that can buy that property, tear it down and make it work. We had a developer come in who was willing to repurpose it. We had to allow them a greater density zoning than we would have normally for any other situation. But the bottom line, it is an eyesore that’s going to be replaced by an upscale hotel and a unique beachfront lounge.”
The project arrives as demand for hotel rooms along coastal Alabama continues to outpace vacation rental demand. According to June destination indicators from the local tourism agency, vacation rentals, which typically require longer stays, averaged between 50% and 55% occupancy during the spring months, while hotels averaged between 74% and 77%.
Beth Gendler, president and CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, called the rooftop lounge an attractive addition to the region’s lodging options.
“Anytime something new comes to our community, we are excited, whether it’s a new lodging option, dining experience or attraction,” Gendler said. “Not only does it bring new options for our visitors, but more employment opportunities to boost the local economy from both sides. Being able to offer visitors another elevated experience along our beaches just makes our destination more attractive and appealing.”
Construction on the AC Hotel Orange Beach is expected to begin later this year.