After three years of construction, downtown Homewood’s newest resident is finally open for business. Located on the corner of 18th Street South and 28th Avenue South, the 129-room Valley Hotel brings luxury accommodations to the suburbs.

Part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, The Valley offers an “oasis from the concrete jungle,” while maintaining the top-of-the-line amenities and modern appeal you’d expect from a big-city hotel. Melding the best of both worlds, The Valley has a local, boutique feel that fits perfectly with its optimal location in the heart of Homewood, just steps away from 18th Street’s popular shops and restaurants. 

Each of the hotel’s 129 rooms and 9 suites are designed with relaxed sophistication in mind. An understated color scheme, classic details, and artwork by local artists combine to create an atmosphere of relaxation. All rooms feature oversized bathrooms and 55” LCD TVs. Suites give an added element of luxury with separate living rooms, double vanities, sofa beds, and spectacular views of downtown Homewood and Vulcan overlooking Red Mountain. 

With five meeting rooms and 5,745 total square feet of event and meeting space, the Valley is ideal for hosting conferences, events, and weddings. In fact, the 4,312-square-foot Red Mountain Ballroom can accommodate up to 453 guests when set up for a reception. 

New Dining Options

Outside of its appeal for visitors, The Valley Hotel also has drawn the attention of Homewood residents eager for new dining options. The hotel brings three concepts to the neighborhood: a full-service restaurant, a bar, and an all-day café. 

The Valley’s signature restaurant, Ironwood Kitchen & Cocktails, specializes in elevated comfort food in an upscale setting. Its name is a tribute to Birmingham’s rich history as a city forged by the iron and steel industries. Ironwood’s industrial design features plenty of indoor seating, as well as a 14-person private dining room and a 60-person outdoor patio. The Southern-influenced menu, created by Executive Chef Doug Zuk, features dishes like grouper with white cheddar grit cakes and smoked short ribs with potato puree and crispy onion rings. 

Zuk previously developed and ran culinary programs in Las Vegas at Hank’s Fine Steaks at the Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa & Casino and Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak at the MGM Grand. At The Valley, he’ll also oversee food and beverage for The Terrace Bar and Valley Coffee Co. 

At the second-floor Terrace Bar, unwind with a craft cocktail while taking in sunset views of downtown Homewood. The Role Model cocktail, made with grapefruit, lemon, Campari, vanilla, soda, and vodka from Birmingham’s own Redmont Distilling, is the perfect refresher for a warm Alabama evening. In cooler months, relax by a firepit with the Old Brown Eyes, featuring Old Forester bourbon, brown butter, demerara sugar, and bitters. Whimsical small plates like The Hanger, brown sugar chipotle bacon hanging from clothespins, round out the experience. 

Off the main lobby, The Valley Coffee Co. serves fresh-ground coffee, artisanal sandwiches, salads, and homemade pastries all day. It also has an adjoining courtyard space.

The Valley’s long-awaited grand opening is just one of several new developments coming to this area of Homewood. Second locations of Rodney Scott’s BBQ and Little Donkey are slated to open later this summer near the hotel.