Birmingham England or Alabama?

It may look like the English countryside, but the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa opened in Birmingham, Alabama over the weekend. Each of the 259 guest rooms in the luxury resort, the first Renaissance property in Alabama, has a balcony overlooking the golf course, which is reportedly quite a sight:

In addition to luxurious accommodations and amenities, the resort features the third longest golf course in the world on 330 acres of pristine fairways. Considered to be the gem of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trial, the 8,191-yard, PGA-quality golf course includes a 1,000-yard cascading waterfall and two connecting lakes. [Birmingham Business Journal]

The Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort has the architectural style of an English manor, complete with a grist mill on the grounds. Guest rooms include Marriott's new, plusher bedding and bathrooms with marble floors and sunken bathtubs. The resort is about an hour away from the University of Alabama, in case you're headed to any of the Crimson Tide games.