Wind Creek Montgomery is a Surprise-Filled Getaway
By Gale Horton Gay - The Champion Newspaper™
Surprises are often in store during a casino resort visit, but it’s generally from what does or does not happen on the gaming floor.
However pleasant surprises were in store for me during a three-day getaway at Wind Creek Hotel Casino in Montgomery, Ala., and none were connected to gambling.
The resort—which has more than 2,200 gaming machines (by state law table games are not permitted in Alabama)—bears a Memphis blues theme throughout in its décor with plenty of neon, lights and guitar influences in artwork, faux cobblestone and giant indoor street lights. A giant neon can’t-be-missed “Welcome to World Famous Beale Street Home of the Blues” sign greets guests as soon as they enter the casino. The Memphis flavor carries over to cuisine offered at three eateries.
The two-level B.B. King’s Blues Club restaurant and music venue offers live music nightly and a selection of specialties such as a Southern-style jambalaya and a creole catfish served on a bed of shrimp and crawfish seafood rice. The $18.99 creole catfish that I dined on was loaded with shrimp and catfish and a decent-size portion of catfish. Spices with a touch of heat did not overpower the dish.
Breakfast selections include a generous chicken and waffles as well as offerings such as Memphis burrito and Lucille’s griddle benedict.
One has to take an elevator to get to Itta Bena, a restaurant bathed in an abundance of faux candlelight and blue glass windows. The décor includes exposed brick, white linen tables and upholstered gold chairs. Those seeking a more intimate setting might want to reserve one of their half-moon booths with drapes that hang from the ceiling. It’s a romantic setting with a wait staff that’s attentive but not overly bothersome.
I was surprised the upscale Itta Bena restaurant offers “gourmet” selections such as a duck bruschetta, black angus steaks, jambalaya pasta and she crab soup.
Rarely do I dine and find that every dish is better than the last but such was the case at Itta Bena. It was the kind of dining experience that would make me revisit the resort just to dine there again.
This property is smaller than the other two Wind Creek casino resorts surrounding Montgomery, but it’s loaded with amenities such as a barbershop, nail and hair salon. While the fitness center is compact, there’s a spacious rooftop outdoor pool and whirlpool with outdoor beverage service.
The 123 guestrooms, including 11 suites, are outfitted in browns, soft golds and blues and are roomy. Bathrooms feature rain showers and contemporary hardware.
Wind Creek Hotel Casino provides opportunities to try one’s luck at the gaming machines, dine, shop, be entertained, swim and/or work out without having to leave the resort. And getting there is a relatively easy drive for those in DeKalb County, it’s an approximately 180-mile drive—another benefit for a quick weekend or mid-week getaway.
For more information on the resort, go to windcreekmontgomery.com.
Gale Horton Gay