Axel's take on Five Points South & UAB: #2 of 6 in Birmingham, Alabama, 6.7/10
Best for UAB visits and restaurant-led stays, with a changing nightlife scene. Five Points South & UAB pairs excellent access with stronger hotel scores than Downtown, but less character and patchy doorstep activity leave it second.
Five Points South gathers around the Storyteller Fountain, 20th Street South and the surrounding historic streets. Independent restaurants and older buildings give it more neighborhood character than a highway interchange, while UAB brings a working university-and-hospital rhythm. Stay here when campus appointments or dinners matter more than convention access.
Be precise about your street: hospital-side blocks and the fountain’s restaurant pocket are not interchangeable. The nightlife has also changed, with established venues closing and new pubs and food businesses replacing some of them; older bar lists are unreliable. Skip it for uninterrupted quiet or if you expect the entire district to stay busy late.
- Best for: food lovers, travelers without a car, LGBTQ+ travelers, nightlife
- Skip it if: You need reliably quiet surroundings; Your main destination is the BJCC
- Getting around: Walk the restaurant pocket and nearby UAB blocks; Magic City Connector, MAX 14, 31 and 280 serve the area. From BHM, rideshare is simplest; MAX On-Demand reaches Central Station for onward transit.
- After dark: Expect pub activity near the fountain, not an all-night district; LGBTQ nightlife at Al’s on Seventh is farther east along Seventh Avenue South.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $218 a night · usually 7% under the public rate
Where to stay in Birmingham, Alabama: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in Five Points South & UAB
- Storyteller Fountain and 20th Street. Start here for historic streets and dinners on foot; this is the restaurant pocket rather than the hospital entrance zone. Hotels here: Residence Inn by Marriott Birmingham Downtown at UAB, Hilton Birmingham Downtown at UAB, Hotel Indigo Birmingham Five Points S - UAB by IHG.
- Fifth–Sixth Avenue South, UAB. Prioritize these hospital-side blocks for appointments and visiting relatives; check which entrance your visit actually requires. Hotels here: Courtyard by Marriott Birmingham Downtown at UAB, Springhill Suites By Marriott Birmingham Downtown At Uab.
- Railroad Park's 18th Street edge. Better for park strolls and baseball outings while keeping UAB nearby, rather than staying beside the fountain. Hotels here: Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Birmingham, Home2 Suites by Hilton Birmingham Downtown.
How to choose
- Choose Residence Inn by Marriott Birmingham Downtown at UAB if you need a full kitchen, generous suite space and included breakfast for a longer UAB stay.
- Choose Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Birmingham if Railroad Park and baseball matter alongside UAB, and you prefer a restaurant and bar on-site.
- Choose Courtyard by Marriott Birmingham Downtown at UAB if direct skybridge access to UAB Hospital matters more than included breakfast or easy parking.
What paying more buys
Residence Inn is cheaper than most here yet already provides spacious kitchen suites and breakfast. Paying more for Courtyard buys direct hospital skybridge access; much pricier SpringHill Suites adds an indoor pool but brings elevator and maintenance concerns. The extra spend is hard to justify unless that connection or indoor swimming specifically matters. Typical rates with Axel here run from $152 a night at Residence Inn by Marriott Birmingham Downtown at UAB to $510 at Springhill Suites By Marriott Birmingham Downtown At Uab (last 30 days).
The best hotels in Five Points South & UAB, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Residence Inn by Marriott Birmingham Downtown at UAB 8.5/10, practical 3-star, all-suite extended-stay hotel beside UAB. A strong UAB base with roomy suites and genuinely helpful staff Why it's here: cheaper-than-most full-kitchen suites with generous space, included breakfast and particularly helpful staff. Accept: paid sloping parking, alternate-day housekeeping and a seasonal pool.
- Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Birmingham 8.4/10, practical 3-star downtown hotel near UAB and Railroad Park. A strong downtown base with friendly staff, comfortable rooms and paid extras. Why it's here: comfortable, spacious rooms near UAB and Railroad Park, with an on-site restaurant and bar. Accept: breakfast and self-parking cost extra.
- Courtyard by Marriott Birmingham Downtown at UAB 8.3/10, practical 3-star hotel connected to UAB Hospital. A strong choice for UAB visits, with comfortable rooms but awkward parking. Why it's here: direct hospital skybridge access with comfortable, good-sized rooms and welcoming staff. Accept: paid off-site parking, extra breakfast and alternate-day housekeeping.
- Hilton Birmingham Downtown at UAB 8.1/10, renovated, full-service 4-star in UAB’s medical district. A practical UAB base with refreshed rooms and helpful staff, but some uneven execution. Why it's here: refreshed UAB rooms with complimentary airport and hospital shuttles. Accept: parking and breakfast charges; uneven housekeeping and problem follow-through.
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Birmingham Downtown 8.0/10, practical 3-star extended-stay hotel near UAB. A useful downtown base with roomy suites, friendly staff and some housekeeping inconsistencies. Why it's here: roomy kitchenette suites near Railroad Park, with breakfast included. Accept: paid parking and uneven bathroom, upholstery and room upkeep.
- Springhill Suites By Marriott Birmingham Downtown At Uab 7.7/10, practical 3-star Marriott all-suite hotel near UAB Hospital. A useful UAB base with roomy suites, but maintenance needs more consistency. Why it's here: roomy suites near UAB Hospital with included breakfast and an indoor pool. Accept: a steep premium despite elevator problems, worn furnishings and paid parking.
- Hotel Indigo Birmingham Five Points S - UAB by IHG 6.8/10, historic 4-star boutique hotel in Five Points South. Historic character and a lively location, but upkeep falls short of four-star expectations. Why it's here: historic character beside Five Points dining and nightlife. Accept: nightlife noise, uneven housekeeping and maintenance, plus parking charges.
