If summer is burnout’s (ironic) cooldown, September is the main event. Work ramps up; school is back in session; football weekends return. Rinse, wash, repeat. And lurking in the not so distant future, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane… dragging a sleigh full of holiday happenings and year-end deadlines behind him.
artm.creator/shutterstock.com
The result? Calendars packed with obligations, opportunities and just enough social guilt to make saying “no” feel like a war crime (looking at you, “quick call?”). While most productivity hacks focus on how AI can optimize your life—doing more, faster—increasingly, people are using those tools for the opposite reason. Read: Work smarter, not harder.
Think of AI less as a personal assistant and more as a neutral third party—one that can look at your week and tell you what your friends, coworkers and inner overachiever (*raises hand*) simply won’t: Something has to give. And it shouldn’t be your sanity.
Translation: Dump your week’s calendar chaos and to-do lists into ChatGPT and ask, “What am I realistically getting done here?” Then watch it prioritize tasks, flag overload points and/or build a more realistic schedule.
In other words, it’s the ultimate boundary tool, helping you figure out what actually has to happen today, rebalancing a chaotic week, creating a realistic weekend reset or even helping you figure out when to throw down a “no” without guilt.
The irony? The most useful thing AI may do isn’t helping you squeeze more efficiency into a packed cal—it’s helping you realize your calendar was full enough already. Think of it as a permission slip, second only to that sacred Hall Pass with your SO. Here, how leaning on AI can help you reclaim a little breathing room before pumpkin-spice season comes for us all.
There are bartenders—and then there are craftspeople. The ones who know why your martini is served colder, your garnish is there on purpose, and that balanced cocktail somehow tastes effortless.
Now in its fifth year, Raleigh Mag’s Bartender of the Year Award is celebrating the pioneers who’ve helped shape the city’s cocktail culture. As owners and founders of some of our city’s finest institutions, this year’s cast cut their teeth behind the stick before opening concepts of their own, mentoring the next gen and redefining what it means to drink well in Raleigh.
They may no longer all be pouring your whiskey on any given Tuesday—but their fingerprints are all over that glass.
Voting opens Oct. 1, so dive in, drink up and cast your vote. And for extra credit, catch this year’s nominees in action at RM’s annual The Cocktail Classic, Saturday, Nov. 14, at The Exchange Raleigh, where this year’s noms will step back behind the bar for an evening of unlimited cocktails, mic’d-up demos, elevated bites, DJ sets and indulgent experiences. Trust, we’re raising the bar.
Raise a Glass
🗳 Vote Opens: Oct. 1–Dec. 1 Cast your ballot:raleighmag.com
🍸 The Cocktail Classic When: Saturday, Nov. 14 Early-bird tickets: On sale TK Tickets:cocktailclassicraleigh.com
Meet Your 2026 Bartender of the Year Nominees
Josh Gagne|Killjoy When it comes to bars, Gagne gets it. That sense of belonging is precisely what drew him to build his own. Knowing he wanted to own a business since his sandbox days, the Killjoy co-owner had his “aha” moment in college. Because bars aren’t just a place to grab a drink—they’re a stage where every element (lighting, music, aromas, flavors) has a role to play. After earning his stripes at Zinda, helping open Haymaker and consulting on bars across the Triangle, Gagne is still driven by one simple purpose: “making people feel comfortable.”
Katie O’Kane|Gussie’s+The Hippo Wine Bar After falling for the craft while working between theater jobs at Manhattan’s Raines Law Room, Gussie’s resident impresario didn’t just move to Raleigh for the hell of it—but because she believed in its budding bar scene. Together with husband Clayton and business partner Vance Daniels, she’s helped shape that community by building lived-in bars like Gussie’s and The Hippo that feel like “new versions of an old idea.” But for the sommelier, success isn’t measured solely in perfect pours—but whether, at last call, she can say: “I think we made a lot of people happy tonight.”
Kevin Barrett|Dram & Draught If you know Barrett, then you know he was “born this way.” Serving drinks since Seinfeld was on TV, the spirits steward made his way through such Raleigh institutions as Foundation, C. Grace and Fox Liquor Bar before rolling up the garage door on Dram & Draught’s flagship. The vision? Take the best parts of those bars and blend them into one welcoming neighborhood bar vibe. Six Drams—and a spirits brand—later, it’s safe to say he nailed it. And it all comes back to his philosophy: “Service is what you do for someone. Hospitality is how you make them feel.”
Kyle Hankin|Foundation “Hospitality over everything.” That’s the MO for the man now steering the bar that laid the foundation (pun fully intended) for DTR’s cocktail culture. But before taking the reins at Foundation from OG owners Will Alphin and Vince Whitehurst, Hankin ran the Raleigh circuit—P.F. Chang’s, PieBird, Rye Bar at the Marriott Hotel, Fox Liquor Bar. Turns out, they picked the right guy. “People have a million reasons to go out to a bar, it is our responsibility to meet guests where they are and try to make their decision a good one.”
Lewis Norton |Bittersweet Belly up at his bar and throw Norton a Norm-like “Lewis!” The Cheers-loving brains behind Bittersweet learned early bars can be more than watering holes—they can be a community. After finding his footing at Foundation—and “an outlet for my inner nerd through food science and cocktail chemistry”—he knew there was no turning back. Not long after, wife & business partner Kim Hammer recruited him to help open Bittersweet—and the rest is sweet history. Having added Yacht Club and Bitter Social to the mix, his approach remains: fostering the next gen of bar pros while keeping Raleigh social—one bar at a time.
Lily Ballance|William & Company If you’ve been around Raleigh bars, you’ve been around Ballance. Breaking onto the scene at City Limits 23 years ago slinging Buds—and soaked in beer-tub water—a few-night favor became an industry love affair. With OGs Mosquito Nightclub, White Collar Crime and Five Star under her belt, Ballance has built a Mexican spirits empire with Willco and La Veladora—plus the Five Star reboot—that has shaped Raleigh nightlife one pour at a time. “I love making a birthday special or buying a round of shots to get a night going. Hospitality’s always been something I value and admire when it’s done right.”
Marshall Davis |Peyote Mini-Bar Dollar beers may be cheap—but that doesn’t mean they can’t be meaningful. Davis got his start pouring $1 beers and wells at The Keg while wrapping his design degree at NC State. Fifteen-plus years later, the Peyote pourmaster has made the Raleigh rounds from Bida Manda to Centro, Gallo Pelón, Locals Oyster Bar, Mala Pata and Big Cat. The linchpin? A 2012 pour of mezcal-turned-obsession—not with drinking, but with tasting, learning and sharing. After helping open NC’s first mezcaleria in 2015, Davis brought that ethos to Peyote: “Give me something simple, done with intention, using quality spirits. Four touches is enough.”
Matt Bettinger|Mr. Henry “Welcome to my home, enjoy the party! Can I get you a drink?” So goes the playbook for Bettinger. Before masterminding Mr. Henry—or lording the lounge at C. Grace, Hank’s and SideBar—he cut his teeth as a 21-year-old at South, followed by stops at Fayetteville Street Tavern, Martin Street Pizza (“Oh, the drama!”), Porter’s, Duck & Dumpling, Foundation and Capital Club 16, plus East Coast guest shifts. Along the way, he honed the lived-in style that’s become his calling card. Because to him, the bartender has always been the hub of the room—and “I just happened to be really good at throwing a party.”
Matt Coleman|The Davie With two decades behind the stick, the “hospitality first, cocktails second” Davie frontman has spent his career honing his hosting skills—from storied Raleigh staples like Alibi and Bogart’s to The Oxford and Fox Liquor Bar. And it all started because he couldn’t stop peppering ’tenders with questions until someone finally handed him a shift. Determined to build a lasting “home” for career bartenders and the guests who love them, Coleman believes the best bars are built on connection, not cocktails. “We want you to remember the night, not just the old-fashioned.”
Zack Medford |Tap Yard If the bar scene had a mayor, it’d be Medford. Long before he became synonymous with Isaac Hunter’s, Coglin’s, Parliament, Tap Yard and many, many more, he was perfecting the art of the party as NCSU’s self-appointed Keg Master—pouring cheap beer with finesse and making friends one red Solo cup at a time. That knack carried him from Sam Snead’s to Buckhead Saloon and Old Bar before building some of DTR’s most recognizable bars. Two-plus decades later, the mission hasn’t changed: “When you’re working at a bar you have one job—throw a party where everyone can have fun.”
Headshot photographer credits: Bettinger, Hankin & O’Kane: Sean Junqueira; Lily Ballance: Mike Noe; Davis: Baxter Miller
Vivian Howard has done it again. If you’re headed to OBX (and if you aren’t… well, you should), NC’s James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and Emmy-winning TV personality is serving a master class in coastal Southern flavor at Theodosia.
Led by Howard as executive chef—who’s built an illustrious career around the stories of the South—and Chef de Cuisine Charlotte Coman, her newest restaurant at The Sanderling Resort in Duck may be her most immersive chapter yet. Inspired by the remarkable women of the Outer Banks, the entire experience feels unmistakably North Carolina, celebrating the region through local seafood, layered storytelling and one beautifully executed dish after another.
RM EIC Melissa Howsam & Vivian Howard
It even comes with its own ghost story. Named for Theodosia Burr Alston—the daughter of “treacherous murderer” Aaron Burr—whose mysterious disappearance off the Outer Banks became state lore, the namesake restaurant weaves local history into every inch. Designed like a 19th-century salon reimagined for today, the sound-side dining room pairs coral-inspired lamps and patterned banquettes with sweeping golden-hour views in a setting that feels straight out of a Nancy Meyers film.
And then there’s the food. “Chef Charlotte and I have had so much fun putting this together,” muses Howard. Balancing nostalgia with restraint, dishes run the gamut from peak-season produce and pristine local seafood to coastal-inspired entrees that somehow capture the experience of sitting on the edge of hundreds of years of OBX history lapping onto the sound’s shores.
If the food, views and fanfare weren’t enough of a draw, you’ll frequently find Howard herself floating through the dining room chatting up guests while they dive into standouts like her famous tomato pie (yes, that tomato pie). “Normally my best use is in the kitchen,” she told RM on our visit. “But here, Charlotte’s so wonderful—my best use is in the dining room.”
If a drive to Duck isn’t in the cards but you have a hankering for some Howard, you can get a taste closer to home at RIW’s St. Pierre, where she oversees the food program, as well as with her exclusive Eastern NC-influenced bar bites at The Longleaf Lounge.
Theodosia, though, is something altogether different. It’s not just another Vivian Howard restaurant. It’s a love letter to coastal NC, to women, to food and to the South—served one sunset, one story and one unforgettable bite at a time.
Take a look at some snaps from our visit below.
Mother Vine Spritz
Spicy Marg
The Menu
Our Fave Eats
Little Gem LettuceLittle Star OystersShrimp & Jimmy Red Grit SouffleThree Cracker Lemon PieTomato Pie + Clam & Sweet Potato ChowderTuna Tartare
After a Fourth of July weekend marked by multiple Teen Takeovers and marred by violence, city leaders are moving quickly toward what could become the first youth curfew instituted in Raleigh’s history.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, RPD Chief Rico Boyce outlined how other cities have responded to the growing national trend—and why Raleigh should follow suit. “We are a major city,” said Boyce. “Safety is a shared responsibility—RPD is going to do our part.” Here are the biggest takeaways.
Youth Curfew
A youth curfew could arrive as early as August, applying citywide to youth 17-and-under (pending ordinance language).
City Council unanimously directed City Manager Marchell Adams-David to take the lead on an ordinance to bring back at City Council’s next meeting Aug. 18.
The ordinance would still require public input, two hearings and council approval.
Curfew times were discussed but not finalized.
Emergency curfews could still be enacted sooner if intelligence warrants.
Not Just a Raleigh Problem
Many of the teens involved in the Takeovers came from outside Raleigh.
Boyce emphasized Raleigh is now a major city facing challenges similar to other metros.
Other cities have already implemented such youth curfews and other strategies, including Greensboro, Greenville, Winston-Salem and Charlotte.
Moore Square Tells Another Story
Despite the violence elsewhere, Boyce described a separate July 4 Teen Takeover in Moore Square as “a nonevent.”
RPD had intel on that Takeover in advance.
As teens gathered, they quickly dispersed with RPD’s presence.
The Conversation Went Beyond Curfews
Public Safety
Boyce suggested pairing the youth curfew with a backpack restriction.
Patton also emphasized the safe storage program, noting 12-year-olds can’t walk into a gun shop and buy guns, so education around secure storage could help keep firearms out of young hands.
Councilmember Jane Harrison encouraged further discussion around gun control legislation.
Boyce acknowledged RPD plans to strengthen communication with local businesses, specifically in the Entertainment District.
Prevention
Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Director Stephen Bentley and Community Engagement Director Tiesha Mosley discussed expanding “third places” for teens, along with such city resources as sports, gaming, and leadership and after-school programs—particuarly in ZIP Codes 27601 and 27604.
Mosley also discussed opportunities to expand the Raleigh Youth Council.
Accountability
Councilmember Corey Branch highlighted the significance of school accountability, suggesting the city leverage existing attendance policies that hold parents accountable when students accumulate excessive absences.
Mayor Janet Cowell directed staff to work with the District Attorney’s Office and Wake County Public Schools to identify immediate needs while asking Chief Boyce to return with a report on broader issues and longer-term recommendcations.
Harrison also called for further investigation into how Teen Takeovers are organized on social media, including where messages originate and how they’re spread.
What’s Next
Directed the city manager to draft an ordinance.
Requested input from the DA.
Requested school input.
Asked Boyce to return with long-term recommendations.
The More You Know
Police estimate closer to 8,000 teens gathered on Glenwood South Saturday night.
Boyce noted that NC’s “Raise the Age” law changed juvenile jurisdiction in 2019. Prior, 16- and 17-year-olds were automatically treated as adults. Today, most fall under the juvenile justice system.
Councilmember Christina Jones also indicated that repeated problems at annual events—such as Brier Creek’s Fourth of July celebration—could influence future permitting decisions.
Michelin may be handing out the keys—but these Southern stays are opening the door to a new kind of getaway.
The South has never needed help defining what’s hot—but Michelin’s paying attention anyway. And its growing Southern footprint stretches far beyond stuffy luxury and impossible reservations, spotlighting food-forward cities that prove destination-worthy travel is less about white tablecloths and five-star access and more about flavor, personality and stays worth building a weekend around.
This year, we’re reading the room and checking into the Michelin-recognized cities redefining travel across the South—and swapping aspirational overload for attainable cultural cachet. Think stylish boutiques, rooftop hangs, design-forward escapes and food scenes worthy of guidebook treatment—all with a little more accessibility and a lot less pretension. Because these days, the flex isn’t dropping $1,400 a night. It’s taste—and knowing exactly where to go. Meet the stylish stays in food-forward cities proving luxury-adjacent travel doesn’t have to be unattainable.
South Carolina
With iconic chefs, seductive stays and endless ways to play, the lower Carolina’s most coveted cities serve Southern charm with a cooler edge. Whether it’s Chucktown’s seaside polish or Greenville’s mountain-meets-main-street lure, the Palmetto State blends history, hospitality and just enough heat to keep you coming back.
Courtesy of Hotel Hartness
Charleston • The Ryder Hotel If retro-chic, Rainbow Row and palmetto energy had a love child, it would be The Ryder. Sitting along a vibrant stretch of Meeting Street just blocks from the waterfront, the vibey boho boutique is at once core Charleston and a laid-back counterpoint to Chucktown’s polish. At its center is Little Palm, the elevated (literally) pink-hued pool patio and bar, where striped loungers, swaying palms and colorful cocktails make the city feel a little more tropical (and tipsy) by the hour. At once sophisticated and beachy, the stylish rooms lean minimalist-organic in all the right ways—warm woods, airy textures and relaxed luxury that somehow makes flip-flops always feel like the move. By night, the whole property shifts from sunny pool hang to swanky coastal retreat, reminding you Charleston is, after all, still the South’s oasis of cool.
• The Nickel Hotel Straight out of a Mediterranean villa—with just a touch of Victorian flair—this lush Upper King Street stay blends old-world European romance with contemporary Southern sophistication—earning it a primo spot on Travel + Leisure’s 2026 It List. Evoking a natural light-filled residence (if your residence happened to be in Italy), The Nickel’s homey rooms, suites and penthouses leave no detail overlooked—think earth-tone decor, dramatic design details, and private balconies and terraces overlooking the French Quarter-esque courtyard, where you’ll no doubt find yourself with a morning cuppa or evening vino. Further inviting you to kick back, the rooftop Rosemary Rose bar and lounge is ideal for a sunset sipper, while second-floor Bar Daniel serves up mean craft cocktails that’ll leave you quietly smug that you don’t have to get an Uber home.
Greenville • Hotel Hartness If Bridgerton traded corsets for cocktail bars and spa robes, it might look something like Hotel Hartness. Tucked into a 449-acre former estate just outside downtown, the property blends old-world grandeur with modern retreat appeal—think indulgent spa, manicured grounds, elegant suites (including four spa suites) and balconies practically built for slow mornings. Beyond the estate grounds, there’s also a 15-mile wooded trail network winding past ponds and streams, plus cozy cocktail den The Captain and glass-encased Patterson Kitchen + Bar for post-hike unwinding. Essentially, it’s like disappearing into someone else’s very expensive life for the weekend.
Bib Gourmands: Leon’s Oyster Shop Lewis Barbecue Rodney Scott’s BBQ
Southern swagger is on full display in the A. From boundary-pushing chefs and scene-stealing stays to creative grit, cocktail culture and neon-lit nightlife, A-Town hits you with its signature blend of raw energy and urban edge where one thing’s for certain: The city never does boring.
Courtesy of The Tess
Atlanta • The Tess, Autograph Collection Call it big rascal energy—The Tess has been channeling it since the days of Beard-nom Todd Ginsberg’s Dirty Rascal rooftop concept. Still bringing a hip, moodier edge to Buckhead luxury, the boutique stay blends mod-inspired glam with polished creature comforts—think statement interiors, skyline views, rooftop resto/lounge Tesserae, plus a sky-high pool deck that keeps the scene seekers lingering long after sunset. Mere steps from Buckhead Village’s supreme shopping and social life, the bold boutique quietly flexes ATL cultural cachet without being try-hard. Add rooftop ’tails and a soundtrack that gets louder as the sun goes down, and your inner little rascal might come out to play.
• Hotel Granada The Roaring ’20s are so back—and nowhere is that revival more alluring than this Midtown hideaway. Tucked inside a restored 1923 landmark, the storied stay layers Spanish Colonial architecture with contemporary Southern flair, delivering a stylish urban sanctuary that feels worlds away from Atlanta’s nonstop energy—while still sitting just steps from the action when the mood strikes. Charming rooms echo the building’s historic bones, balancing old-world character with the kind of quiet luxury built for disappearing into a weekend. At the center of it all is Pom Court, a leafy open-air courtyard where Spanish flavors and all-day dining unfold beneath the glow of cafe lights. When the mood turns moonlit, underground velvet glamour beckons you to subterranean cocktail chamber May Peel, where conversation and carefully crafted cocktails feel like the main event—proof that sometimes the coolest part of the city is what’s hidden beneath it.
• The Burgess Hotel Hip and regal collide at The Burgess, a boutique stay that trades buttoned-up luxury for something far more personal. A true labor of love, the design-forward aesthetic nods to the owners’ Hong Kong roots across layers of bespoke furnishings, globally sourced finds and artfully dotted spaces that feel at once worldly and intimate. The stately rooms somehow manage to be both warm and transportive—where it feels oddly fitting for an oiled Queen Elizabeth II to look on as you freshen up—while the tucked-away pool courtyard delivers a quieter kind of escape amid the Buckhead bustle. Downstairs, Mediterranean hot spot Fia tempts with wood-fired fare, and moody cocktail den Mr. B channels the glamour of old-school nightlife with a contemporary edge. A second-round martini beneath the velvet banquettes is all it takes to remember why they call it Hotlanta.
The Big Easy doesn’t chase trends—it births them. From bold bites and brass notes to Bayou mystique and storied stays, New Orleans hums with the kind of soul that can’t be manufactured. Here, elegance feels lived-in, history runs deep and every corner seems to have a story worth retelling.
Courtesy of The Maidstone
New Orleans • The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery New Orleans may be known for brass notes and Bourbon Street, but The Old No. 77 is here to broaden the syllabus. Positioned squarely in the vibrant sophisticated Warehouse/Arts District inside a former coffee warehouse, the hotel blends exposed brick, weathered wood and artwork from savvy students at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts into something that feels both gritty and inspired. Proving the arts are more than just feed fodder and aspirational thinking, every corner hums with creative swagger. Compère Lapin doubles down on the lesson plan, marrying Caribbean flavors and French technique under acclaimed chef Nina Compton. The result is like stumbling into a stylish elective you never meant to take—and somehow ending up completely obsessed with the subject.
• Virgin Hotel New Orleans Virgin may be a chain, but there’s nothing manufactured about its NOLA persona. Tailored by local designers, the brand’s signature irreverence gets a distinctly Big Easy remix, pairing retro red appliances, fringe-trimmed furnishings and a subtropical color explosion with the city’s flair for spectacle. The modern tower pays homage to the Warehouse District’s industrial roots, while inside the vibe swings between European sophistication and a Studio 54 daydream. From the ever-social Shag Room lounge to the rooftop pool lined with candy-striped cabanas, nearly every space seems engineered to convince you that one more drink is an excellent idea. Suddenly dinner turns into a nightcap, the nightcap turns into rooftop cocktails—and your return flight starts feeling like a scheduling error.
• Copper Vine Wine Pub & Inn If Julia Roberts needed a reason to resurrect that bubbly tub scene, Copper Vine would be her why. Part inn, part wine pub, the intimate boutique answers the Big Easy’s call for slow luxury. Pleasing palates since the late 1800s—when Maylie’s fed NOLA from behind this brick facade—the Vine blends Caribbean and Creole culture with a deep appreciation for hospitality. Eleven lofty guest rooms pair soaring ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and locally curated artwork with thoughtful details that make sleeping in feel like an accomplishment. Downstairs, the wine-forward pub and lush courtyard practically conspire to keep your wine order going, while the coveted Terrace Suite rewards those willing to splurge with exposed brick chimneys and sweeping downtown views. In a city famous for excess, Copper Vine makes a compelling case for never leaving at all.
• Maidstone New Orleans The Maidstone will have you checking your boarding pass to confirm you didn’t land in Palm Springs—in the best way. The former guesthouse trades the city’s trademark maximalism for something decidedly sunnier, pairing American midcentury design with tropical ease. Across just 18 rooms, cork floors, custom birch furnishings, rattan accents and textiles by Oaxacan artist Ismael Gutierrez Montano create a vibe that feels like a clever mix of tropical hideaway and artist retreat. Outside, a saltwater pool framed by checkered loungers and citrus-hued umbrellas that look lifted from a Slim Aarons photograph anchor a lush courtyard made for losing track of time. It’s a refreshing alternative to the Big Easy’s grand dames and bustling party hotels—a stylish, spirited little escape hatch hidden right in the middle of New Orleans.
• The Barnett The Barnett is the hotel equivalent of the person everyone wants to sit next to at the bar. Housed inside a restored 1920s art deco landmark in the Warehouse District, the music-centric boutique is the city’s unofficial living room—with the energy of someone who knows exactly where the party is but doesn’t need to share. Soaring ceilings, vintage furnishings, locally sourced artwork and just enough posh bring character to the rooms, while a collection of lively bars, restaurants and gathering spaces ensures you’re never far from a good cocktail or a better story. Social spaces hum with enough verve to turn a single cocktail into an entire evening. Meanwhile, Seaworthy—set inside an 1832 Creole cottage—serves up Italian-meets-Southern fare worthy of a standing ovation, and upstairs, lush rooftop hang High Five delivers rooftop sips, skyline views and a pool scene that practically begs you to cancel your flight home. Just minutes from the French Quarter, Caesars and the Superdome, The Barnett doesn’t simply put you in New Orleans—it drops you directly into its rhythm.
Photo by Lufu Nola
Bib Gourmands: Acamaya Cochon Cochon Butcher Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar Dooky Chase’s Hungry Eyes Lufu Nola Mister Mao Parkway Bakery & Tavern Saba Turkey and the Wolf
Photo by Cochon
Alabama
Industrial grit feels less like a signature stamp and more like a right of passage. Between Birmingham’s Civil Rights legacy and evolving eats scene, Auburn’s college-town charm and Mobile’s coastal character, the state is quietly building one of the South’s most underrated travel stories—one stylish stay at a time.
Courtesy of The Laurel Hotel & Spa
Auburn • The Laurel Hotel & Spa Don’t let the campus location fool you—this is not a college party. It’s a master class in hospitality. Operated alongside Auburn University’s hospitality program serving up the next gen of hoteliers and chefs, The Laurel is a perfectly executed answer to the question: What if every detail actually mattered? With impeccably appointed rooms, culinary craft and a Himalayan Salt Room, nearly every corner of unbothered luxury nudges you toward a slower pace, practically daring you to become someone who sits under a cashmere throw in a firmly pressed ’fit, Thrive Farmers coffee in hand. Nothing feels rushed—and that’s precisely the point. It’s easy to picture yourself sprawled poolside in a rooftop cabana or sipping ’tails at Walt’s rooftop garden and lounge—where suddenly one night feels wildly insufficient.
Mobile • The Admiral Hotel Mobile’s answer to old-Hollywood luxury—where Gulf Coast glamour merges with chic French-Colonial flair—The Admiral channels the vibe of a maritime Moulin Rouge: crystal chandeliers dripping from the ceiling, wild horse sculptures rearing in the halls and red velvet punctuating nearly every corner. The rooms dial back the drama just enough with flashes of royal purple and gold, but the mood remains firmly “see and be seen.” By the time the martini arrives, you’ll be deciding whether to stay for one more (spoiler: you are)—the very essence of Gulf Coast glamour.
Birmingham • Elyton Hotel As if?! If pop-culture icon Cher Horowitz needed a Magic City reset—you’d find her here. Fittingly set in Birmingham’s symbolic Empire Building (circa 1909), the industrial-chic stunner is a beacon of Birmingham lore rising from the “Heaviest Corner on Earth.” Crisp Clueless-esque pops of white and yellow bring brightness to the posh rooms, lending a playful edge to the historic landmark. The result is a stylish collision of rich history and mod-designer daydream—stylish enough to feel fresh, rooted enough to remind you where you’re standing. Up top, the cheekily dubbed “Moon Shine” rooftop bar crafts cocktails worthy of a full-on montage, leaving you wondering why that trip to Birmingham didn’t land on your radar sooner.
More than Music City, Tennessee is where timeless soul meets modern cool. From the electric energy of N’ville to the blues-soaked pulse of Beale Street, vibey venues, standout chefs and design-forward stays strike the perfect chord between grit and glamour. Fresh enough to keep things interesting, familiar enough to keep you coming back for an encore.
Courtesy of The Graduate
Nashville • The Graduate Forget your 9-5—Dolly would be so proud. Pretty in pink and dripping in Backwoods Barbie attitude, Graduate Nashville feels like a fever dream Dolly designed herself. Cranking Southern charm all the way up, floral prints, Easter-egg hues, guitar headboards and larger-than-life portraits of Music City’s favorite daughter collide in a playful explosion of color and nostalgia that somehow never crosses into kitsch. The public spaces are equally over the top—in the best way possible—while rooftop hot spot White Limozeen serves skyline views alongside unapologetic glamour. But the real showstopper? Cross-Eyed Critters, the hotel’s country-themed karaoke bar (naturally) where actual animatronic puppets serve as your backing band. And, yes, we’re serious. If ever there was a love letter to Dolly, Graduate is anything but subtle.
• Noelle If Graduate is Dolly, Noelle is Reese Witherspoon. Less electric Barbie-core and more supreme Southern sophistication, Noelle is where you go for artful luxury while reading a leather-bound book or sipping bourbon in a cushy handwoven robe. Tucked inside a beautifully restored 1929 art deco landmark, the boutique trades Broadway’s tipsy neon chaos for more sophisticated soaring arched windows, original architectural details and understated polish. Local artists, makers and chefs shape nearly every corner of the experience—from rooftop cocktails at Rare Bird to gallery-worthy installations and thoughtfully curated retail. It’s not so much “look at me” as it is cultural-clubhouse “I know a place”—making you feel like a Nashville insider before you’ve even unpacked, and reason enough alone to book a stay in Music City.
Bib Gourmands: Kisser Peninsula Redheaded Stranger St. Vito Focacceria Sho Pizza Bar S.S. Gai Uzbegim
Memphis • Central Station Hotel “Walking in Memphis with my feet 10 feet off of Beale…” The birthplace of the blues has never felt so electric. Framed inside a functioning rail and trolley station on historic South Main, the transportive stay riffs on Memphis music lore at every turn. Towering neon concourse signs glow above record-lined shelves, listening lounges and speaker walls that transform the 123-room stay into a tribute to the city’s soulful soundtrack. Early 20th century charm, winding staircases and oversize windows overlooking South Main and the Mississippi River soften the Station’s industrial bones, and custom in-room speakers and curated playlists handle the rest. Keeping the beat, music-centric bar Eight & Sand pairs craft cocktails with Memphis-inspired vinyl beneath the glow of vintage station lights. And outside, trains still roll through as they have for more than a century—proof that some stations are worth missing your train for.
Sometimes the best getaways are closer than you think. From Wilmington’s sun-soaked coast to Asheville’s boho Blue Ridge charm—and the buzzy cities in between—our home state delivers postcard-perfect stays with serious personality. Add in standout chefs, creative cool cred, and a vibe that’s equal parts refined and relaxed, and NC quietly flexes some of the South’s best weekend escapes.
Courtesy of The Restoration Asheville
Durham • 21c Museum Hotel With a bright white aesthetic that lands closer to contemporary art installation than Severance office—though you may find yourself wishing for an innie who could stay here indefinitely—21c turns a Downtown Durham stay into cultural immersion. Situated inside a restored art deco landmark, the boutique hotel preserves just enough of its historic bones—including the elevator relic from its past life—to ground its thoroughly modern sensibilities. Gallery-like corridors, design-forward rooms and contemporary works blur the line between hotel and museum, making a simple walk to your room a cultural detour. And unlike properties that treat art as an accessory, the museum here is the main event, with rotating exhibitions unfolding throughout the building year-round. Downstairs, Counting House delivers a worthy encore with inventive fare and craft cocktails that make lingering an inevitability.
• The Durham Hotel If Durham had to introduce itself in hotel form, it would look something like The Durham. Housed inside the city’s iconic midcentury-modern Home Savings Bank building, the boutique stay wears its local pride on its sleeve—from Merge Records vinyl and Cone Mills denim accents to the one-of-a-kind Raleigh Denim quilt draped across every bed. Bright geometric carpets, mustard-hued drapery and vintage-inspired furnishings give the hotel a playful retro mood pulled straight from a design magazine while somehow not taking itself too seriously. Distinct menus rooted in local ingredients deliver a taste of the state’s culinary heritage, and the buzzy rooftop remains one of Bull City’s preferred perches for golden-hour cocktails, skyline views and prime people watching. Stylish without trying too hard, The Durham makes a compelling case that sometimes the coolest thing a hotel can be is itself.
Charlotte • Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel Charlotte isn’t exactly subtle, and neither is Kimpton Tryon Park. Read: less Uptown funk, more real queen sh*t. Perched above Romare Bearden Park, the glass-and-steel stunner layers Uptown edge with boutique polish, from jewel-toned public spaces and dramatic walls of windows to rooms dressed in calming shades of gray, white and indigo serving up skyline views that make an early wake-up call feel glamorous. By day, it’s corporate hotshot territory. By night, the rooftop bar fills with cocktails, city lights and beautiful people who definitely have a dinner reservation somewhere and a strong opinion about where everyone should go next. Built as much for the after-dark crowd as the Monday-morning power player, it isn’t just among the scene—it’s part of it. Call it Charlotte’s main-character-with-an-Amex hotel: polished, social and perfectly positioned in the middle of the action.
Asheville • The Restoration Asheville If you’ve been to the brand’s first-born in Chucktown then you know. The Restoration isn’t selling luxury—it’s restoring a slower way of living through every exposed brick detail, thoughtfully curated space and intentional touch. Breakfast arrives in a basket at your door. Wine-and-cheese hour appears each afternoon. Rooftop cocktails at The Watch come with Blue Ridge views. It’s basically built for slow mornings: coffee in hand, mountain air drifting through the window and the sudden urge to become someone who journals. And before long, between the soaring library, yellow velvet sofas, spacious suites, local craft brews and in-house bowling alley—because Asheville—you’ll start convincing yourself this is exactly how every day should feel.
• The Radical Asheville has always marched to the beat of its own drum. The Radical simply handed that drum a craft cocktail and a design budget. Housed inside a 1920s cereal factory in the River Arts District, the posh-punk boutique mixes soaring warehouse walls, street-art murals and industrial bones with a thoughtful luxury that keeps it from feeling like a gimmick. Guest rooms double as living galleries, where color spills across exposed brick and dramatic drapery frames oversize windows—creating a stay that’s crunchy, creative and cooler than it needs to be. Beyond the aesthetic, Afterglow, Golden Hour and The Roof keep the creative spirit flowing long after gallery hours, serving a healthy dose of wood-fired fare, cocktails and people-watching. Living up to its name, The Radical is basically Asheville distilled into hotel form—and once you check in, leaving is entirely optional.
Pittsboro • The Fearrington House Inn If the English countryside accidentally landed in North Carolina, it might look something like Fearrington. Tucked inside a storybook village of gardens, boutiques and white-fenced pastures, the Relais & Châteaux retreat delivers a polished Southern hospitality that is increasingly rare. Individually designed rooms blend fresh flowers, fireplaces and garden views with the quiet confidence of a place that knows exactly what it is. Beyond the inn, the village itself is part of the experience—whether browsing the beloved bookstore, lingering over wine or settling in for a meal at the acclaimed Fearrington House Restaurant. It’s where everyone says “ma’am,” no one appears to be in a hurry and every detail contributes to a sense of cultivated serenity. Prim? Perhaps. Proper? Absolutely. But somewhere between the rose gardens and front-porch rocking chairs, you’ll understand why guests keep coming back.
