Friday-night check-in, weekend checkout. When PTO and travel dollars are in short supply, these 24- to 48-hour microescapes deliver maximum getaway energy with minimal planning. Swap the airport chaos for staying close to home—and discover the luxury of not going far.
Unscripted Durham
DURHAM | PLAY IT BY EAR For that itinerary-free feeling
A trio of high-end hotels serves as a harbinger for Raleigh’s escalating rank as a top U.S. destination—for tourists, business travelers and locals alike.
A mere six years ago, Raleigh was void of the kind of high-end hotels that decorate—and define—such urban destinations as Atlanta and Chicago. But the tide is changing. Adding to the boutique birth beginning circa 2018 of such vibey resting spots as Guest House, The Casso, Longleaf Hotel and AC Hotel locales is a new wave of luxe lodgings well positioned for our booming tourism. In 2022, 17.8 million visitors flocked to our capital city—a ~13% leap over the year prior—and spent $3 billion, a near return to prepandemic levels.
With all eyes on Raleigh—from topping perennial Best Place to Live charts to drawing the likes of Apple and VinFast to scoring such globally reaching events as the massively successful Stadium Series—the hospitality industry is responding and upping our city’s appeal with a trio of luxe high-end hotels set to bow beginning in first quarter 2024.
Slated to open first is one of Hilton’s newest and most innovative lifestyle brands, the thoughtfully designed Tempo by Hilton Raleigh Downtown, only its second U.S. outpost. “We couldn’t have chosen a better city than Raleigh for the brand’s second locale,” says Seraj Patel, VP of Greensboro-based CN Hotels, which owns the property.
“Raleigh has garnered an impressive list of accolades in recent years, including being named one of the top three hottest job markets in America by The Wall Street Journal, as well as one of the biggest boomtowns in America,” he adds. “We are excited to add to the city’s growth and build on that reputation by bringing a new, stylish and contemporary lifestyle hotel to the Downtown area.”
Elevating the allure with the Triangle’s tallest lounge and bar, Urban Oak promises to please the palate, while a lobby cafe will keep travelers grounded—from breakfast and coffee to spirited and zero-proof evening cocktails and small plates.
And adding to the rest-and-rejuvenate DTR roster, highly esteemed global boutique hotel brand Kimpton, known for its sophisticated mod art deco-meets-classic luxe design, is slated to bow in late 2025, marking the brand’s fourth NC property. Part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle Collection portfolio and owned by Tidal Real Estate Partners, the vibey stayover spaces will span the first six floors of a 20-story mixed-use building that will include high-end residences and replace the historic-yet-infamous (read: iconic but not ideal to maneuver) round Holiday Inn on Hillsborough Street.
“We’ve had great success with our Kimptons in North Carolina,” says Mike DeFrino, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants’ CEO, “and we look forward to offering Raleigh as a new destination in our portfolio. We think our design-led brand and welcoming, innovative restaurants and bars will really resonate with the city’s locals and visitors alike.”
From retreat to revive, the luxe accommodations will be accompanied by three unique restaurant and bar concepts, including a rooftop bar and lounge. “Downtown Raleigh has long awaited a luxury hotel experience like Kimpton delivers,” adds Mick Walsdorf, CEO of Tidal Real Estate Partners. “The amenities, restaurants and event spaces will raise the bar for hotel properties in Downtown and establish the Kimpton as a sought-after destination. Our continued investments in Downtown Raleigh reflects our confidence and commitment to this market.”
Rounding out the trio is the area’s first Curio Collection by Hilton Hotel grab: Oberlin Hotel, which broke ground this summer. Leaning into the brand’s MO of boasting a global portfolio of handpicked hotels “for the curious,” with “no two Curio experiences the same,” the hotel is uniquely Raleigh. Situated in the now-defunct K&W locale, family-owned Winston-Salem-based Quality Oil Company LLC’s unique boutique concept at once takes Raleigh’s sojourn selects next level while upping Village District’s hip factor via its first hotel.
Slated for 2025 completion and standing seven stories, the Oberlin serves up 153 well-appointed guest rooms, including presidential suites. Guests and locals alike can sate morning-to-night cravings via a lobby-level market-style cafe dishing breakfast, plus a spacious lounge and full cocktail bar. Or take to the large courtyard, complete with a covered patio featuring a soundstage for live tunes, beverage service and event catering. And taking the experience to new heights, a signature high-end restaurant and rooftop bar, also open to the public, will showcase spectacular DTR vistas.
“Oberlin Hotel’s arrival to Village District is not only a great addition to our existing lineup, but also an overall benefit to the corridor,” said Chris Widmayer, senior VP of investments at Regency Centers. “This center is the beating heart of the market and now has a fantastic overnight option that helps make Village District a true 18-hour destination.”
Tempo by Hilton Raleigh Downtown | 260 W. Davie St.
126 rooms
Dual-brand Homewood, 134 suites with kitchen, totaling 260 rooms
Peloton-equipped wellness rooms
Lobby cafe
Urban Oak rooftop bar & restaurant
The Oberlin | Village District
153 guest rooms
Presidential suites
Courtyard with soundstage
Cafe, cocktail bar & meeting spaces
Rooftop bar & restaurant
Kimpton | 320 Hillsborough St.
179 guest rooms
~20 suites
Complimentary bikes
Meeting & event space
3 restaurant & bar concepts, including rooftop bar & lounge
WEB EXCLUSIVE If you’re missing the local culture with Raleigh museums closed due to the pandemic, here’s your chance to take some in—and to learn a little history in the meantime—from the comfort of your living room.
Built in 1858, the 6,000 square-foot Italianate-style home is a National and Historic Raleigh Landmark that’s seen several different owners and lots of changes over the centuries. Montfort Hall was originally commissioned for William Montfort Boylan, the son of the prominent Raleigh businessman and wealthy landowner William Boylan. The younger Boylan selected the British architect William Percival to design the home and Boylan owned it until 1899, when the mansion was sold and the land surrounding it was subdivided to form the Boylan Heights neighborhood.
In the meantime, the mansion has served as various residences and a church but was in a state of disrepair when the Shepherds, longtime Boylan Heights residents, bought it.
As you tune in to the program this evening, enjoy your drink of choice or try the Montfort Mango Lemonade, specially created by guest bartender Zenon Nunez for this event. Cocktail ingredients include vodka, lime juice, mango juice, lemonade and lemons and limes for garnish.
Learn how to make the Montfort Mango Lemonade here. To learn about the history, current state and future plans for Montfort Hall, register for the History + Highballs program, hosted over Zoom, here.
Five years ago, Raleigh’s hotel scene was limited to chains, with standard Hiltons, Marriotts and Comfort Inns leaving little to the imaginations of visitors passing through. Since then boutique hotels, cherished for their charm and intimacy, their unique atmospheres and local vibes, began popping up all over the Triangle. The Bull City led the way with Unscripted Hotel, 21c Museum Hotel and The Durham Hotel. But Raleigh wasn’t far behind; in 2018, Guest House opened downtown, with many more to follow, including the recently opened Longleaf Hotel replacing a Days Inn that had, well, seen better days. Here’s a look at the boutique hotels Raleigh has now, and the ones that are on the way.
The Longleaf Hotel
300 N. Dawson St. Number of rooms: 56 Price range: $149-$179
Loden Properties’ Longleaf Hotel embodies everything cool about a 1960s motor lodge—neon signs, bright color schemes and hip lounge areas—but with modern-day amenities and a trendy facelift by Maurer Architecture. Retro-inspired decor pays homage to Raleigh, showcasing local artisans. Layered pine needle wallpaper is an ode to the state tree, pillows are the color of North Carolina clay and local textile makers Rise & Ramble supplies shibori-dyed robes.
Origin Hotel
603 W. Morgan St. Number of rooms: 126 Price range: Starting at $150
A large hotel with a community-oriented feel, the Origin brand is known for embracing the hyper-local in ways that seamlessly blend into the existing fabrics of cities. Origin Raleigh—developed by the Mississippi-based Thrash Group—highlights the local culture with curated retail from DECO, locally made artwork, a DIY coffee connoisseur kit including Larry’s Coffee beans, in-room yoga and an onsite bike share program. The hotel restaurant, Good Day Good Night, will feature plant based dishes incorporating ingredients sourced from North Carolina farmers.
Guest House
420 S. Bloodworth Street Number of rooms: 8 Price range: $159-$259
Guest House is lauded for its cozy common areas, including a greenery-filled dining room, sanctuary breakfast nook and parlor adorned with plush couches, not to mention serene guest rooms decorated in calming color palettes and flooded with natural light. Lovingly restored by Matt Tomasulo and Nicole Alvarez, the historic house—which originally served as the home to Arthur Gorham, Raleigh’s first African American mailman, his wife Annie, and daughter Addie—was relocated six blocks from Raleigh’s Prince Hall Historic District to its current location.
The Gables Lodge
1217 Wake Forest Road Number of rooms: 19 Price range: To be announced Projected opening: To be announced
Singer Tift Merritt and Durham hotelier Daniel Robinson bought the Gables Motor Lodge last year with plans to renovate and restore it to its original use as a hotel. The existing buildings that date back to 1925 will be saved, with changes to the existing garage—which will become a small bar—and new additions to either side. The pavement will be replaced with a native Piedmont garden.
Photo by Jim Lamb
Heights House Hotel
308 S. Boylan Ave. Number of rooms: 9 Price range: To be announced Projected opening: Early 2021
Commissioned in 1858 by William Montfort Boylan, Montfort Hall—now known as Heights House Hotel—is one of only a few remaining pre-Civil War houses in the city and it is both a National and Raleigh Historic Landmark. The beautiful Italianate-style mansion has had several owners since the Boylan family’s time and currently is being restored by husband-and-wife team Jeff and Sarah Shepherd. The crown jewel of the historic Boylan Heights neighborhood, the inn will host community nights and special events to foster a sense of shared community.
