measure

Hi,

My husband and I are going to be in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area at the end of June for two nights. We want to stay at the Siena Hotel, the Carolina Inn, or the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club. If anyone has stayed in any of these places recently, please tell me what they are like. We are looking for a little luxury. Also, I have heard the Washington Duke is undergoing renovations. Does this interfere with a pleasant stay?

Gretchen

I'd stay at the Carolina Inn for the location.

ncgrrl

If your business is in Raleigh, stay there. I don't have a hotel recommendation for you. I-40 is under construction and rush hour traffic was bad enough already.

The Carolina Inn is right on the UNC Campus. Nothing more convenient if your business is at UNC.

If you stay at the Wash. Duke (sorry, I don't know if it's under renovation) and they offer you a 'park view' that means parking lot.

For luxury, you've found the hotels for Durham and Chapel Hill. About 10 miles south of CH is the Fearrington House/Inn. It's 5-diamond rated by AAA. It has a restaurant, which I think is alos 5-diamond rated. It's a country-style place. You won't have to milk the cows, but stop by to look at them.

Gretchen

Oh, yes, forgot about the Fearington. The Siena is beautiful also.

GoTravel

Having stayed at the Washing & Duke and the Carolina Inn, my vote goes to the W&D. Haven't stayed at the Sienna but did attend a cocktail party there. It was a nice place.

I would also suggest looking into the Fearrington House.

Diana

I've stayed at all of those and would recommend the Siena if you're looking for luxury.

BUT, as another poster mentioned, Fearrington is not far from the ones you mentioned and is in a class by itself.

cfc

Washington Duke -- set on a golf course amid the forest, i.e., very nice setting. Rooms sort of run-of-the-mill upscale, dining room is good to very good but sometimes over-reaches itself. Very convenient to Duke, but not much else. Like staying at a country club with a small Hilton on premises.

Siena: Aspires to be a Tuscan upscale hotel, restaurant is good "gourmet" Italian, but sometimes falls a teensy bit short -- you will usually have a dish you absolutely rave about, but you may also have an "ehh!" dish. Haven't been in the rooms, but the setting is somewhat less luxurious than maybe you'd like. It's prettier to be on Franklin St. looking at the hotel than to be in the hotel looking out at gas stations and traffic.

Carolina Inn is Laura Ashley gorgeous and restaurant is spectacular if a bit steep in price. Setting isn't bad, either -- on one "edge" of the campus, but what you see are brick residences (or fraterities) or maybe an academic building, but lots of TREES, too. They have a couple of pretty gardens, too. Very convenient to downtown Chapel Hill -- you walk 1 1/2 blks. up to Franklin St. where all the shops, theaters, and restaurants are.

Fearrington is a seriously Special Occasion place -- a Relais et Chateau inn. Every last detail is noted and you pay for that. Gorgeous but fairly rural setting -- lovely gardens, across from a couple of nice little pseudo-olde village "shoppes" and one pretty good bookstore. There's also a barn and meadows for the belted Galloway cows. You can eat in the Market/cafe/deli -- cheaper, good food but definitely yupscale tastes; or you can eat in the Fearrington Inn restaurant, which is an experience and pretty much a gourmet's "sacrament" in NC.

GoTravel

Excellent descriptions cfc!

cfc

Thanks, just happen to know the territory. Measure, are you still there? What appeals to you?

measure

Thanks for all the great information. The Carolina Inn sound like what we want -- a little luxury, near to campus in a nice setting, and near to downtown.

soccr

How about a trip report when you get back! Have a great visit.

dancer47

The Washington Duke is under construction I would stay away from there. When the work is done it will be deligthful but for now it is a mess. The Carolina Inn is a historic hotel renovated in the past few years but has old south charm. You can walk to Franklin street for great food and a nice evening walk, and of course you are right in the heart of the Carolina campus. Fearrington is an amazing B&B. Just beautiful and fun. It is also pricey. You could stay at the Carolina and take a trip down to Fearrington 15-20 min max -visit the great book store and other lovely shops and have a yummy bite to eat at the Cafe. Best of both worlds. Do not miss the Duke Gardens and a walk around Duke's campus. If you are foodies and want to have some great southern food with a modern flare try Crook's Corner on Franklin street in Chapel hill- it is not to be missed. The shrimp and cheese grits are perfection. Lot's of other great restaurants along Franklin street. In Durham ther is Nana's, and Magnolia Grill(winner of the 2003 J. Beard dessert award). If the Durham Bulls are in town catch the game. It is a great ball park, safe, very family oriented and they usually win! Have fun. It is a wonderful area.

UNCCPA

As my screen name implies, I graduated from Chapel Hill. Used to give campus tours to incoming freshmen and their parents. I'd stay at the Carolina Inn. The Siena is more luxurious, but located on a main boulevard (Franklin St. Extension I think?) away from campus, at the bottom of "Chapel Hill". You'll need to drive to Franklin St. Not much within walking distance. In late June, only summer school will be in session, so frat houses shouldn't be much of a problem and crowding on Franklin St. isn't as bad. Carolina Inn was completely gutted and redone a few years ago. New windows, new interior, everything. Arboretum is down Cameron Avenue from the Inn. The main of UNC campus dates back as early as 1789 and is very historic area. Many (most?) of the buildings are on the National Register. Playmaker's Theater was a Union hospital during the Civil War. Good advice about Crook's, Magnolia Grill, etc. You can eat yourself to death in the Triangle. My wife and I went to Fearington last year, drive isn't that bad, but the town is out in the middle of nowhere, if you are staying more than a day, you might get bored. Good antique shops in that area though.

soccr

I think measure has alreadt chosen the Carolina Inn - a good choice. But if we're going to tout restaurants now, I'd start with the Carolina Inn's -- excellent and right there, but otherwise in Chapel Hill: Provence (actually in Carrboro), Lantern, La Residence (a standard whose appetizers are best, the rest is pretty good), and maybe Il Palio (in the Siena). For the 5-star meal, do drive out to Fearrington but be prepared to spend more than $100-125 per person.

(Sorry but to me, Crooks Corner is sort of a worn-out oddity -- loud and the shrimp+grits dish is now very old in concept even if they do it pretty well; their cuisine has really not caught up. Once you've seen the pig on the roof and the hubcaps on the walls, that's kind of it.)

Top O'the Hill has a nice situation above the main crossroads downtown and food is reasonable and not expensive -- and some microbrews if you're into that.

In Durham, I'd put 4 Square well above either Nana's or Magnolia Grill despite the hype of the last two (I've had some bad meals and bad service at Magnolia --the award was JUST for dessert and the American Cafe in Carrboro won a similar award, and their food is otherwise sometimes spotty). It's in a wonderful old Victorian house and the food is always spot-on, very good wine cellar, and good service. It'll be the next place people discover (many already have).

And Yes, Definitely, see the Duke Gardens!!!