A member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux group, this inn sits on a 200-year-old farm that has been remade to resemble a country village. "Oreo" cows (belted Galways that are black on the ends, white in the middle) roam the pasture near the entrance. Carefully chosen antiques, English-pine furnishings, and oversize tubs fill the inn's modern guest rooms, which overlook a courtyard and the gardens. Some suites have a whirlpool or fireplace. The prix-fixe restaurant ($$$$) serves dressed-up regional food, such as collard-pecan-pesto-stuffed chicken breast with cheddar grits. Gourmet breakfasts might include shrimp and grits or homemade granola. The hotel is in Pittsboro, 8 mi south of Chapel Hill.
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