My husband and I are planning a weekend trip
in November to the Research Triangle. Could
anyone recommend nice places to stay either
b&b or luxury hotels and great places to eat.
We have already tried to get reservations at
Fearington Village and it is booked. Please
help soon. Thanks!

The best place to look for things to do here and places to stay, and directories is http://www.triangle.citysearch.com or http://www.news-observer.com/ which may help.

As far as hotels go, I would suggest the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill as one option. I will admit that I have never actually been inside, but it is supposed to be nice. A lot of celebrities tend to stay there when in town. The Carolina Inn, right next to the UNC campus, should be good also. I don't think there are a lot of B&B's in Chapel Hill. In fact, the city just passed an anti-B&B ordinance in regards to Franklin Street (the main shopping and residential street in town). What kinds of food do you like? I know a bit about Chapel Hill and Durham but not as much about Raleigh. You can find a lot of information about this area on triangle.citysearch.com.

The Carolina Inn is quite lovely, plus you are across the street from one of the most beautiful college campuses in the US. I think there are some B&Bs around Duke University, which is also quite impressive.

Everything depends on whether there is a home football game the weekend you are in town -- so you'd best check the Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill home pages for your specific date. If there's a big home game for either (let alone both), you may have considerable difficulty finding a room.

But the Carolina Inn and the Siena are both VERY nice, with great restaurants at each place (the great chef from the Siena just moved to the C. Inn, and the new chef at the Siena is a master, too).

Failing that, I'd be careful about staying in Durham, but there's a nice enough Sheraton (formerly an Omni) in Chapel Hill on the border with Durham. There are plenty of the standard chains in Res. Tri. Park along I-40, and there are one or two very good chain hotels in Raleigh in Crabtree Valley.

Best restaurants other than the Fearrington, Il Palio at the Siena or Carolina Crossroads: Nana's, Taverna Nikos(?) or Magnolia Grill in Durham; the Aurora, the 411, Pyewacket in Chapel Hill. The Fearrington Market Restaurant is very nice, the Grill at Glen Lennox or the Aurora both on I-54 in Chapel Hill are both "finds."

For Something Completely Different but memorable, have Sunday breakfast at Mama Dip's near the Chapel Hill-Carrboro line on Rosemary Street. You can't get better nor more authentic "down-home" cooking in a more congenial atmosphere. Mildred Council was featured on Good Morning America and has a book out. (Everyone gets out of church at 11 so get there a little earlier.)

Y'all don't forget the new Michael Jordan restaurant in Chapel Hill "23". It's done by a New Yorker (!) with a very well thought of restaurant in Manhattan (anyone know the name?), so the cuisine should be quite fashionable.

I lived in Raleigh for a year. It has the most mediocre and poor restaurants of any place I've lived/visited. Some folks in the city said Bloomsberry (sp?) Bistro is excellent. I think you'd do better to dine in Durham or Chapel Hill. Crooks Corner is a funky little place in Chapel Hill that serves Southern Cooking gourmet style. I am wondering if you have plans to move to the triangle. If so, email me and I'll give you some pointers.

Doug, you are so positive about the Triangle. For Raleigh restaurants try Second Empire for a very nice and expensive meal with the best service money can buy. For less expensive food, 12-20 entree, try Cafe Luna in Moore Square downtown. It is like a NY/Paris Italian restaurant.--smaller, close tables, good service. I also like Winston's and Marguex's. I will tell you my favorite, but it is not fancy or anything, but nice is a Venezuelan restaurant called "Mi Tierra". Best salsa anywhere. Everyone in the restaurant is from S. America and many of its visitors. It has a Miami feel.
Depends on what you like to do but once you hit town, pick up a "Spectator and Independent"--the local free "what's going on" papers. Find something you like and go for it. If you look, you will be amazed at what is here.

Hi there..I too lived in Raleigh for a year and didnt find the restaraunts anything great. However, one place I didnt get a chance to go to was the Angus Barn (i've heard good things about it) It's located on the the north-south road that runs to the east side of RDU Airport-Creedmoor Road I think???? There also was a good Japanese Steak house located in Crabtree VAlley Mall....can't remember the name though!

There's a pretty lengthy list of restaurant reviews for the Triangle at http://www.careers.news-observer.com.../archive4.html

We're going to try out Portobello in Raleigh next weekend.

My husband and I have eaten at Portobello's twice since moving to the area 8 months ago. They have wonderful food, great service, and best of all they have a cork license. You can order a bottle of wine have a glass and take the rest home with you.

Portobello was indeed good. Not the best I've had, but I'd go there again. Too bad it has to be in a strip mall.