Visiting Charlotte last weekend of September. What area/distict of the city should we have our hotel in. Would like to be near shops, restaurants, etc. and not the business district. Thanks. Hotel/dining recs. are also welcome.

You'll be hard pressed to have one & not the other. Uptown is the obvious choice but it may also depend on what you are doing & where you are doing it. Some additional info, would be helpful. Uptown has business just as Southpark or Ballantyne does.

There are also a couple of very recent posts on here re: this topic as well. Take a look.

I personally like The Park Hotel in the Southpark area. Lots of shopping and dining and the hotel is very nice.

The Doubletree across the street is also very nice.

I would suggest the SouthPark area. What GoTravel says, except the Park is now the Marriott, I think--another name. The Doubletree is a suite hotel and very nice. Bid on Priceline for a hotel in the area--they are all fine.
You will have all the shopping and eating you can want--and not have to worry with parking decks and the like as you do uptown.

I agree with SouthPark. There is little shopping uptown and parking is a pain. Another wonderful area is Ballantyne. The Ballantyne Resort is the BEST hotel in Charlotte.

If you want a multitude of malls & shopping w/endless traffic then you should opt for SouthPark or Ballantyne. Should you want to walk to things & enjoy some culture, then Uptown is a better choice. Since the OP has never been back, I don't really think it matters though.

Probably, but just so we know, what shops are there uptown? Since that is what was asked here and in other posts for others.