4 Best Hotels in Central North Carolina, North Carolina

The former estate of RJ Reynolds executive Bowman Gray and his wife, Nathalie, is now a luxurious inn 2 miles north of downtown, near the Wake Forest campus. The expansive yet welcoming stone building includes many architectural wonders, such as the elaborate ironwork and intricate wood panels imported from Europe during the Roaring Twenties. Most rooms are spacious, stocked with every amenity (as well as a communal ice-cream refrigerator), and well soundproofed. Antique furnishings—in private rooms and the billiards room, butler's quarters, and the library—give the feel of abiding within a living museum. It's like staying in a real-life game of Clue, with all of the luxury and none of the murder mystery.

This employee-owned boutique hotel (named for the renowned short-story writer, who grew up in Greensboro) was constructed in the late 1990s but evokes old-world European charm; expect lots of wood paneling, mohair club chairs, and an extremely friendly staff. Rooms are elegant and spacious, with many featuring dining areas, living rooms, and bathrooms fit for royalty. The period furnishings are complemented by modern luxuries like dimmable lighting and surround-sound speaker systems. A breakfast buffet is served in a sunny pavilion overlooking a small garden. For lunch or dinner, grab a table in the courtyard of the Green Valley Grill, a European-style restaurant with a wood-fired oven. The hotel's checkered cab and London taxis are a fun touch.  O. Henry employs an in-house artist, Chip Holton, whose framed landscapes hang in every room. Look for his murals and embellishments throughout the hotel and restaurant.

No two rooms are the same in this historic, affordable, and very pleasant lodging, built within two former cotton mills dating to 1837. The interior, with its exposed rafters, high ceilings, and brick walls, retains its historic character. A "graffiti wall," where young female factory workers left their mark, has been carefully preserved. There's a wine and cheese reception in the breakfast room each evening, as well as cookies and milk before bed.  The Art-o-mat machine in the lobby is one of the first in the world. Artist Clark Whittington created the concept in Winston-Salem.

Well positioned for university visitors, conference and concert attendees, and IKEA shoppers, the Marriott hotel opened in 2021 with sleek, modern rooms overlooking UNC Charlotte campus. There's a light-rail stop outside that takes guests to Uptown in 30 minutes but most guests opt to valet park their car or park in the nearby garage to explore Charlotte. The Golden Owl Tavern is busy day and night for business lunches, pre-dinner drinks, and late-night snacks. While leisure guests can usually bypass the activity at the ground-floor conference center, elevators can be slow when many people are checking in or going to the restaurant on the second floor. A large fitness center overlooks an outdoor heated pool that's open until early fall. The University City shopping center across the street has many options for a quick bite, and it's two miles from IKEA, the only store in the Carolinas.