1. Candlewood Suites Raleigh/Cary
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 468-4222
Address: 1020 Buck Jones Rd.
Description: Convenient to southeast and downtown Raleigh and Cary, Candlewood Suites is a good buy for travelers who want to be in the thick of things. The hotel is located near the I-40/440 intersection and the plethora of shops at Cary’s Crossroads Plaza. Every suite has a kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, stove, and dishwasher. Free high-speed Internet access is available in-room. On-site amenities include a convenience store and fitness center. Candlewood Suites allows pets and has smoking rooms.
2. The Sheraton Chapel Hill
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 968-4900
Description: Sheraton renovated the 168 rooms and two suites at this Chapel Hill property in 2008. The remade rooms feature flat-screen TVs, 300-count sheets, and wireless Internet connections. The hotel has a restaurant, Shula’s 347 Grill, on site as well as a large outdoor pool and fitness center. The Sheraton is just off U.S. 15-501 about 3 miles from the UNC campus and the hotel offers a free shuttle to downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
3. Clarion Hotel State Capital
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 832-0501
Address: 320 Hillsborough St.
Description: The Clarion’s distinctive cylindrical design makes it easy to find in downtown Raleigh. It has 202 rooms with king, queen, and double beds and amenities like in-room coffeemakers, hair dryers, and computer hookups. High-speed Internet access is available for a fee. The Top of the Tower restaurant on the 20th floor offers panoramic views of the city.
4. Days Inn Downtown Raleigh
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 828-9081
Address: 300 N. Dawson St.
Description: The Days Inn is at the edge of downtown, a couple of blocks from the Legislative Building. It has 72 rooms with microwaves and mini-fridges. High-speed Internet is available in the business center. Continental breakfast is included with the room. Smoking rooms are available.
5. Holiday Inn Brownstone Raleigh Downtown
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 828-0811
Address: 1707 Hillsborough St.
Description: On Hillsborough Street near the N.C. State campus, the Brownstone is also less than a mile from the State Capitol and downtown. The hotel has 187 rooms with free high-speed Internet, coffeemakers, hair dryers, irons, and balconies. The executive level rooms are a bit swankier, with granite and marble decor, and the hotel has five small suites. The hotel has a 24-hour fitness center and outdoor pool, and offers access to the recently renovated YMCA next door. The on-site bar is Ledo Pizza and Pasta, and guests can easily walk to Hillsborough Street dining or to Irregardless Cafe around the corner on Morgan Street.
6. Raleigh Marriott City Center
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 833-1120
Address: 500 Fayetteville St.
Description: Completed in 2008 to serve the new Raleigh Convention Center, the Marriott recalls the grandeur of classic hotels. A wide lobby with sumptuous couches welcomes guests, and an airy bar beckons beyond. The hotel has 400 guest rooms and 10 suites, a fitness center with a pool, and a business center. Rooms include iPod docks and plasma televisions. On the ground floor are both a Starbucks and Posta Tuscan Grill, an independently run restaurant that features authentic regional Italian cuisine. The hotel provides transportation to RDU. It sits just a block from the Progress Energy Performing Arts Center and is an easy walk to the State Capitol and museums.
7. Comfort Suites Arena
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 854-0502
Address: 1200 Hurricane Alley Way
Description: The Comfort Suites Arena is a good bet for travelers who need quick access to the RBC Center, Carter Finley Stadium, or the State Fairgrounds. Its 87 rooms offer free high-speed Internet access, coffeemakers, and sleeper sofas with pull-out queen beds. The hotel has a fitness center and outdoor pool and offers free breakfast and airport shuttles.
8. Hilton North Raleigh
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 872-2323
Address: 3415 Wake Forest Rd.
Description: Just off the I-440 Beltline, the Hilton North Raleigh renovated its 189 rooms in 2008. It is convenient to North Raleigh neighborhoods and shopping at North Hills mall, just a few exits away. Rooms include high-speed Internet and coffeemakers. Dining is available at the on-site sports bar, the Skybox Grill and Bar, and at Lofton’s Corner, which serves breakfast and Starbucks coffee. Also on site are an indoor pool and whirlpool and a fitness center. A few of the rooms allow smoking and some are open to guests traveling with pets. The hotel offers free transportation to RDU Airport.
9. Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (800) 909-8289
Address: 4500 Marriott Dr.
Description: Just across from Crabtree Valley Mall at the busiest intersection on Glenwood Avenue, the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley is set off by beautifully landscaped grounds hidden from the passing traffic. The hotel has 375 rooms including five suites with high-speed Internet access, flat-screen TVs, and lush beds with 300-count linens. On site are two restaurants—Crabtree Grille and Quinn’s Sports Bar—a fitness room, and an outdoor pool. Transportation to and from the airport is free.
10. Cameron Park Inn B&B
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 835-2171
Address: 211 Groveland Ave.
Description: Cameron Park was developed in the early 1900s as one of Raleigh’s first suburbs. A leafy, hilly neighborhood with charming winding streets, it is less than 2 miles from downtown and next door to the N.C. State campus on Hillsborough Street. The Cameron Inn’s three recently renovated rooms and two suites have private bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, DVD players, and wireless high-speed Internet access. The current owners of the inn are the third couple to run a B&B in the 1912 house, and they provide top-notch service. The owners get help in the hospitality department from a friendly gray kitty named Tyler.
11. Oakwood Inn Bed & Breakfast
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 832-9712
Address: 411 N. Bloodworth St.
Description: The beautifully restored 1871 Oakwood Inn was one of the first dozen homes built in the historic Oakwood neighborhood. It became Raleigh’s first B&B in 1984. Its six rooms are done in bold colors and furnished with Victorian-era pieces. All rooms have working fireplaces, Internet access, cable television, DVD players, and private bathrooms, some with antique tubs. Snacks and beverages are available throughout the day, and the rate includes breakfast and a sweet evening treat. The inn offers packages for theater fans and couples looking for one-night getaways. Downtown is less than a mile away, and the inn is within walking distance of state government offices, the Legislative Building, and Krispy Kreme, which is why the air is often filled with the scent of doughnuts.
12. Woodburn Cottage
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 828-2276
Address: 117 Woodburn Rd.
Description: The Woodburn Cottage is a 1920s Arts & Crafts bungalow in the Cameron Park neighborhood with two guest rooms. Among the home’s many interesting former residents is Red Upshaw, the first husband of author Margaret Mitchell. He is widely believed to have been the inspiration for Rhett Butler, the leading man of Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind. Room decor is simple and elegant, in keeping with the architectural style of the house. Breakfast, wireless Internet and off-street parking are included in the rate. The inn does not accept children younger than 12.
13. Umstead State Park
City: Raleigh, NC
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (919) 571-4170
Address: 8801 Glenwood Ave.
Description: Just off I-40 between Raleigh and Durham, Umstead State Park has 28 sites for tent and trailer camping open March 15 through December 15. The sites include picnic tables and grills and community restrooms and showers. There are no RV hookups in the park. Several group campgrounds and a lodge for groups are also located in the park.