Elegance, Charm, and History — on Priceline? Part 1: The Carolina Inn

One such pleasant surprise is the Carolina Inn, in Chapel Hill North Carolina.  This hotel is run as a guest house for the University of North Carolina, and it sits right at the edge of the main  campus in downtown Chapel Hill.  The Carolina Inn reeks of charm, beauty, and gracious hospitality.  It is the kind of place that serves afternoon tea.   Brides to be and wedding planners swoon over the possibilities.

The hotel is replete with gracious public spaces and gardens.  There are many beautiful corridors, libraries, and living rooms, and courtyards to enjoy the ambience.  The hallways are decorated with black and white photographs of famous visitors to the campus and the pictures of the faculty from back in the day.   It is really quite charming.

Some of the rooms are small as is common for a historic property, but they are comfortable and elegantly furnished.   This is a AAA 4 diamond property with the amenities and service you would expect.

The Carolina Inn was built in 1924, and given to the University of North Carolina in 1935 with the stipulation that any profits from the Inn were to be used to support the University library.  The architecture of the Inn represents the colonial and the antebellum South.  The Carolina Inn is included on the National Register of Historic Sites.  According to a brief history of the property on the Carolina Inn website:

The 1924 design incorporates late 18th century elements from George Washington’s Mount Vernon, particularly the two-story portico and cupola on the original Cameron Avenue façade, and early 19th elements from Richland, a plantation house in Louisiana. The Richland elements include the familiar hipped-gable brick end walls with integral flat double chimneys above a central demi-lune window.

Birdhouses on Parade:  From March 31 to April 9, 2013, the Carolina Inn will be staging the 12th annual exhibit of handcrafted birdhouses in the main lobby.  This is an absolutely charming collection from 17 North Carolina craftspeople.  A list of contributing artists is available from the Carolina Inn.

In conjunction with this public exhibit, the Carolina Inn is hosting a special Spring Afternoon Tea Thursdays through Sundays at 2:30 p.m.  The offerings are mouth watering:   Southern Pecan, Green Chai and Moroccan Mint tea, accompanied by savory tea sandwiches, sweets and fresh-baked scones served with fresh lemon curd, English Devonshire cream and preserves.

Priceline Bidding Strategy:  The Carolina Inn is categorized as a 4 star property in the Chapel Hill zone of Priceline’s Raleigh-Durham area.  There is another 4 star property reported in this zone, so do not bid if you would be unhappy if you win a different hotel.  There are no rebid opportunities; multiple bids need to be spaced 24 hours apart.

I recommend that you sign up for the hotel’s email special offers.  That will give you a sense of lower occupancy times.  Check the forums of winning bids to gather information of recent successful bids.  Because of the popularity of the Carolina Inn for weddings, Priceline rooms may not be available on spring weekends.  There is an extra charge for parking, whether self-service or valet.  As always, Priceline rooms are prepaid and are not changeable or refundable.

Note:  This is the first in a series of posts on charming historic, unique, and high end properties that pop up with some frequency on Priceline.

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