The Colonial Inn, an Ascend Collection Hotel — Restaurant in Hillsborough

So I have never stayed here before. But since I was visiting family, I decided to stay here since it’s nearby to my folks. Overall, it’s a nice place, but I do have some minor things I would tweak to make the experience a little bit better:

Peep Holes: Yes there is a huge window in your room with blackout curtains (which was nice), but having peep holes on the actual door would be nice to have, especially for security reasons.

Towels and Linens: The towels were o…k. They were clean but felt a bit rough to use. I think a different fabric softener would help greatly. And while they do come in and make the bed, it would be nice to come into fresh linens instead of simply making the bed with the current sheets.

The room: The shower is very nice!! The perfect size! Thermostat kept the room at a perfect temperature. The actual room was a good size too. But I think there should be a micro fridge or even a mini fridge in all the rooms instead of certain ones. The room I was in didn’t have a fridge. Also there is a huge sofa in the room and while it’s nice, I think I would have preferred just a chair with a small desk for resting and eating to make that space work better. Not a big thing but just something to make the experience better.

Sound Proofing: I wish I stayed on the upper level, because on the first floor you could hear every foot step and flush and almost every conversation. So I think the soundproofing has gotta be improved, especially for guests on the lower floor of the annex.

Overall, I did like my stay there. The staff is nice, I had good food in their restaurant. The issues I had are just small potatoes. But the walk ability of the hotel in relation to Historic Hillsborough is good. Parking is what it is, but I didn’t have any trouble finding a spot. I do think The Colonial Inn is good for 1-3 nights. It’s not really set up for an extended stay like I did for a whole week just about. But I would stay there again when I find myself back...

If you plan conferences/meetings in the RTP area, you know there are a million available choices – but I am SO HAPPY that we chose the smaller, family-owned and character-rich Colonial Inn for our two large events this summer! This beautiful facility was the perfect place to book…well…EVERYTHING, from lodging, to the meeting space, to meals. Our two groups of 40 took over the entire place for three days, including the 28 lovely guest rooms and the exquisite banquet/meeting room. Our attendees were able to take just a few steps from their doors to the meeting space, where there was always tasty warm coffee and a welcome from Inn staff, often the owner herself. Hosting in a beautifully restored historic, and locally/family owned spot – rather than a chain hotel/event space with zero character – made an enormous positive difference in the success of our events, including upping the energy & attentiveness that attendees brought to the meeting. There isn’t one employee here that won’t attend to whatever it is you or your guests need with a hospitable smile, or answer all the questions you’ll surely want to ask about the history of this amazing place. Elise, the owner/general manager, showed strategic flexibility to work with us and our budget from my very first inquiry to her, and was attentive to all those last minute changes that inevitably come up when hosting conferences (including helping us plan and host a reception on their lovely patio with two days’ notice!) Our second event came right at the tip of the recent COVID delta variant surge, and these folks have a great set up for and thoughtfulness about keeping events safe as well - from great indoor/outdoor floating options to plenty of well ventilated space to spread out. Thank you to the Colonial Inn for treating my conference attendees like...

Disappointing. My wife and I had high hopes for this place, as we sought a well-deserved rest, after days of business travelling. The staff called, in advance, to see if we had any special requests; the staff that was there when we arrived was great, making sure we were pleasantly situated; and they answered my questions regarding when breakfast was served--they said it was between 7:00 and 11:00. All of this was appreciated. The next morning, everything was totally different! The staff was inattentive and there was no breakfast! We inquired about it, and they handed us a cinnamon roll and coffee in disposable cups--not exactly the classy experience we had expected from such an historic inn. We noticed they were setting up something; they said it was their Sunday brunch and were told that we needed reservations; nothing was said about how they could accommodate us. We checked out and brought up our feelings on the breakfast, and they changed their story on whether we could join the brunch, saying they could have us, after all. Not wanting to be jerked around, we declined. Our day and night experience was as different as night is from day. The night crew was inviting and hospitable; the day crew ignored us and acted put out, when we looked for follow-through on a normal next-day experience. The awful morning completely overshadowed the evening. I wouldn't want such an experience...