Raleigh is not short of hotels in the downtown district, but whenever people ask which is our favorite, we always point them in the direction of the Residence Inn Raleigh Downtown.
Not only is it within easy walking distance of Raleigh’s dynamic downtown scene, including concert venues, museums, restaurants, and bars, but it’s comfortable, has top-notch property amenities, and has a focus on sustainability and environmental practices.
Our expectations were surpassed during our own stay, and we are now calling it our home-away-from home when staying downtown.
This hotel by the Marriott Hotels brand was built in 2017, has 10 floors, is rated a 3-star property, is a Rewards Category 4 for Marriott Bonvoy members, and we were impressed with how clean and safe the hotel felt – which is important to us as a family.
Whether you visit Raleigh for business or leisure, the Residence Inn by Marriott Raleigh Downtown ticks a lot of boxes for all styles of travel and we feel it is the ideal place to stay in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.
And here’s why…
Reasons We Love The Residence Inn Raleigh Downtown
Down below are our top reasons why we recommend this hotel as a place to stay in the City of Raleigh.
1. Prime location in the heart of downtown Raleigh
This is an excellent central location for leisure or business travelers, for a short or long stay. Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh, we loved being able to walk to the top destinations and downtown area attractions in the city center, which is essentially a 12-block radius.
This hotel is directly adjacent to the Raleigh Convention Center, and you can walk across the street to the theater at the Martin Marietta Performing Arts Center (Memorial Auditorium).
If you’re in town for a concert at Red Hat Amphitheater it’s a short two block walk away, and the Lincoln Theater, a great venue for live performances, is three blocks away.
Plus, you’re steps away from Fayetteville Street (Raleigh’s main thoroughfare), the downtown business district, a short walk to the NC State Capitol Building, and within walking distance of some of the best local restaurants, bars, craft breweries, cafes, nightlife, and nearby attractions like the terrific Museum of Natural Sciences.
Walking distances from the hotel:
- Performing Arts Center: 300 feet
- Raleigh Convention Center: 500 feet
- Red Hat Amphitheater: 0.2 miles
- Lincoln Theatre: 0.4 miles
- State Capitol Building: 0.6 miles
- Museum of Natural Sciences: 0.7 miles
We loved being able to walk to one of the best lunch spots in Raleigh, Beasley’s Chicken + Honey, and Chida Tacos, and it was a short walk to one of our favorite coffee shops in downtown Raleigh, the Morning Times!
And, you’re just minutes away from the top university campuses in Raleigh:
- Shaw University: 0.3 miles
- William Peace University: 1.1 miles
- St. Augustine’s University: 2.1 miles
- NC State University (NCSU): 3.1 miles
- Meredith College: 4.5 miles
If you are flying into Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), it’s about a 25-minute drive to Residence Inn Raleigh, and if you are going to a concert or sporting event at the PNC Arena (home of Carolina Hurricanes ice hockey), it is about an 18-minute drive.
Location is key when choosing a hotel, especially if it’s a short stay you don’t want to waste time getting from your hotel to the places you need to be, and this hotel’s location is also safe for morning walks/jogs.
If you are visiting Raleigh for New Year’s Eve, this is the perfect location for the fireworks! It’s also a great location for top Raleigh festivals like Brewgaloo and World of Bluegrass. You’re steps away from the action, which means you have your own private restroom, and you don’t need to carry too many things with you!
2. Spacious all-Suite hotel
As a family of four, and as a couple who run an online business, we much prefer to stay in hotels that have suites versus standard hotel rooms for the extra space and functionality, and we were very comfortable in our Studio Suite Room.
As much as we like to eat out in Raleigh, it can get expensive for a family to eat out all the time especially on an extended stay, so we like the option of having access to a fully-equipped kitchen like the one at Residence Inn Downtown Raleigh.
All guest room doors are accessed with an electronic room key, which helped us feel safe and secure.
Our studio suite came with two queen beds, a sofa bed, a work desk, and a fully-equipped kitchen with cookware and utensils, glassware and appliances. If you’re a large family, our room could sleep six.
We found our room to be spacious, very clean, and comfortable. It gave us room to relax on the sofa couch and watch TV on the 40-inch HD TV, and to get some work done at the desk.
All guest suites include a kitchen providing the flexibility to be self-sufficient for short or long stays.
For additional space and privacy, consider one of their one-bedroom suites with separate living, working, and sleeping areas.
Suite types range from studio king, one bedroom queen-queen, one bedroom corner king with balcony or connecting rooms to create a two-bedroom option.
We also found the hotel to be quiet. Granted, we did stay on New Years day night with no concerts or festivals going on in the city, so can’t completely vouch for the quietness of the hotel.
If you’re a business traveler, you’ll appreciate the spacious desk and ergonomic chair, and we had a distant view of the Raleigh surrounds from our desk.
3. Awesome outdoor rooftop lounge & bar
Besides being more than satisfied with our room, the highlight of staying at the Residence Inn Raleigh Downtown for us is the fantastic 10th and Terrace rooftop bar and lounge.
This is now one of our favorite places for a drink in Raleigh period, especially to take in the sunset with views over the Center of Raleigh, which there are limited options for doing in Raleigh.
The outdoor rooftop lounge has comfy lounges, tables and chairs, and uninterrupted views of the Performing Arts Center which looked brilliant at night time, and sweeping views over the Southern part of downtown – we loved looking out over all the trees – if you don’t know, Raleigh is literally a city within a forest and is nicknamed the City of Oaks!
What a lovely space to relax with your partner, family or friends and enjoy an excellent cocktail, local craft beer, or fine wine. You can eat here too, and they have a Contemporary American Fusion small plates menu.
And the attached indoor bar area is very inviting and cozy too, we moved inside when it started to rain and had a fun conversation with the bartender and another guest.
The bar staff were attentive and engaging, stopping to have brief, friendly conversations whilst being efficient with their service.
Dress code here is smart casual, and you don’t have to be staying at the hotel to enjoy this rooftop area!
By the way, this would be an awesome space to hire for a private event/party (one for the future).
Their seasonal Sunday brunch is also incredible! There’s no better way to enjoy a Sunday morning than with those views, the springtime sun warming you up, an all you can eat buffet full of delicious foods (and most are gluten free), and a make your own mimosa bar (at a great price). Read more about the 10th and Terrace Sunday brunch experience.
Hours:
- Monday – Thursday: 3-11 PM
- Friday & Saturday: 12PM – 12AM (kitchen closes at 11 PM)
4. FREE Hot Breakfast
If you don’t want to dine out for breakfast, or use your own in-room kitchen facilities, another positive of staying at the Residence Inn is you get a complimentary full hot breakfast at the on-site restaurant.
We took advantage of the free breakfast considering we live in Raleigh and can dine out anytime, otherwise we highly recommend Big Ed’s Restaurant for a classic Raleigh breakfast experience (10 minute walk from hotel).
The complimentary full breakfast at the hotel was substantial in its offerings, and for the most part satisfying and diverse.
Not the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had, but far from the worst and enjoyed sitting on the outdoor terrace. This is only a 2-star hotel after all. There’s also an on-site restaurant for dinner, Overlook, that we did not dine at.
5. Oversized On-Site Fitness Center
If you like to get your gym time in whilst on the road, like Caroline does, the Residence Inn Raleigh has a state-of-the-art fitness center with prominent views of South Salisbury Street.
Start your day with a workout using their cardiovascular equipment (treadmills, elliptical, life cycles), free weights, or with some yoga on their stretching mats.
6. Complimentary wireless high speed internet access
Even if you’re not a business traveler, almost everyone wants the benefit of free wi-fi these days.
But if you are visiting Raleigh for business, enjoy free high speed & wireless wifi to work from the comfort of your room’s desk, or in the on-site business center lounge area downstairs.
Note: The Residence Inn Raleigh downtown also features meeting and flexible event space, accommodating meetings for up to 100 people.
7. Mobile Check-In
If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy Member like us, you can pre check-in through the app for an expedited arrival. You’ll get a notification when your room is ready. Then quickly stop at the front desk to pick-up your keys and swipe your credit card.
However, non-members can do a Web Check-in, you’ll get a room ready notification delivered via sms or email. Then just stop at the desk to pick-up your keys and swipe your credit card.
8. Pet-Friendly
If you travel with your furry friends, this hotel is pet friendly. Their pet policy is:
- Maximum number of pets: 2 pets per room
- Maximum pet weight: 75 lb
- Non-refundable pet fee: 150 USD Per Stay
- Pet fees-$150/room upon check in for days 1-5 then $15/day until checkout
- Contact hotel for full details
What could be better at the Residence Inn Downtown Raleigh?
If I had to pick a couple of areas that could be approved upon, let me mention these items which didn’t take too much away from our enjoyable stay.
The water in the shower could be hotter, have more pressure, and last longer – always an issue when four people want to shower.
Keep in mind our room had a step-in-shower into the bathtub, which is difficult for those with mobility issues – not sure if that is standard for each room.
The common area internet access was a bit spotty, but it was fine in our room.
Breakfast was eaten with plastic tableware, I think we’d all prefer metal silverware.
Parking at Residence Inn
There’s an on-site parking fee of $18 USD daily. Register your vehicle at check-in for access to the parking garage which is attached to the hotel. No trailers or motorcycles.
If you visit Raleigh on a weekend, there is free street parking downtown. Alternatively, there are parking decks and parking lots (over 70 places to park in downtown). See parking locations here.
The Verdict: Would We Recommend Residence Inn Downtown Raleigh?
We thoroughly enjoyed our staycation at the Residence Inn Downtown Raleigh. This hotel in Raleigh was a great balance of the ideal location and amenities provided.
With free wifi and free full American breakfast included in your booking, who can say no to a deal like that? Plus you have all the best attractions on your doorstep. Hotel guests should also note:
- Check-in time: 4pm (our room was ready earlier, pay attention to your app or text messages after you check-in online)
- Check-out times: 11am
- This hotel does not provide shuttle service. Search for Raleigh rental cars here. And check the RDU Airport website for ground transportation.
BOOK YOUR STAY HERE THROUGH MARRIOTT DIRECT
BOOK YOUR STAY HERE THROUGH BOOKING.COM
For other downtown Raleigh hotels besides the Residence Inn Raleigh NC, here is a list of 7 hotels in downtown Raleigh to consider for your stay, as well as these hotels in Raleigh that allow pets. We have also stayed at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel around the corner. We thought it was a great hotel, with awesome location and better breakfast (but you had to pay for it), but we still prefer the Residence Inn.
Video Review of Residence Inn Downtown Raleigh
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