The Durham

$$ | Durham, North Carolina, USA

OVERALL RATING | ★★★★☆

Located right in the heart of downtown, The Durham hotel is a magnet for locals and travelers alike. Stay here for easy access to Durham's best sites, restaurants, and events (and for the coffee soda which is a solid 10/10).

Highlights | Location, Lots of Local Sourcing

Lowlights | Room Design

DESIGN

From the outside, The Durham hotel is intimidating. It’s façade is not welcoming; it dares one to enter vs encouraging it. Not exactly the vibe one would want for a hotel, but there’s a good explanation. The building that now houses The Durham was once a Savings and Loan Bank and that very "we mean business" bank facade was maintained during the hotel conversion. Despite feeling a bit intimidated, as I approached the hotel I noticed some things that drew me in – the sound of laughter, an eye-catching breezeway, a friendly looking doorman. So in I went.

After a bit of Googling, I think the Durham is designed in the De Stijl style, which is all about primary colors accented by black and white, clean lines, and geometric shapes. This style was the perfect choice to blend this property's past and present. It beautifully compliments the architecture of the original structure, but dispels some of that “business building brutality” with fun colors and shapes. I found the design of the ground floor to be bold and fun, but was a little less impressed with the other spaces I

experienced. The room design was adequate, but a little boring. I wished they’d carried the boldness of the lobby into the rooms with more interesting carpeting or a fun accent wall vs the sea of grey. The rooftop was also a bit dull and lacking in character.

When staying at boutique hotels, I really enjoy local touches in the design. The Durham lacks these touches, but I give them a pass based on their dedication to local sourcing, which I’ll touch on in the Amenities section below.

LOCATION

The Durham is located in the heart of downtown Durham. It is within walking distance of great restaurants, coffee shops, bars, art galleries, the Durham Performing Arts Theater, the Durham Bulls Baseball Stadium, local parks, and more. This makes it the perfect location for a solo weekend trip, girls/guys weekend, or family reunion. Once everyone arrives, cars are not needed until it’s time to leave. While parts of Durham have a reputation for crime, the downtown area is safe. I walked its streets during day and night and had no issues.

ACCOMODATIONS

The Durham offers room several types – Deluxe King (some with obstructed views), Deluxe Double (some with obstructed views), Superior King, Superior Double, Superior King Suite, and Penthouse. I booked an unobstructed Deluxe King and found the room to be nicely appointed. It was well lit and had a nice bed, ample seating, and a small desk. The bathroom was adequate but unexciting. Not much else to say – the room is sparce, but comfortable.

AMENITIES

The Durham does an excellent job of locally sourcing many of its in room amenities. The denim comforters on each bed are from Raleigh Denim (the city of Raleigh is ~ 20min from Durham). The hotel serves coffee from Counter Culture, a Durham based roastery. The bath amenities are from a local brand. All snacks in the minibar are locally made. This curation took thoughtfulness and did not go unnoticed. Well done to The Durham!

• Daily free drip coffee service in lobby (AM)

• Daily fresh ground coffee delivery to room

• Specialty coffee bar in Lobby

• Minibar with local snack selection

• Bath robes

• Burt’s Bees Gift (I got a pot of hand salve)

• Complimentary bottled water

• Lobby restaurant (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Weekend Brunch)

• Rooftop bar (Small plates, light bites)

• Room service

• Gym

• Complimentary rooftop yoga (when available)

CLEANLINESS

The room was clean – 10/10. No notes. No further comments needed.

STAFF & SERVICE

The staff and service met expectations. During my stay I interacted with staff at the front desk, coffee bar, rooftop bar, and during room service delivery. Each experience was pleasant and efficient.

CHEAT SHEET

Durham has great food – really great food. You really can’t go wrong but my personal favorites are Dave’s Chicken & Waffles and The Parlour (Ice Cream!), both of which are within walking distance of the hotel. Check them out!