The Best of Uptown Charlotte: Where to Stay
If you’re coming to the Queen City to check out the Panthers or Bobcats, you’d do well to book a room at Charlotte’s new Westin Hotel. Located right on bustling College St., The Westin is a short walk from both Bank of America Stadium, home to the Carolina Panthers, and the brand new Charlotte Arena, the Bobcats’ new home. With 700 rooms, the Westin offers beautiful city views of the uptown Charlotte skyline, with easy access to the financial district. Weekend rates are currently starting at $109, based on double occupancy, and amenities includes nightly turn-down service, an indoor heated lap pool, twenty-four hour room service, and access to the Westin’s own WestinWORKOUT Room. Voice and data ports are available in every room with high-speed internet access for an additional charge.
The Westin’s main draw is its affordable-but-luxurious guest room setting, with large, overdressed beds, desks and ergonomic desk chairs for business travelers, and an elegant decor that combines classy modernism with traditional southern touches. Three restaurants and lounges provide a chance to relax and enjoy a good meal in style: The Ember Grille, open from 6:30am-3:00pm and 4:30-10:00pm, offers contemporary American cuisine on a patio setting; Charlotte’s Treats and Eats is a coffee bar, open from 6:00am-3:00pm, offering light fare for takeout; and Bar 10, with its eclectic interiors and breathtaking city view, offers cocktails from 1:00pm-10:00pm to a diverse crowd, ranging from hotel guests, to financial district power brokers dropping in for an after-work drink. From the Westin, walk to any uptown destination; for travel outside the city center, the main bus station is a few blocks away, and Charlotte’s trolley, which runs from Atherton Mill to Ninth Street, and stops right by The Westin at Stonewall St.
Charlotte’s downtown Hilton is the premier destination for travelers with business in the city’s uptown financial district. Located on East Third Street and within blocks from Hearst Tower, the Bank of America Building, and all three Wachovia high rises, the Hilton is the no-fuss location for business travelers. Guest rooms offer deluxe accommodations with either a King or two double beds, and each room features two phone lines and optional Internet/high-speed access for those who bring their office with them. Suites include a wet bar and dining space for six or more, with city views offered and additional room configurations available, including fold-down Murphy beds for extra guests. The newly added Executive floor rooms offer superior five-star service for guests who demand it: twice daily housekeeping, complimentary pressing and shoe shining service, access to the Executive lounge, which serves a European style breakfast daily, fresh fruit, cheese, and sweets in the afternoon, and a full bar with hors d’ouevres in the evening. Guests on the Executive floors also receive a daily copy of the Wall Street Journal in addition to deluxe room amenities, including cordless phones, CD players, and complimentary bottled water. Weekend rates from $189 on the Executive floor. For the more budget-conscious traveler, deluxe rooms and suites begin at $134 with rooms selected upon check-in. All rates based on double occupancy.
For dining, the Hilton’s own Union grille offers contemporary continental cuisine with a dash of modern flair. Serving from 6:00pm-10:00pm. Round-the-clock room service is available as well, with Kosher options. The Hilton also provides for large groups and meetings; 280,000 sq. ft. of the hotel are devoted to exhibition space, with the largest meeting room checking in at 11,250 sq. ft. After a long day of meetings and business, take in a performance by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, located right around the corner in the Bank of America Building; ask the Hilton’s concierge to arrange for tickets to concerts, plays, and more at the Blumenthal’s two premier theaters, the Booth and the Belk.
For all other cultural events in the Queen City, the Adam’s Mark provides affordable accommodation for and easy access to a wide variety of uptown goings-on. Value rates on the weekend start at $79 per night, based on double occupancy, with the corporate rate beginning at $99. An optional Romance Package, which includes a bottle of champagne and chocolate-dipped roses in the room, is available for $119. Each of the Adam’s Mark’s 613 guest rooms and 23 suites features voice and data ports, on-demand movie access, a large work space, and a city view. Guests are invited to take advantage of the hotel’s outdoor pool and fully-equipped health club, which includes an indoor pool, sauna, whirlpool, and racquetball courts. If you’re traveling to Charlotte for a bit of the local culture, the Adam’s Mark is within a short distance of Uptown Charlotte’s major museums, including the Museum of the New South, the Mint Museum of Craft and Design, and Discovery Place. Walk a few blocks to the Ninth Street light rail station and ride the renovated trolley to Historic South End, where dining, nightlife, and the arts abound. The Design Center of the Carolinas is located here, as well as Atherton Mills, the South End Brewery, and Tremont Music Hall.
If you chose the optional Romance Package and would like to stay closer to the room, the Adam’s Mark offers in-building dining at Bravo! Ristorante, a northern Italian dining experience with classic Italian dishes and a wait staff that could burst into Broadway showtunes at any moment. Wednesday through Saturday nights from 5:30pm-10:00, Bravo! prides itself on world-class cuisine. Pastas include a Spring Vegetable Risotto ($16) and Lobster Tail Ravioli in Basil Cream Sauce ($18), while entrees like the Veal Chop Alla Milanese (“Sauteed veal-chop alla Milanese with garlicky rapini and spinach mashed potatoes”, $25) and the Filet Mignon (“Pan-fried sundried tomato and thyme crusted filet mignon with truffle potato cake, carrot spaghetti, Vidalia onion compote, Barola sauce”, $27) are perhaps the best fine-dining values in the city. Dress is business casual, and Bravo! suggests you make reservations at (704) 372-4100.
Whatever brings you to Charlotte, whether it be for business or pleasure, sports or the arts, finding a home base in the Uptown part of the city will guarantee you the easiest access to all of your destinations. These hotels represent the best of the best for a wide range of budgets, from the casual traveler to the business executive. Book your trip today, and get ready to experience the best of everything Charlotte has to offer.
The Westin Charlotte
601 South College Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone (704) 375-2600
Fax(704) 375-2623
The Hilton Charlotte Center City
222 East Third Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone (704) 377-1500
Fax (704) 377-4143
The Adam’s Mark Charlotte
555 South McDowell Street
Charlotte, NC 28204
Phone (704) 372-4100
Fax (704) 348-4646
Group Sales (704) 348-4114
Individual Reservations (800) 444-2326
