The Best Hotels In North Carolina, According To US News Report

CHARLOTTE, NC — If you’re planning a vacation or weekend getaway in North Carolina and want to stay at the best hotel, you’re in luck — U.S. News and World Report today released the newest edition of its Best Hotels rankings, and several North Carolina hotels made the cut.

Evaluating more than 30,000 hotels worldwide, U.S. News compiled the 10th annual Best Hotels list to help travelers find their ideal hotel, regardless of destination or budget, according to the report.

In North Carolina, The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Raleigh took top honors, followed by the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, and the Ritz-Carton in Charlotte. Rounding out the top five were the Fearrington House Inn in Pittsboro and the Ivey Hotel in uptown Charlotte, respectively.

U.S. News also named the top hotels in several places worldwide, including the best in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Coming in first on the U.S. list is the Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Hawaii.

Four other locations rounded out the top five hotels in the U.S.:

• The Langham, Chicago
• The Peninsula, Chicago
• Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort

Since the inaugural ranking in 2011, only 41 properties have earned a gold badge by consistently ranking in the top 10 percent in the U.S. These range from brand-backed properties such as the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, to smaller, more intimate hotels such as The Inn of the Five Graces in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, South Carolina.

Hotels with a gold badge distinction have consistently provided comfortable accommodations, high levels of customer service, and memorable and luxurious experiences for travelers, the report says.

Five hotels from North Carolina have earned a gold badge, while 14 earned silver, meaning these hotels consistently ranked in the top 30 percent of all 3.5-, 4-, 4.5- and 5-star hotels in that destination.

Here are the North Carolina hotels that earned a gold badge, according to U.S. News:

• The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Raleigh
• Old Edwards Inn and Spa, Highlands
• The Ritz-Carton, Charlotte
• The Fearrington House Inn, Pittsboro
• The Ivey Hotel, Charlotte

Here are the North Carolina hotels that earned a silver badge, according to U.S. News:

• The Inn on Biltmore Estate, Asheville
• Grand Bohemian Hotel, Asheville
• The Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville
• The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Charlotte
• Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel, Charlotte
• 21c Museum Hotel, Durham
• Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, Durham
• The Durham Hotel, Durham
• The Duke Mansion, Charlotte
• Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel, Raleigh
• Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark Hotel, Charlotte
• The Dunhill Hotel, Charlotte
• Hilton Garden Inn Raleigh/ Crabtree Valley, Raleigh
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Fayetteville Fort Bragg, Fayetteville

Did your favorite North Carolina hotel make the list? If not, tell us about it in the comment section!