New Durham Hotels Earning Great Coverage

As Downtown Durham sprouts new opportunities to live, work, and play, it's exciting to see two recently opened hotels earn national recognition. The 21c Museum Hotel and The Durham are abuzz in the media.  And well they should be.  

These two properties are great examples of adaptive reuse architecture - a hallmark of Durham's unique sense of place and something that makes a visit here distinct. 

"Welcoming new hotel projects to Durham is exciting for both the business community and those visiting," said Shelly Green, President and CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB). "But remember," Green cautioned, "When a new hotel opens, all of their rooms come empty and it takes a lot of marketing, promotion and sales activity to fill them."

Construction is also currently underway or on the horizon for the yet-to-be-named Jack Tar and The Graduate hotels.  That means the current number of hotels (including B&Bs and inns) and hotel rooms in Downtown Durham is eight with 676 rooms and will soon be 10 with 901 rooms.

And that doesn't count other newly-announced  mixed use developments such as the 12-acre Hendrick Auto Mall site which is slated for an additional hotel.

What the national media, such as those below, are saying about these two boutique properties will certainly help.

21c Museum Hotel

CNN recently named the 21c Museum Hotel Durham among "America's artsiest new hotels."

The Huffington Post said that Durham has "one of the fastest-growing cultural scenes in the nation." mentioning the historic hotel building's "pedigree.'

Curbed said that the 21c doesn't have "your average hotel art,"

Forbes Life noted that "Durham has signature penguins—in fuchsia—which mysteriously move around the hotel throughout your stay."

Hotel Chatter proclaimed that "21c Museum Hotels Will Shake Up The Durham Hotel Scene Next Year"

The Durham

The New York Times reported on the hotel's opening, saying that the hotel "draws on local talents, from a celebrated chef to an indie record label, breathing new life into a former bank building downtown."

Condé Nast said, "The 53-room luxury boutique property features a buzzed-about restaurant helmed by James Beard Award–winning chef Andrea Reusing,.."


Travel & Leisure magazine, which named Durham one of the best places to travel in 2015, "loves the hotel's 'commitment to all things North Carolina.'"

In addition to the two above, the Residence Inn Durham Duke University Medical Area is also now open on Main Street between Watts and Buchanan and The Aloft  is now open adjacent to DPAC, the Durham Performing Arts Center.

21c Museum Hotel Durham Opens Online Booking

Durham, NC's downtown is in the midst of a construction boom as five new hotels begin to take shape and further transform the former industrial hub into urban oasis of dining, culture, art, business and residences. That mix fuels the economic development engine, and lodging is a critical component.

Today, 21c Museum Hotel Durham, the newest property from the award-winning 21c Museum Hotel company, announced they will be accepting reservations starting tomorrow for May 1, 2015 or later.  Set to open in the first quarter of 2015, the hotel will offer three packages, now available for booking through their website or by calling (919) 956-6700.  21c Durham, located in the historic Hill Building on North Corcoran Street, combines a 125-room boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, and restaurant.

The 21c Museum Hotel Durham joins the Aloft, Hotel Durham, and Marriott Residence Inn all currently under construction, as well as the Jack Tar which is slated to start later this year. All but the Aloft is a renovation or adaptive reuse project, and all will enhance Downtown Durham as a destination for visitation.

Known for its iconic penguin sculptures by artist collective Cracking Art Group, each 21c property is designated a specific penguin color signifying the city that it resides in.  21c has unveiled fuchsia as the new color to represent Durham, and is launching a social media contest that invites fans to spot the Fuchsia Penguin for a chance to win prizes.  Beginning on Friday, October, 3 the “Spotted” contest will highlight one photo each day for 21 days of the penguin at a unique landmark within the Triangle.  Fans can guess the location by emailing spotted@21chotels.com, where they will be entered into a daily drawing to win a t-shirt and a grand prize drawing for a gift certificate to stay at 21c Durham once it opens. Photos will post daily on the 21c website, Facebook page and on Twitter.

To celebrate the opening of its newest property, 21c will offer guests dynamic packages, crafted to ensure that guests get the most out of their stay.  Introductory packages include:

The Growlers & Grub Package allows guests a chance to experience Durham’s lively and thriving brewery culture, with components including:
• 21c Faves local brewery guide
• Bar snack + local beer tasting for two
• Copy of North Carolina Craft Beer & Breweries

The Romance Package offers couples a relaxing and pampering getaway. The package includes:
• Sparkling wine upon arrival
• Two bathrobes from 21c Museum Shop
• Rose petal turndown
• $100 credit towards dinner for two at the on-site restaurant

Guests can also reserve the Dine with Art room rate, which includes a $25 voucher (per room night) to experience 21c Durham’s restaurant.

21c Museum Hotel Durham, opening first quarter of 2015, is a combination boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and chef-driven restaurant. 21c is rehabilitating the historic Hill Building in Downtown Durham. The 125-room property will feature a contemporary art museum open to the public free of charge 24/7, as well as a ballroom in the historic banking hall; three suites with private terraces, and a spa. 21c Durham will also be home to a restaurant focusing on local ingredients and fresh seafood in their raw bar.

Durham continues to grow as a destination for visitors from near and far. See all the developments in that pipeline online, and stay up to speed with all that is happening with the Durham Event Calendar.