The Colonial Inn
153 W King St, Hillsborough, NC 27278-2543
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Did you already book this hotel?
Tell us so we can help you plan.
Avg. S$264 /night, 3/20 - 3/21
S$340
per night
S$302
per night
S$264
per night
Mar
Apr
20 Mar
Today
22 Mar
24 Mar
26 Mar
28 Mar
30 Mar
1 Apr
3 Apr
5 Apr
7 Apr
9 Apr
11 Apr
13 Apr
15 Apr
17 Apr
19 Apr
Reflects recent average nightly prices reported by our partners, and may not include estimated taxes or fees. Price at checkout may differ.
Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
#1 of 1 special hotel in Hillsborough
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
The Colonial Inn is a multi-use building housing a 28 room boutique hotel, with an indoor and outdoor event space and a bar serving North Carolina’s best Hillsborough inspired craft cocktails and local southern beer, wine, and spirits.
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Car park
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Outdoor dining area
Picnic area
Wine / champagne
Room features
Blackout curtains
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Interconnected rooms available
Cable / satellite TV
Extra long beds
Walk-in shower
Room service
Sofa
Telephone
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Private bathrooms
Room types
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Mid-range
Location
153 W King St, Hillsborough, NC 27278-2543
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 66 out of 100
66
Raleigh-Durham Airport
35.8 km•
See all flights
Piedmont Triad Intl Airport
75.3 km•
See all flights
Car Hire
14 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 17
- 6
- 6
- 2
- 9
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
The first thing you should know is the food is amazing.
The Sunday brunch all of us agreed was the best we had experienced. You choose an entry: Buttermilk fried chicken was incredible, shrimp and grits, quiche, steak and eggs.
They then bring pastries, plate of bacon, fruit and sweet potato cakes.
The hotel staff is an upbeat group always eager to help. Every interaction with them showed a knowledgeable individual, quick to smile. The main hotel is charming and a true treasure. Take some time to watch the TV presentation of what it looked like prior to restoration.
The annex behind the main building is new, clean and modern. By modern I also mean in decorating and design. It lacks any continuity with the main building. It lacks warmth with no side tables, arm chairs or table lamps. The light is all ceiling oriented so it is very industrial feeling. The bed had a wonderful mattress and there are some sconces over the. bed. The bathroom is luxurious with huge shower, nice vanity and separate water closet. My wife found the integrated lights in the mirror to be of special note.
The one disappointment to me is parking. The hotel has none, so on street parking is the default. Believe me on a Saturday night it is at a premium. I ended up parked a block and a half away. The good news is there is a loading zone across the street to unload luggage.
Bottom line, shoot for a room that suits your taste knowing they are different. Make sure you are there Sunday for brunch, if possible and enjoy an easy walk to this precious historic district.
The Sunday brunch all of us agreed was the best we had experienced. You choose an entry: Buttermilk fried chicken was incredible, shrimp and grits, quiche, steak and eggs.
They then bring pastries, plate of bacon, fruit and sweet potato cakes.
The hotel staff is an upbeat group always eager to help. Every interaction with them showed a knowledgeable individual, quick to smile. The main hotel is charming and a true treasure. Take some time to watch the TV presentation of what it looked like prior to restoration.
The annex behind the main building is new, clean and modern. By modern I also mean in decorating and design. It lacks any continuity with the main building. It lacks warmth with no side tables, arm chairs or table lamps. The light is all ceiling oriented so it is very industrial feeling. The bed had a wonderful mattress and there are some sconces over the. bed. The bathroom is luxurious with huge shower, nice vanity and separate water closet. My wife found the integrated lights in the mirror to be of special note.
The one disappointment to me is parking. The hotel has none, so on street parking is the default. Believe me on a Saturday night it is at a premium. I ended up parked a block and a half away. The good news is there is a loading zone across the street to unload luggage.
Bottom line, shoot for a room that suits your taste knowing they are different. Make sure you are there Sunday for brunch, if possible and enjoy an easy walk to this precious historic district.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Not dually or large p.u friendly. On street parking and public lots tight. Good parking behind...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This review is for the bar area. We stopped in on a Wednesday evening after walking around Hillsborough for a bit. We were mainly looking for cocktails, and one of the staffers said we could sit inside, outside, or take our drinks up to their upstairs balcony. We ended up ordering drinks plus an appetizer but was then told that we couldn't bring food upstairs. We enjoyed our snacks and spreads app (olives, hummus, pimiento cheese, crackers) sitting at the bar and then paid and took our drinks upstairs. The staff were pleasant but seemed perhaps a bit stretched as more parties arrived. They also offer sandwiches, salads, and a few main entrees.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2021
Value
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The owner(s) have done a wonderful job in getting The Colonial Inn back into operation and it was a pleasure to visit. We stayed in a room in the annex just behind the main building and it was very fine. While not to discourage a visitor, there are some points to consider. Parking is a big one. The street parking may be free, but it is first come, first served. There is a small bar/restaurant, but seating, the hours, and menu is limited. The food we had was very good and there are other options a few steps away on the main street, except for breakfast. There did not seem to be anything around you could walk to for breakfast. Coffee, so often taken for granted in most hotels, is limited to only a few hours in the morning. The staff will bring coffee to the room in the morning if you ask. The staff are great. Harley, the host we talked to, and the person at reception, were very friendly and helpful. It is a bit puzzling, however, that they do not wear uniforms or any staff identification. We were not sure if we were talking to friendly guests or employees. Also, it seems that there is no standard for dress. The waiter/chef had on a checkered flannel shirt and we did not know if he worked there or not until he asked if he could take our order.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â If you are interested in the historical nature of the Inn, try for a room in the main building.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Food was just ok - prices way high for what we got. Waiter seemed to not care if we were taken care of or not. My filet mignon was mediocre, and the vegetable was tasteless, and for almost $50, I expect
a lot better. We were very disappointed in our anniversary dinner and will not be back. If this business intends to thrive, they desperately need to bring the quality of the meals way up, as well as the friendliness and attentiveness of the wait staff.
a lot better. We were very disappointed in our anniversary dinner and will not be back. If this business intends to thrive, they desperately need to bring the quality of the meals way up, as well as the friendliness and attentiveness of the wait staff.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Don’t know about the rooms, but I would recommend Saratoga Grill or one of the other fine...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
They don’t have customer service and the staff are unfriendly. The food we ordered was highly processed, not warm and loaded with sugar. It seemed like a joke! Couldn’t believe a historic landmark venue would operate on that level. If that were not enough, they were grossly understaffed as well. Will not be going than ever again!
Read more
Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip: Please try Antonia’s just up the block!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If you’re thinking of spending some time in Hillsborough, NC, don’t pass up the chance to stay here. This is a fully renovated property with a beautifully designed annex that compliments this historic inn. The rooms are immaculate with daily cleaning service. The property is in a beautiful part of town, so if you don’t want to eat at the Inn you’re a short walk to some awesome dining. I especially like the fact that we were within easy striking distance from Durham and Raleigh.
What struck me most is the attention given to general hospitality. Everyone was genuinely warm and welcoming, going out of their way, from bringing a delicious biscuit to go with our coffee (they have tables in the lobby where you can eat) , to spending lots of time with a difficult web company that we booked through. — Many thanks to Elise for her help.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the other staff. Thank you to Rutland(co-owner with Elise), Abby, Nancy, and the rest of the folks who were attentive, professional and just really enjoyable to chat with.
We have friends who moved to the area, so this will be our go to place. Don’t miss this gem!!!!
What struck me most is the attention given to general hospitality. Everyone was genuinely warm and welcoming, going out of their way, from bringing a delicious biscuit to go with our coffee (they have tables in the lobby where you can eat) , to spending lots of time with a difficult web company that we booked through. — Many thanks to Elise for her help.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the other staff. Thank you to Rutland(co-owner with Elise), Abby, Nancy, and the rest of the folks who were attentive, professional and just really enjoyable to chat with.
We have friends who moved to the area, so this will be our go to place. Don’t miss this gem!!!!
Read more
Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Book directly with the Inn.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were 3 couples who were there for Sunday brunch today and although the it was nice to see a lovely restored Inn , the brunch experience was less than desirable. We had reservations but the service was very slow to seat and the food was very lately served and under cooked. We had ask for every little bitty thing ….no attention to detail …..didn’t bring the syrup, didn’t bring the sides , brought all the entrées out individually, we didn’t eat together the food was undercooked from the pancakes to the chicken to the waffles. Bad experience all the way around. They did apologize and did adjust the price a little bit ( $2.00 each couple ) and a gift card was given to one of the couples, but it wasn’t enough to make us forget our brunch experience. We will not return to use the $20 gift card. We really wanted to like this place but it was such a disappointment.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Eat somewhere else.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I can only speak to the dining....Seven of us went to the Hillsborough Inn for lunch.. All who ordered soups found they were only luke warm. The arugula salad was merely a handful of bagged arugula with a couple of pieces of apple. The salmon was overdone. My ham and cheese sandwich was just barely toasted and was so overwhelmed by mustard that I could not eat it. My broccoli cheddar soup had huge pieces of broccoli in it - not chopped or cut-up. The real kicker is that they do not do separate checks! There was no gratuity added and the items were not in order, so figuring out each person's portion, plus the tips and sales tax was a nightmare. This is just very poor customer service. The waitress was pleasant, but clearly was responsible for too many tables. I will never go back.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Two couples who are into cooking and dining out stopped in last night for an early dinner. Atmosphere was welcoming and staff friendly. Had a variety of cocktails that were well-prepared and tried the phylo-baked brie and the salmon chowder, both of which were very good. The problem was the main event....among us we had the baked chicken and brussel sprout dish, the fried chicken sandwich, and an arugula salad topped with tuna. The chicken dishes were all overcooked and dry. Even the fried chicken was overdone and burnt at the edges. The tuna was well-cooked but the salad lacked any real flavor. Supposedly salad had lemon vinaigrette but no sense of lemon or much else. One of our party ate very little of her meal. Honestly, even the fries were just OK and lacked seasoning. We did let the server politely know that our entrees were disappointing, but she had nothing to offer other than the bill to pay.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had the ribeye and the fillet mignon. Tasted good but significant gristle in the ribeye. Fillet was ok as well. Both steaks came with mashed potatoes which were ok and broccolini that had no flavor. Service was just acceptable. I wish I’d left a smaller tip. They seemed like they were trying to hurry us out of there. Waiter didn’t even offer us dessert. This inn itself is a neat historic building, but we weren’t impressed and probably won’t go back.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No results found. • Try changing or clearing your search to read questions and answers.
"Don’t know about the rooms, but I would recommend Saratoga Grill or one of the other fine restaurants in town over this one"Read full review
PRICE RANGE
S$290 - S$369 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
United StatesNorth CarolinaHillsborough
NUMBER OF ROOMS
28
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingTHE COLONIAL INN | UPDATED 2025 Hotel Reviews, Price Comparison and 19 Photos (Hillsborough, NC) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about The Colonial Inn
Which popular attractions are close to The Colonial Inn?
Nearby attractions include Hillsborough Wine Company (0.2 km), Hillsborough Gallery of Arts (0.2 km), and Old Town Cemetery (0.3 km).
What are some of the property amenities at The Colonial Inn?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at The Colonial Inn?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, blackout curtains, and extra long beds.
What food & drink options are available at The Colonial Inn?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at The Colonial Inn?
Yes, free parking, a parking garage, and street parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to The Colonial Inn?
Conveniently located restaurants include Saratoga Grill, Panciuto, and Matthew's Chocolates.
Is The Colonial Inn located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.2 km away from the centre of Hillsborough.
Are there any historical sites close to The Colonial Inn?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Ayr Mount Historic Site (1.6 km) and Old Town Cemetery (0.3 km).