True Southern Hospitality at The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club
I was treated to an overnight stay at the Washington Duke Inn. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
I can honestly say that I was little worried about staying at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina. There were all kinds of thoughts running through my brain- would it be too fancy for my simple country soul, would I fit in, what if it’s way out of my league with their true southern hospitality?? That and many more thoughts raced through my brain the Saturday morning as I was packing for my stay. I even questioned what clothes to bring.
And I will admit that those thoughts became more in my mind as we pulled onto the road that the inn was on. It was beautifully landscaped, and the inn itself sits back off the road like a grand old Southern lady. I kept second guessing myself- like what am I doing there?
But those fears were laid to rest when the valet greeted us with a warm smile and welcomed us to the inn, in true southern hospitality style. So I thought this might be a good weekend after all.
When Courtney and I approached the check-in desk, we were greeted by Iryna with a warm smile. She let us know the easy way to get our room as well as all the inn had to offer. I will admit that we did have a little walk to the elevator to get to our room, but it was so worth the walk as we got to soak in the ambiance of the hotel.
It is indeed one of the best places I have ever stayed. The design and decor of the hotel is something that you might see in an old Southern mansion. And anyone that knows me knows that I was so in my element. I have always dreamed of one day rehabbing an old Southern home, but my husband, on the other hand, loves the more modern look. But back to the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club we finally arrived at the elevators, which did I mention had carpet on the floor, and proceeded to our room on the fifth floor.
When we entered, we immediately fell in love with the decor as well as the setting. We had a room overlooking the golf course. It was beautiful in the fall so I can just imagine what the golf course would like in the Spring when all of nature is blooming and full of life.
We even had a special tray waiting for us to welcome us to the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. I seriously wanted to stay there for a few more days, but sadly I knew I couldn’t. The beds were terrific, and the room was beautifully decorated that I almost didn’t want to leave my room. But because I had other pressing appointments like meeting one of the chefs, dinner at the Fairview Room and exploring the hotel- I decided not to stay in.
We had 7 o’clock dinner reservations at the inn’s dining room, so we decided to explore the inn before it was dinner. Oh did I mention that they also offer tea service which Courtney and I took part in, but that is another post coming soon. I was so impressed with the rich history of the inn and loved seeing the many artifacts they had on display.
I can’t wait for you to come back tomorrow and the rest of the week to see all the amazing food and people we met at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club but before I go I want you to meet the very last people that we encountered at the inn.
That was Chris and Donnie, the valets, not only did they help us with our bags and opened the doors- like true Southern gentlemen, for us with a smile the whole time. But they also made a lasting impression because they put the cherry on top of an amazing weekend there. If you are looking for a place where everyone knows your name and love southern hospitality than the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is the place for you. It is true Southern Hospitality at its finest.
Check back for posts about our experiences with the tea service, dining at the Fairview as well as chat with the chef.
Similar Posts:
- Sipping Afternoon Tea at the Washington Duke Inn
- Breakfast at the JB Duke Hotel
- Southern Hospitality at the Fairview Dining Room
- Fairview Dining Room: Fine Dining & Southern Hospitality
- Southern Hospitality at its Finest: Luxurious Getaways in South Carolina
it’s beautiful! i need to do a staycation there! 🙂
Come back and check out the other things we did. I think the Afternoon tea should be a mother and daughter thing that you and Lilly do together.
What a gorgeous hotel!
Yes it was gorgeous also such a great staff.
Looks like a fun, but elegant and relaxing stay! Good to know it’s not far away.
I love that picture of you on the bed with the wine! HA! That’s the life right there!
I think what makes a hotel stay above top notch is the staff and it sounds like they were great there.
Looks like a wonderful and comfortable place to stay and enjoy a few days of rest and relaxing. If you love to play golf couldn’t be in a better spot.
This looks like such a relaxing place to stay and relax. I’ll keep this in mind. I would love the tea service!
Now this sounds like a lovely place to stay it sounds like it offers a lovely warm welcome as well as beautiful surroundings.
This looks like such a wonderful destination for a family. If we are ever in this area, I’ll keep this place in mind. It looks inviting, comfortable and clean!
Wow, it looks like you had a wonderful time. I have found that southern hospitality exists in far more places in the north than it does in the south! I’m from Alabama, and they are as rude as they get in the south. Living in Florida now, and it’s no different. Went to New York and Minnesota and everyone was as sweet as could be.
Wow! The Washington Duke Inn Golf Club looks amazing! I love how classic and elegant the decor is and it looks like the service was amazing!
What a lovely place to stay. You can feel the true southern hospitality and charm of the inn. It looks like you had an amazing time and a nice, relaxing stay! The robe is a nice touch and you cracked me up with the wine pic! 🙂
North Carolina is one of my favorite places to go. Great review of the inn and I can certainly see why one would want to stay there.
Wow what an amazing place to visit! This is soo beautiful, I love your pictures! I would definitely love to visit one day. looks like a blast!! So pretty!
This looks like a beautiful,place to stay. I love staying at inns like this and I love the historical stuff they have here.
The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club looks like an amazing place to stay. It would be great for a weekend getaway.
I’m very impressed with the rooms and the decor. This sounded like a wonderful place to stay while visiting the area!
Having a very accommodating staff is a plus for me whenever I am checking in to a hotel. Still superb service and experience is what I want. Good to know you have an awesome staycation here.
This looks like a lovely place to relax and get some down time. I’ve never been before but I’d love to spend a weekend (or week!!!) there.
I am glad you found yourself a nice place to stay that truly gave you an experience to remember. I have not been to North Carolina yet, but if I do, I will have to find this place.
Thanks for sharing with us your experience at the Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club. It sure looks like a great place to stay, to relax and to feel pampered and special. I love that you wrote about the great service you got from the two valets, Chris and Donnie. I am sure they are happy that you appreciated them and mentioned them in your blog.
Beautiful accommodations and grounds and full of history. I like to stay in true comfort while traveling. Washington Duke Inn looks like it would make a perfect weekend getaway.
That looks like such a great place to stay. Such beautiful accommodations and grounds. I’m very impressed with the rooms and the decor .You can just feel the true southern hospitality and charm of the inn. I can certainly see why one would want to stay there.