Downtown Hillsborough
Hillsborough was one of the most important inland towns in colonial North Carolina and sports a fine collection of period homes. It has some very nice restaurants and is even starting to have a nightlife. Here’s the lodging options in town:
Colonial Inn: Located in downtown Hillsborough a block from Churton Street’s restaurants and bars, the Colonial Inn was built in 1838 and totally restored in 2020 after years of neglect. Should be a very nice place to stay.
The Inn at Teardrops: Built in the 1750s and located next door to the Colonial Inn, this is probably the nicest place to stay in Hillsborough. Furnished with antiques, woodworkers will notice scrub-plane marks on the doors and ceilings. The rooms do not have a TV. The owner bought one of Curtis Buchanan’s first chairs in the mid ’80s, proof of his good taste. A restaurant-worthy breakfast is included. The inn is located a block from Churton Street’s restaurants and bars. Five miles of back roads gets you to my place. Tell the owner I sent you, and he’ll give you a healthy discount. Tom Roberts 919-418-2488 JULY 2023 UPDATE: Closed for the time being.
Microtel Inn: Located in the middle of Hillsborough’s attempt at a shopping district. It also has Hillsborough’s attempt at rush hour each morning. Four miles from me. Students seem to find it a decent and inexpensive place to stay.
Holiday Inn: Just down the street, and a step up from the Microtel.
Airbnb
There are many options that can be booked through Airbnb.com. The following ones are people that I know or places students have recommended. Note: The price at the top of the Airbnb.com page may not apply for your dates, so enter your dates to check pricing.
Rick and Betsy: They are a lovely couple with a lovely house in the country less than five minutes from me. I met them when they bought some chairs from me and we have become friends. It has a fridge, microwave, coffee maker and they will let you use their grill if you ask. Students that have stayed here seem to have enjoyed it.
Carriage House: One of my students stayed here and highly recommends it. 2 bedroom, one bath, kitchen. It is about a 10 minute drive though country roads to my shop.
Studio 226: A basement apartment at a reasonable price in downtown Hillsborough. Folks who have stayed there report a full kitchen and normal ceiling height, but no windows. They said they would stay there again.
Priceline: Some folks have luck bidding $50 on Priceline and other lodging bid sites for 4 star hotels in Chapel Hill/Durham.
Camping: The closest place to tent camp is Eno River State Park. I think they only have rustic camping. There are privately-owned campgrounds in Durham and Alamance County, though I am not aware of any close to Hillsborough. Here is a list of local camping sites, though you will want to contact them first to be sure they are in operation.
Spring Hill RV Park: “Very nice wooded park,” according to one of my students. About 20 minutes from my shop.
Jones Station RV Park: A brand new RV campground located about 10 minutes from me.