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. This is probably the nicest place to stay in Hillsborough. Tell them I sent you and you’ll get a 20% discount.
The Inn at Teardrops: NOVEMBER 2024 UPDATE: Closed for the time being. Built in the 1750s and located next door to the Colonial Inn, the inn is furnished with antiques and 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
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.