When it comes to our vacations, we go as much for our accommodations (and sometimes more) as we do for the destination. We’ve always believed that any vacation should be special and memorable no matter if you’re going to a larger city, or just venturing to a local 2-3 hours from your hometown.
For our visit to the Umstead, we had several things we knew we wanted to experience during our stay. If you’re considering a stay at the Umstead Hotel & Spa (which is THE place to stay when you’re visiting the Cary/Raleigh area) here are some tips on things you should check out during your stay.
Order room service
This is a must, as far as we’re concerned, no matter where we’re staying, but the room service at the Umstead Hotel & Spa is beyond exceptional. You can order everything from your room via the iPad on your bedside table which makes things so much easier than flipping through a book and calling down to room service. The staff are so helpful and willing to do anything to make your stay more enjoyable. What impressed us the most about our room service was the fact that the food was some of the best we’ve ever tasted. EVER.
Suggestions: Club Sandwich, Sandwich/Soup featuring the best butternut squash soup you’ve ever tasted (per mom) and the Blueberry Pancakes are a must for breakfast. (You can get traditional, banana or chocolate chip if you’d prefer.)
Visit the hotel gallery
Along with the art that is featured throughout the hotel (including a piece by glass sculpture artist Dale Chihuly) the Umstead has an art gallery that features a particular artist. Cynthia Knapp’s work is on display through November 30th, so if you’re planning a visit to the Umstead before the end of the month, definitely check it out. In addition to the paintings in the gallery, there are smaller works for purchase in the hotel’s gift shop.
Check out the Spa
While we didn’t have spa treatments during our first stay at the Umstead, we did visit the spa located on the hotels ground floor. You can look through the list of treatment options while you’re in the spa shop or take one of the pamphlets up to your room if you need more time to decide. We definitely plan on booking appointment at the spa during our next stay at the Umstead.
Enjoy Afternoon Tea
We’d heard so many good things about the Afternoon Tea at the Umstead, which has been on lists as one of the best Afternoon Tea destinations in the US. You can enjoy your tea with views of the hotels Chihuly sculpture and your waitress will guide you through your three course tea experience.
Note: All afternoon tea reservations must be booked in advance of your stay, and cannot be canceled/refunded.
To see more from our afternoon tea at the Umstead, check out the post coming to the blog on Monday!
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