RALEIGH, N.C. — Tourist destinations in the Triangle, as well as across the state, are welcoming more visitors as COVID-19 restrictions are loosened and more people go on trips.

Visit Raleigh says Wake County has more than 17,000 hotel rooms, but one boutique hotel is looking to offer something different for Raleigh visitors after they turned a Civil War-era mansion into a new place to stay.


What You Need To Know

  • The Heights House Hotel is a new boutique hotel in Raleigh

  • The building is a renovated Civil War era mansion in the Boylan Heights neighborhood

  • The owners are hoping to preserve a piece of history, while offering people a unique place to stay

The Heights House Hotel is steps from downtown, nestled among the trees in the historic Boylan Heights neighborhood.

“It’s such a unique house, and there are not many houses like this still standing in Raleigh,” Sarah Shepherd, one of the hotel owners, said. “The house was built in 1858. It’s been a mostly residential house except for a church in the 50s, 60s, 70s. It’s been such a mystery to the community, so we really wanted to take it on and open it up to the public, local community and people who are traveling to Raleigh."

 At the Height House Hotel, the past is embraced.

“The ceiling heights, the plaster work, the unique architecture are unique for the time and you don’t see it anymore,” said Jeff Shepherd, one of the hotel owners.
 
Jeff and Sarah Shepherd are placing an emphasis on preserving what’s left, before it’s gone.

“You see, even over the years we have lived here, that old homes are getting torn down and condos are being built. It feels good to save a piece of Raleigh,” Sarah Shepherd said.
 
The hotel can also be rented out as a wedding venue or event space for things like fundraisers.

During the renovation process, the owners partnered with quite a few small, local businesses, including one furniture shop in High Point.