Pack Your Bags: A Traveler's Look at the Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge

It's long overdue, but I’m ecstatic to be reviving my “Pack Your Bags” segments with a hotel stay that was actually recent, and not before the birth of my children.  Yes, children certainly change things!  It took a lot of outside help, but my husband and I finally got out of town for a night without the kids.  This was our first overnight getaway in two years.  TWO years.  I can’t believe we let that happen.

For this momentous occasion, we chose the Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge in Charlotte, North Carolina, as our destination. 

The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge in Charlotte, NC
Photo Courtesy : Bissell
The luxury hotel is a member of Starwood’s prestigious Luxury Collection and is an easy three-hour drive from Raleigh.  It's  located in the Ballantyne area, which is about 20 minutes from Charlotte’s uptown.  The area is filled with boutiques and bistros. In the center of the area is the Ballantyne Hotel, with its championship PGA golf course and spa.

Photo Courtesy: Bissell 

On this cold and rainy February day, the hotel was our only destination for the night.  Our time was short, and we wanted to relax. We didn’t need to go anywhere else.  We’ll save that for another time. This trip was about recharging our batteries.  Kids can wear them down.  Besides, we had everything we needed with a beautiful spa, fitness center, and the award-winning Gallery Restaurant on the property.

The minute you walk into the Ballantyne Hotel, you immediately get a warm and inviting feeling.  Being a Southerner, I believe it embodies the grandeur of an Old South Country Club with a lot of Southern charm, but without any stuffiness.  Flowers, original art, and cozy sitting areas make you feel right at home.

The flowers in the entry way of the hotel

Original art can be found throughout the Ballantyne Hotel 
The lobby of the hotel around 5:30 pm
The delightful Juan-Carlos showed us to our room on the fourth floor.


We stayed in a grand deluxe king room overlooking the golf course with a parlor suite.   The parlor is an optional connection. It would be great for families because it has a sleeper sofa, another TV, and a second full bathroom. 

The Parlor Suite has an additional closet and a second full-bath

I cannot say enough great things about our room.  I loved the décor because my personal style tends to be more traditional.  I felt as if I were staying in a person’s Southern antebellum home on the golf course.

Even though we were in a deluxe king with the parlor connection.  All standard rooms look like our bedroom.

The view from our room

The true star of the room, though, was the bathroom with its lavish soaking tub and glass walk-in shower.  Even the tissue box matched the artwork and wallpaper.  As far as bathrooms go, this ranks as one of the best. 

I loved the mirror for make-up

Shhhh! But I am still enjoying the Remede and Gilchrist and Soames bath amenities back in Raleigh.  I love to take a little bit of luxury home.  Juan-Carlos told me that I could take the bath slippers, too, but I left them unused for the next lucky guest.  I also want to commend the hotel on cleanliness.  I was quite impressed.


Our room at the Ballantyne Hotel was a tranquil haven for us.  I found the perfect spot to read and sip on some wine, compliments of the hotel.  It is a delightful place to be. I know a lot of people don’t share my love for hotels and see them as just places to sleep, but, for me, what I’ve described to you is the most important part of the travel experience.  It sets the tone for my vacation, and it’s what I remember the most.  

I could really see myself coming back in the warm, summer months and enjoying the outdoor pool, too.  

Photo Courtesy: Bissell 
Even though we used this time without kids, the Ballantyne Hotel is kid-friendly.  My children would love the indoor and outdoor pools, and the hotel offers supervised summer activities,  a kid menu, as well as the SPG KidsPass program for dining.  I glanced at the kid’s menu briefly, and it had a number of options, from macaroni and cheese for my picky Baby Diva to a kid’s filet for my luxury-hotel, fine-dining-loving son. 

Can you tell I loved the hotel? Well, I loved the spa and restaurant, too.  I have not one thing to say negative about this hotel.  We did learn, though, that key cards don’t work if they’re placed near smartphones, but thanks to Juan-Carlos, he got us back in our room.

Stay tuned for the rest of the week, and I’ll update you on those adventures plus some great things to do in Charlotte.  Be sure to check out the great packages that the Ballantyne Hotel offers if you want to plan your next getaway.

The Ballantyne Hotel was just what we needed to recharge our batteries.



Want to Stay:
The Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge
A Starwood’s Luxury Collection Hotel and a Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four Diamond recognized hotel.
10000 Ballantyne Commons Parkway
Charlotte, NC



Disclaimer: My thanks to the Bissell Corporation for having me as a media guest. Even though my stay was complimentary, all opinions are my own. 

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