Can a hotel 20 minutes from home really feel like a getaway? We spend a workday, dinner, and overnight downtown to find out.
By Dathan Kazsuk
What do you think of when someone says “staycation?”
I guess it is supposed to be a vacation without really leaving the city, right? A chance to check into a hotel close to home, pretend the kids—human or furry—are good on their own for a night, and experience the city you call home like someone visiting it for the first time.
For me, my latest staycation looked a little different.
I was spending the day working from a downtown Raleigh hotel, laptop open in a stylish lobby, surrounded by comfortable furniture and good lighting. Then, when 4 p.m. rolled around, I could close a few tabs, pull up a seat at the bar and order a handcrafted cocktail.
Somehow, answering emails had turned into vacation.
And I hadn’t even left Wake County.
My home for the night was Tempo by Hilton Raleigh Downtown, the new lifestyle hotel at the corner of Davie and McDowell streets.
If all goes well, maybe this becomes a regular thing: checking into some of the Triangle’s hotels to find out where you can work, eat, drink, relax and spend the night. And if you’re visiting Raleigh for a conference, convention, or something like GalaxyCon, perhaps I can help you figure out which hotels are worth considering.
Checking In at Tempo Raleigh
I pulled into Tempo’s valet area—the only on-site parking option—and unloaded one duffel bag and my laptop. Valet parking runs $30 overnight or $15 for the day.
After entering on the second floor, I followed the staircase toward the lobby, passing a large mural depicting hundreds of books lining shelves.
At ground level is Moonsong Bar + Café, serving Bluestone Lane coffee, smoothies and à la carte breakfast items from 6–11 a.m. Dinner and drinks, including spirit-free options, are available from 4–10 p.m.
Before we go much further, however, we need to clear up one potentially confusing detail.
Tempo shares the building with Homewood Suites by Hilton Raleigh Downtown.
The two hotels use the same lobby, café and several public spaces, but they are separate Hilton brands. Tempo has 127 rooms geared primarily toward shorter stays, while Homewood Suites has 134 extended-stay units featuring kitchens and separate living areas.
That explains why the café’s complimentary breakfast is for Homewood Suites guests rather than those staying at Tempo.
General Manager Jared Reed says the setup allows Hilton to serve two different kinds of travelers from the same building.
Tempo, he says, is aimed at the “modern business and leisure traveler,” particularly guests looking for a contemporary hotel experience during shorter stays.
For locals, that positioning also makes it an interesting staycation option.
“Tempo offers the opportunity to get away without going far,” Reed says. Guests can experience downtown Raleigh with dining, amenities, and entertainment available without needing to venture far from the hotel.
What’s Inside the Room?
My room was on the 10th floor, and the amenities immediately caught my attention.
There was a Bodum gooseneck kettle with Copper Cow pour-over coffee and Happy Lab tea, a mini refrigerator, 65-inch smart TV, fabric steamer, and a Bluetooth-enabled bathroom mirror.
Each floor also has a hydration station where guests can refill water bottles rather than accumulating a collection of hotel-room plastic bottles.
Naturally, I immediately connected my phone to the bathroom mirror and fired up my latest Amazon Music playlist, It Came From Manchester, featuring New Order, Happy Mondays, The Smiths, The Stone Roses and more.
Then it was back downstairs to get some work done.
But first, a public service announcement.
Tempo uses destination-dispatch elevators.
They are not broken. You do not need to outsmart them.
Enter your floor before getting on. The screen tells you which elevator to take. Get into that elevator. There are no floor buttons inside because it already knows where you’re going.
I’ve watched people struggle with these on cruise ships and in hotels, jumping into random elevators and searching the walls for buttons as though technology has personally betrayed them.
We do not need to make this difficult.
Press your floor. Follow the letter. Let the elevator do its job.
Exploring the Hotel—and Downtown Raleigh
Tempo also offers a 24-hour fitness center, conference rooms, and plenty of lounging areas if you’re looking to work somewhere besides your room.
There’s weekday dry cleaning, and near the front desk you’ll find drinks and snacks ranging from chips and chocolate to ready-to-drink cocktails, single-serving wines and full bottles.
That’s for all you messy Marvins and late-night snackers out there.
One of Tempo’s biggest advantages, however, is what sits right outside.
Within a few blocks are Crank Arm Brewing Company, The Pit Authentic Barbecue, Parkside Restaurant and plenty more. I eventually wandered over to Whiskey Kitchen for an afternoon cocktail before heading back to the hotel.
Because dinner was waiting 14 floors up.
Dinner at Urban Oak
Urban Oak, Tempo’s rooftop restaurant and lounge, may be one of the hotel’s biggest selling points—even if you’re not spending the night.
Patios on both sides offer elevated views across downtown Raleigh, and depending on what’s happening nearby, you might even catch a few distant notes from Red Hat Amphitheater. I was hoping to listen to some Bob Dylan in the distance, but the weather had other plans, and the show was canceled that evening.
Executive chef Jon Pettit describes Urban Oak as an “upscale, laid-back atmosphere.”
“We’re going to promise you one thing, but we’re always going to deliver one step above,” Pettit says.
The menu intentionally leans toward smaller, shareable dishes, including lamb meatballs, tuna crudo, oysters Rockefeller, salads, and Pettit’s personal favorite: popcorn chicken thighs served with Alabama white sauce.
For a larger meal, Pettit recommends the 14-ounce ribeye with charred spring onions and bordelaise.
I went burger.
The Urban Oak smash burger arrived with two patties, cheddar, house pickles, Napa cabbage and spicy Dijon aioli on a toasted brioche bun.
Think high-end Big Mac.
And yes, that’s a compliment.
Add a plateful of crispy fries, and I was perfectly happy.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re here for,” Pettit says. “There’s something for everybody.”
That’s also what Reed wants Urban Oak to become: not simply “the restaurant inside the hotel,” but a downtown destination of its own.
“It is very important that Urban Oak feels like a true part of Raleigh and attracts local business,” he says.
And that’s probably the best way to look at Tempo itself.
You don’t necessarily need to be flying into Raleigh or attending a convention to have a reason to check in.
Sometimes a getaway can be 20 minutes from home.
You can work from the lobby, wander downtown for a cocktail, eat dinner overlooking the Raleigh skyline, turn on some music in your bathroom mirror and sleep somewhere you don’t have to make the bed the next morning.
Reed says he hopes people leave remembering Tempo as “modern, comfortable, and different from a typical hotel stay,” but especially remember the service, atmosphere, and ease of the experience.
His ideal reaction?
“That was a great stay. I would come back.”
Mine wasn’t all that different.
And I barely had to leave home to get there.
The Checkout
Best for: Couples/staycation/business/nightlife
Don’t miss: Urban Oak, Moonsong Bar + Cafe
Walkability: Excellent
Would I return?: Yes
Dathan’s take: Great selection of cocktails and beer, but if you’re looking to stretch your legs downtown, be sure to visit Whiskey Kitchen and/or Crank Arm Brewing Company.
