Raleigh ladies

wlfpkbride

Can you recommend night of accommodations in downtown Raleigh or near RDU? We're not sure which area we would like to stay yet and we would like to check out both. We're going to look at the Sheraton downtown but that's all we have for now. TIA!

meredithl618

Def. check out the Marriott right next door. 

They've done some renovations and it looks really nice. But, make sure to make an appointment with someone in their sales department, so they can show you around/some rooms to talk to you about blocks.  We went one day and they couldn't really give us a lot of info or show us around bc the guy wasn't there. 

EDIT: My mom called them today to talk about room blocks. We most likely won't be using them because their policies make you pay for the hotel rooms even if people don't book them. Most hotels, you can give the rooms back if people don't book, but with them apparently you cant. You must pay for 90% of the block.  So i guess, I would NOT recommend them any more.  I heard this is a Marriott policy, so it may be all marriotts.  

On the other hand, we have had a great experience with the brand new hotel at crossroads, Four Points by Sheraton. We are getting a rate of $79 for our guests and I think it will be quite convenient for our wedding. 

GL!

LBM7189

I have stayed at the Sheraton Downtown and it is really nice and reasonable.

Near RDU is Homewood Suites in Cary.  We are using this for our OOT guests and the rate we were given was $64 a night........I would check them out.

wlfpkbride

I didn't even think about Four Points. That's like 2 minutes from my apartment! 

shigaites

Embassy Suites!!  When my friend got married this year she said their block rates were reasonable and you get the awesome breakfast the next day

Didn't they just build a new one near the airport too?  I know there's the one on Harrison but I think there's one even closer to the airport now.

ashstwrt

Not sure if you meant for you & your hubby to stay there....or for all of the guests, but I've always wanted to stay at The Umstead in Cary. It's relatively close to the airport and super swanky, but also super expensive. 

wlfpkbride

We're actually looking for hotel blocks and a suite for us. We would like to be close to the airport but we don't need our guests to be. Most of them will be driving in. We will arrange for someone to pick up the 2 or 3 that fly in. 

krispychikin

We had ours at the Sheraton and it worked out really well - they do however have some policy where if you don't fill out 80% of the block you create initially you have to pay the difference - it wasn't a problem for us - we just created the smallest block possible to start with and then added along the way.  But I understand people having concerns about that (if our reception wasn't there we probably would have looked more for another block).  We stayed in a suite on our wedding night (we got the big presidential suite for free since our wedding was there and it was amazinggg ) but the regular rooms are super nice so a suite there for you guys could be nice!

Another place for a block that's downtown is the Clarion on Hillsborough - my friend's wedding was held there and the rooms are good and go for like, $79 a night in the block.  She had no problems working with them.

Loved0603

Meredith,
Actually... that is not the Marriott policy as one of my friends is using the Marriott (Crabtree) and the block it is a hold ONLY.  Her wedding is in mid June and they have agreed to hold the rooms until the end of May at which time they will release the remaining blocked rooms to the public.  Downtown is sometimes wishy washy as they don't want to lose the opportunity to make money so that may be why their policies/guidelines are so rigid.  GOOD LUCK!