Published by Carl. Last Updated on July 29, 2024.
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The Cardinal Hotel in Winston-Salem is one of our favorite places to stay, combining the iconic and historic Reynolds Building with Kimpton, a brand known for designing more than a hotel.
There is no reason to leave this Piedmont hotel, but if you must, The Kimpton Cardinal Hotel is surrounded by many fun things to do in Winston-Salem.
Before we even dare set foot outside this magnificent building, let’s explore one of our favorite hotels in North Carolina from top to bottom (literally) and share precisely what you’ll find there and why we’ll be back.
Read More: 100+ Unique Things to Do In North Carolina (Your NC Bucket List)
Things We Love About The Kimpton Cardinal Hotel
Starting with the historic building, here are all the things we love about the Cardinal Hotel in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Amazing Location
Address: 51 4th St E, Winston-Salem, NC
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The first thing we love about the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel is its fantastic location in downtown Winston-Salem. Stay here, and you’ll be close to the city’s best restaurants, nearby breweries, and more Winston-Salem attractions.
You can visually travel to the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel with our North Carolina Travel Map and Central North Carolina Map.
Exploring the Reynolds Building
Before it became a Winston-Salem hotel, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company called this Art Deco skyscraper home from its construction in 1929 through the 1970s.
The Reynolds Building might look familiar to you because its architects (Shreve & Lamb) went on to build a larger version, which we call the Empire State Building in New York City.
An even more fun fact is that you can even see a Father’s Day card addressed to the Reynolds Building from the staff in New York just beyond the first floor elevators.
Note: Historic significance and extravagance of building materials (including black marble from Belgium and gold leaf-festooned lobby ceiling) also landed this place on the National Register of Historic Places as of 2014. Also, tobacco may run through all the historic veins of the building, but it is now smoke-free for visitors.
Read More: 125+ Important Facts About North Carolina You Should Know (History, Geography, and More!)
That Kimpton Touch
If you come to this hotel to sleep, you can. But I would recommend you get out and enjoy at least a few of these carefully designed amenities.
The Living Room
In true Kimpton style, The Cardinal Hotel (named for North Carolina’s state bird) is much more than a place to stay. The downstairs living room is perfect for morning coffee, early evening wine, or food and water for your dog throughout the day and night.
The Rec Room
Even the basement is worth exploring, as you’ll find when bowling (yes, bowling!), shooting hoops, or playing table tennis in the recreation area. There’s also a shuffleboard table, a chess set, and a gigantic scrabble board. But who’s keeping score?
“Forgot it? We got it!”
Another cool feature I like about Kimpton is their “Forgot it? We got it!” lifesaver. We mistakenly left our toothpaste at home, and they graciously gave us a travel-sized replacement free of charge.
You can borrow a yoga mat, an umbrella, and more. To me, that’s how service should be!
Rooms with a View
Or you can chill out in your room with a nice view out of your window. The views from our side were very nice, overlooking the Wake Forest Innovation Quarter R.J. Reynolds Smokestack, and a former power plant.
Our little one was happy with the super comfy bed, even if she slept in her pack-n’-play, which we placed on another side of the room.
In front of the bed, there’s a nice desk for getting work done and a huge TV above it for when you lounge and binge-watch something fun.
Food at The Katharine
The Katharine (Named after R.J. Reynolds’ wife) is the on-site Brasserie where you’ll partake in one of the best food experiences a person will ever find.
I don’t want to tell you what to eat, but you should at least start with some oysters, escargot, French onion soup, and their pan-fried chicken with spaetzle. Whoops! Maybe I did tell you after all! You’ll thank me later.
Read More: 25+ Delicious Winston-Salem Restaurants for Foodies and Date Nights
Meeting Spaces & Wedding Halls
The Cardinal’s massive meeting space can easily accommodate you if you’re having a wedding, business meeting, or any other social gathering.
With over 6,000 square feet of meeting spaces, you can start on the ground or go to the 20th floor.
I’m partial to the latter, considering you can see the entire city and as far as Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock State Park on clear days.
Read More: 58 Excellent Day Trips from Greensboro (Within a 2-Hour Drive)
Nearby Fun Things to Do
Looking for fun things to do in Winston-Salem outside this fun hotel? You’re within a short walk or bike ride (check the lobby for loaner availability) from the Downtown Arts District and tons of cool restaurants.
Winston-Salem’s breweries represent well in the Triad’s and North Carolina’s beer scene and I’d recommend a trip to at least Foothills Brewing and Small Batch Beer Co.
Take a minute to relax more and visit Reynolda Village, a beautiful historic home/museum and garden designed by Katharine and RJ Reynolds. Spend time at the historic town of Old Salem and go back to early America.
Ready to Stay at The Cardinal Hotel in Winston-Salem?
The Cardinal Hotel’s homey interior smites us, with excellent service, and delicious creations from the Katharine. Hopefully, you can visit the Empire State Building’s father and witness what we experienced.
Have you ever spent time at The Kimpton Cardinal Hotel? How about Winston-Salem? If not, what’s the first thing you’d like to do here? We’d love to read your answer in the comments section below!
Don’t forget to share your Winston-Salem adventures in our North Carolina Travel Facebook Group.
More Things to Do in Winston-Salem
We’ve created many more NC Travel Guides that feature the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel and nearby attractions. Here are a few of them.
