Why the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Is a Hidden Gem [2025 Review]

Having recently stayed at the Carolina Inn, a Destination by Hyatt hotel, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, I can say that this is now one of my favorite boutique hotels where you can redeem a World of Hyatt Category 1-4 free night certificate.

The hotel is well-situated in the middle of the college town of Chapel Hill, and with the nightly rates the hotel tends to charge, it’s a great use of points!

Here are 5 things you need to know about the Carolina Inn.

1. It’s a Fantastic Use of Points

First and foremost, I’ve got to mention my main reason for liking the Carolina Inn so much: It’s such a value when using World of Hyatt points. I stayed at this hotel in early April 2025 to attend a conference at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) campus, which is just steps away from the front door (more on that in a moment).

Because of the hotel’s location, it was almost sold out to a wedding and families visiting their kids at the college. Rates were well above $500 a night, making it an extremely pricey stay for the event I had to be at.

Fortunately, award space (a standard room) had opened up on the night I needed it. Since the hotel is a Category 4 and my date was peak pricing, it cost 18,000 World of Hyatt points. Not wanting to part with 18,000 points, I used a free Category 1-4 free night certificate that I’d obtained with The World of Hyatt Credit Card.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

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The World of Hyatt Credit Card

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.

Up to 60,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$900

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes your Hyatt stays more rewarding and helps you get coveted World of Hyatt elite status faster. This card is a must-have for any traveler who regularly stays at Hyatt hotels, or even for anyone who’s able to take advantage of the card’s annual free night certificate.

When you factor in all the benefits the World of Hyatt card offers, it’s easy to see why it is one of the best co-branded hotel credit cards on the market.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• 2x points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, rideshares, and fitness clubs/gym memberships
• 1x point per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $95 annual fee

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Card Highlights

• Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
• Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
• Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
• Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
• Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
• Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
• Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

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The busy weekend I was visiting the hotel didn’t appear to be an anomaly. Checking other dates throughout the year yielded high rates as well, so if you’re looking for a great-value hotel to redeem your points at, this is one of them.

2. Location Is Everything

If you’re visiting Chapel Hill, this hotel is in a great spot for pretty much anything you’d want to do. It is 1 block away from the main shopping street in town and right in the heart of the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This hotel is incredibly popular during weekends when parents might visit or when there are sporting events in town. You can walk from the hotel to almost all buildings on the campus, making it a great place to park and not have to worry about moving your car at all during your trip.

During my visit, I attended a conference a block away in one of the academic buildings. It was so nice to wake up, have breakfast, and just walk the block down the street to where I needed to be without having to deal with a car or further transit.

3. The Airport and Train Are Not Nearby

My big gripe about this hotel is that while the location is fabulous for visiting the town and university, it’s far from public transit. There is no good public transit to Chapel Hill. Amtrak serves Raleigh, but this is about 35 minutes away from the hotel by car. If you’re able to, Durham is actually closer at about 20 minutes away (without traffic).

The Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is about 25 minutes away, but there isn’t a direct bus or rail connection to Chapel Hill. So you need to rely on a rental car, taxi, or ride-sharing service to actually get to the hotel.

On my visit, I arrived at the Durham Amtrak station, knowing this station was closer than the bigger city of Raleigh. From there, I stayed the night and then took an Uber the next day to the hotel. With traffic, it actually ended up taking around 45 minutes, and the ride was around $30 or so. I would have preferred if there had been some type of rail connection.

From near the Durham train station, the Route 400 GoTriangle bus takes about an hour to get to the stop on the same block as the Carolina Inn. The standard fare is $2.50, but kids under 12 and adults over 65 can ride free.

4. Rooms Are Small

While I certainly will give props to this hotel and would stay here again, one of the biggest drawbacks is the room sizes. I was assigned a queen bedroom, and it was mighty tiny — I think I’ve actually had rooms in New York City that were bigger!

Upon entering the room, there was a desk to the left and then the bed immediately to the right. There was little space to walk around, and there really wasn’t a comfortable place to sit or relax. Of course, I could have booked a larger room, but I had to reserve a standard room to use my free night certificate. Then, upon check-in, there were no further upgrades available because the hotel was sold out.

I had friends staying in a nearby room with 2 queen beds, and that room seemed substantially larger than my room. Of course, it was bigger because of the second bed, but I also found it had a lot more space to walk around in.

5. Pantry

One of the unique things about the Carolina Inn is that it has a pantry for Globalist guests. You’re automatically given access to this room as part of your status — no further purchase is necessary. Think of it as a small lounge without any seating.

The pantry is a walk-in closet with a refrigerator for nonalcoholic beverages and a counter for packaged chips, cookies, and granola bars.

It’s not an extensive selection, but the hotel’s a great place to grab a quick drink or a late-night snack if you’re hungry. I really admire this concept, and it’s a good middle ground between having a lounge and not having one.

While there’s not necessarily a limit on what you can take, you should use common sense, only take the food and drinks you’re going to consume, and leave plenty for other guests.

Final Thoughts

As many know, using a Hyatt Category 1-4 certificate can be pretty difficult if you’re trying to maximize your stay at a nice hotel. The selection of eligible properties is smaller than ever before, but there’s a hidden gem of a hotel in Chapel Hill: the Carolina Inn. This has become one of my new favorite hotels for using this certificate, and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again, especially when redeeming points or staying on a free night certificate!

The hotel’s location is spot-on, making it the perfect choice for visitors to the Chapel Hill area or the University of North Carolina.