A girl's weekend in Charlotte was made so special by the accent on service of every hotel and restaurant employee we met. A trip to the uptown Mint Museum, shopping at Ikea,and a wonderful morning in the hotel pools and whirlpool made our stay fun, relaxing, and memorable. I loved the decor and just being away from the look-alike hotel chains. I also appreciated being in an upscale developed area south of Charlotte...no issues with security or feeling safe here.

We stayed here on New Years Eve on our way home from vacation in Florida. To be honest was a little nervous being that it was NYE and they had a party for all the hotel guests (free) in the grand foyer. We arrived at 4pm and were upgraded to a suite which was an awesome surprise (especially since I had booked used reward points). Very spacious and lovely with a view of the lodge and golf course. Since I was not sure what time we were going to arrive I didn't make any dinner plans but we were able to eat in one of the bar areas with the same menu that was in the dining room. It was a much smaller menu due to being NYE but there were any choices suitable for all tastes. The food was very good and the service was excellent. We did go down to the NYE party which was fun in a laid back way. There were several children there (I'd say over 10) so my 16 yr old didn't feel so out of place hanging with us old folks. No one was loud or inappropriate and there was plenty of staff just in case. Great DJ playing music (my 16 yr old approved the music choices) and a free champagne toast at midnight. All in all a great night. Had the breakfast buffet the next morning which was the standard fare but was very appreciative when my server was able to get me eggs over hard instead of the scrambled on the buffet. The staff was very nice, friendly and helpful. The only complaint I have (which several people mentioned) is the charge for internet (my pet peeve). But I'd still stay here again if we are ever in Charlotte again.

This is one of the very few times that I was not in my home for Christmas. My husband and I went to Charlotte to spend Christmas with our son and his family. The Hotel was beautifully decorated and everyone was so friendly. We hope to visit the Ballantyne Hotel again soon.

We were looking for a driving distance family winter break for our family of 4 (Dad, Mom, 3 and 5-year old girls) and decided to try the the Ballantyne.

We live in central VA with a limited number of options - we've gone to the Hyatt Chesapeake Bay (very good, but limited off-resort options), the Greenbrier (ditto and very expensive) and the Sheraton Virginia Beach (property only ok, nothing to do in winter).

Overall, I'd say we had a very good stay. I used points to book a Parlor Suite - the one-class-upgrade booking @ 11,500 points for what amounted to 2 very nice full rooms, the second with a pull-out couch that was perfect for the girls.

The killer feature for us at any property like this is the indoor pool, which was small but very nice and hardly busy while we were there. There are also indoor lap pools (the motorized kind) and a whirlpool, as well as a very nice fitness center.

I would describe the setting as suburban - Ballantyne is a planned community in Southern Charlotte, so it's not really a resort the way the Greenbrier is, but for us that's a plus. We were able to drive easily to the Charlotte Children's Museum, the Children's Theater, as well as having literally dozens of eating choices within easy reach of the hotel.

We ate one night at the Gallery, the onsite restaurant. While everything was very good, nothing was really great (except the service). That was a little disappointing for a restaurant with many good write-ups and prices to match. Did room service for breakfast both days (the girls love it) - it was quick and not outrageously priced. I should also mention the quick and complementary valet parking, which was also fast and attentive.

For a quick family getaway, especially in winter where swimming is a big plus, I'd certainly go again.