I travel a great deal for business, and I made a conscious choice for 2011 to limit "chain" hotels. Whenever it fits my budget, I'm trying to stay in places with a bit more warmth, charm, and a personal touch. Well, the Duke Mansion wins the gold star so far! What an unexpected find. This Mansion is wonderfully situated in a tree-lined neighborhood of gorgeous stately homes. Beautiful grounds and an air of elegance that takes you back to a time when ladies and gents waltzed the night away - REALLY! I absolutely loved the character, personality, and the period piece antiques that furnished my room. I stayed in what I think is the smallest room on the third floor (309). The room was extremely cozy and intimate which I like. There was a lovely view overlooking the grounds and trees. The bedding and bath were clean and pristine - simply a MUST for me. Upgraded bath fixtures, comfy bathrobes, and a flat screen tv complimented the room. The place was super quiet (Sunday night) so no problems sleeping. There weren't many guests during my stay. I wanted to sleep in next day and to my pleasant surprise, staff informed me that with the completion of selections the night before, breakfast could be delivered to my room. Nice touch for a B&B and the meal was beautifully presented and soooo scrumptuous! They even brought me a space heater because I was a bit chilly and the switch hadn't been made from air conditioning. The neighborhood was so lovely I had to venture out for a walk which I did. There are lots of shops, eateries, and a grocery store. I came back after dark and felt perfectly safe (single female) walking back to the Mansion alone. I only wish I could have stayed longer - the next time I'm in the area, I will definitely stay here again! Fine job :)

This is my second stay this year in The Duke Mansion. This is an interesting not-for-profit trust running the Mansion. The rooms are amazingly spacious, decor is antique reproduction, and the beds/linens very nice and comfortable. The bathrooms are also very spacious. I don't normally stay in bed and breakfasts for business, but this is big enough for a lot of privacy and is very quiet. I almost feel like I am on a retreat instead of a business trip. Ethernet internet is included. Nice flat screen TVs. The food is good for breakfast. Service is top notch - very well trained to cater to the elite traveler. Highly recommended for romance or business. Probably not the best for children unless they are very quiet.

This B&B was recommended by both friends and family, none of whom stayed here themselves but had always wanted to. We're glad we did! It was a lot of fun staying here and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Becky gave us a warm welcome and a fantastic room with sleeping porch overlooking the back yard from the 2nd floor. The room was elegant, spacious and comfortably air-conditioned, with 2 sets of french doors opening onto the porch, which was surrounded by old oak, tulip, and magnolia trees that towered over the 3-story house. Both the room and porch had 12-foot ceilings. The house has a working elevator, which made moving luggage easier, but the rest of the time, we used the wide staircase. The grounds occupy 4 acres on a sloping hill and is worthwhile investigating. The children's garden is particularly delightful.

Breakfasts were wonderful with a good choice of menu items made to order and plenty of fresh fruit, coffee, and juices. It is served in what used to be the library. Every one we interacted with was friendly, pleasant, and easy to engage in conversation.

We had originally planned on going downtown to find some historical streets to explore -- until we realized we were in the middle of one of Charlotte's most historical (and affluent) neighborhoods, Meyers Park. Be sure to ask the staff for a copy of their walking guide around the neighborhood, it'll take you down tree-shaded streets past some of the more beautiful and historically significant homes in Charlotte.

The Mansion is also within a few blocks of some very good restaurants, so the whole time we were here, we hoofed it. It was great, relaxing way to spend a few days before heading towards the coast.

Great stay here for a wedding, beautiful historic building, lovely staff, thoroughly enjoyed it.