Housed in a 19th-century Italianate-style mansion, lovingly restored by husband-and-wife team Jeff and Sarah Shepherd, Heights House offers a destination stay in Raleigh’s Boylan Heights. The mansion, built in 1858 by William Montfort Boylan, had been abandoned and fallen into disrepair before the Shepherds’ vision brought it to life in partnership with Maurer Architecture, Greg Paul Builders, and Bryan Costello Design.
The restoration highlights features like the stunning two-story circular foyer with its stained-glass skylight and wraparound staircase. The nine rooms, including honeymoon and deluxe king suites, are a combination of the five original rooms with a seamless extension to the property that added four more. In-room accents like custom tiled bathrooms in earth tones, original fireplaces, and a mix of modern and Italianate art and furnishings, as well as unique selections of poetry and art books, give each room its own elegant vibe while also maintaining the hotel’s overall sense of luxurious minimalism.
The four downstairs main rooms of the house—the library, the parlor, the dining room, and the drawing room—are welcoming public spaces with cozy seating and objets d’art. In the morning you can eat a complimentary breakfast from an elegant buffet sourced by local bakeries Boulted Bread, lucettegrace, and A Place at the Table. From 4 to 9 p.m., order a cocktail and charcuterie at the parlor bar and sit outside on the porch or on the lawn around the firepit.
The hotel also offers regular events for both guests and locals. For a special treat, book a weekend afternoon tea service for a taste of sweet and savory pastries from contemporary patisserie lucettegrace paired with Rishi tea. There’s also a monthly supper club with an Italian-inspired menu from chef Liz Grandchamp of Grandchamp Hospitality, and monthly live music on the lawn.
