21c Museum Hotel Durham

When we valet parked we had the nicest gentleman help us and he was very friendly so we were excited…..then went to the 2nd Floor to check in and were told at 4:15 that our room wasn’t ready. We asked when did he think it would be ready, he replied I don’t know. That was it I don’t know. Well ask someone who does know was my thought. He took our phone number and said we would call us. 2 other couples were told the same thing. As we sat in the lobby we noticed that they were called up after about 20 minutes to get their room. Went back up him and asked if our room was ready and he still looked dumbfounded. We dealt with the lady beside him and she checked us right in? It was all very puzzling and seems the front desk staff needed further training. And yes some of the light switches didn’t work, elevators were confusing. We love old buildings and they have done a great job ascetically, but definitely seemed run down as far as upkeep was concerned. I love boutique hotels, just not this one.

I stayed for one night at 21C Museum Hotel in Durham in late April 2025. From the moment I spoke with David (Valet parking services), I experienced outstanding customer service. David was friendly, explained where we were, restaurants in the area, local happenings, took me to the lobby on the second floor, and then later brought up my mobile phone which had slid off my lap when I exited my car. As I arrived before checkin time, I checked out the artwork on the first, second and lower level to include the vault. Blake with the front desk team gave me a warm welcome and showed me where to go. The room itself was nicely appointed and clean. The bed, pillows, towels and all were comfortable and clean. This hotel is a fun, solid choice for a stay in downtown Durham. The Oak Room around the corner is a good choice for coffee. Loaf has delicious pastries. Catering for our meeting in the ground floor meeting room was outstanding and the AV team worked diligently to make sure all the microphones and equipment worked well.

This is our "go to" hotel when we want to stay overnight in Durham. It's literally like staying in an Art Museum. The pieces are very thought provoking and interesting. The hotel is quiet, modern and very well kept. The rooms are quite comfortable. I liked the small couch and table in the deluxe king room. There is also a roomy refrigerator. The space is well used to give you those extra amenities. The bathroom was a good size with a large shower and enough shelf space for toiletries. Our room was across from the elevator and we could hear a low mechanical hum before we went to sleep. It was not loud and did not keep us awake. The bed and pillows were very comfortable. I can't say enough about the staff! Everyone that we interacted with from the valet, to the bar and front desk staff were so friendly and helpful. If you are going to an event at DPAC this is the perfect place to stay, just a five minute walk away.

The room was very nice, both the bed and pillows were very comfortable. Amy Graham at the front desk was very helpful to me prior to coming to the hotel. She provided great customer service to me and my wife. Also the bartender on Friday night was fun to talk to and he also made us feel at home.

It is my personal opinion that the hotel needs a serious renovation. From the furniture, flooring, equipment all need updating. The entrance /elevator bank area is very cold feeling. Only 2 of the 4 elevators actually work - 1 got stuck with people in it while there, 1 of the broken down ones have the wires sticking out. In the rooms there is constant noise of something running all night long. It is hit or miss if the light switches work or varies from if the lights actually turn on or off. The bed itself is very hard and uncomfortable. In the hallway there was large quantities of missing ceiling tile. I would highly recommend to the hotel that they do a true top down renovation from tile to paint to systems. It is in a prime area in Durham and has the potential but I do not recommend staying here in its current condition