When traveling to hang out with my daughter in Raleigh, it has long been a frustration that I have not found the perfect accommodation to make my visits great. Now that I've discovered The Longleaf, I'm set. The establishment is retro without being corny. It used to be the moribund Days Inn, a mid-60s motel updated in the mid 1980s. The Longleaf's owners kept the bones of the original motel, gave it a 'hot wash' and updated it with minimalist décor that is cool yet doesn't scream "We are really hip. Really!" It gives it a bracing, clean Western Motel vibe.
There is an inviting, low-key lounge and patio that is quite popular but definately NOT 'Glenwood South' popular. Nice.
Rooms and the lobby have little, low-key luxury details and service at a reasonable price. Rooms are clean and smell nice. In the bathroom, towels and fixtures are no-nonsense but are comparable to what you might find at upper tier hotels. Also, it might not be very manly to say but the baths are stocked with Malin and Goetz products so you might emerge from your shower smelling the best THAT YOU HAVE EVER SMELLED.
