Spotlight

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(May 2008) Known for its gracious hospitality, superb cuisine and exceptional service, the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is nestled on 300 acres of tall pines and stately hardwoods in the heart of North Carolina. The Inn boasts 271 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, a Robert Trent Jones-designed 18-hole championship golf course and superb meeting facilities for groups from 20 to 600. The AAA Four Diamond rating has been bestowed upon both the Inn and its flagship restaurant, the Fairview Dining Room.

Located on the campus of Duke University, in Durham, NC, the Inn is only twenty minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport and ten minutes from Research Triangle Park and as such is convenient to many local points of interest.

The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is named for noted industrialist and philanthropist, Washington Duke (1820-1905), and the property maintains proud connections with the Duke family. The hotel lobby and hallways are graced with Duke family treasures and art. The Inn’s crest, recognized as a symbol of quality and excellence, shares elements with the Duke family coat of arms.

The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club originally opened in 1988 and underwent a $25 million total renovation and expansion in 2005. It is the only luxury hotel and conference center in the region with a championship golf course on property.

Built in 1957, the Duke University Golf Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and was redesigned by Jones’ son, Rees Jones, in 1993. Its practice areas were significantly expanded and enhanced in 2005. Because of the mild climate, golfers enjoy a fabulous turn-of-the-century golfing environment all year.

The Inn’s entrance is opposite Science Drive at 3001 Cameron Boulevard, just .6 mile from the junction of NC 15-501 and Highway 751. Guests enter the property between a pair of impressive stone gates and descend through an alley of oak trees and seasonal flowers leading to the hotel’s porte-cochere. The gracious exterior gives the property a look of antiquity befitting an Old English estate.

The main parking area is to the right, with ample valet parking available for those who desire this amenity. Just steps from the parking area, visitors find themselves at the Inn’s grand front entrance. Rich mahogany doors, bracketed by two concrete lions, each resting next to a six-foot potted English Ivy topiary, open to a world where hospitality and service reign supreme. The Inn is a smoke-free facility.

PUBLIC AREAS
Lobby
With a 16-foot high ceiling and four square mahogany fluted columns, the Inn’s lobby exhibits an Old World charm. The gleaming gray slate floor is highlighted with a Persian rug placed beneath a circular oak table showcasing seasonal exotic floral arrangements. An antique highboy containing Duke family heirlooms of china figurines and tableware stands by the leaded-glass doors leading left off the lobby to the Bull Durham Bar.

On the right-hand side of the lobby is the front desk, which features a chest-high counter and is back-dropped by four original botanical prints. Hospitable staff members are always on hand to greet visitors and attend to their needs.

The concierge desk is directly opposite the front desk where guests will find helpful and knowledgeable staff members to respond to their requests for information about area dining experiences, tourist or business destinations and to assist them in arranging transportation.

Beyond the concierge desk is a sunlit hallway leading to the Fairview Dining Room and Vista Restaurant. It is also a route guests may use to access the Inn’s state-of-the-art Executive Conference Center. An integral part of the hotel’s total renovation and expansion, the Executive Conference Center enjoys membership in the prestigious International Association of Conference Centers of North America.
Along the way to each destination, one can view busts of the Duke family, gowns worn by the Duke women or family photographs of Washington Duke’s descendants.

Gift Shop, Golf Shop, Fitness and Swimming Areas
To the right of the lobby is a hallway decorated with Duke family portraits, Old English landscape and floral paintings and limited edition photographs of historic Duke University.

The Gift Shop carries Duke apparel, newspapers, stuffed animals, treats made in North Carolina such as Moravian Sugar Cookies and Carolina Cupboard Moonshine Cordials, and the basics guests might need during their stay.

The Golf Shop, recognized by the Professional Golf Association as one of the best shops in the Carolinas, sells golf equipment and apparel bearing the Duke University emblem and offers breathtaking views of the legendary course.

The Fitness Center includes treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes and more. Free weights will be added summer 2008. The 12 x 6-meter heated indoor swimming pool is ideal for a relaxing dip or, with its dedicated lap lane, a full workout. There are several meeting spaces off the hallway, including the elegant Duke University Room, as well as two executive boardrooms named for former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford and for Ben Holloway, a grandson of Washington Duke who helped build the hotel.

Sunroom
Heading straight through the lobby, visitors can relax in the light, airy and impeccably appointed Sunroom. It is the perfect place to enjoy one’s morning cup of coffee or a cup of tea come afternoon. French doors and a bay of mullioned windows offer a panoramic view of two outside terraces, the golf course’s 18th hole and its practice green.

Terraces
The semi-circular, flagstone upper terrace offers awning-covered Brown Jordan wrought iron and glass furniture. This overlooks the golf course and a lower terrace landscaped with seasonal flowers and plants. Majestic Willow oaks, maples, crape myrtles and the like provide a shady haven for guests to enjoy the gentle Carolina evenings.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Each room and suite at the Inn overlooks the magnificent championship Duke University Golf Course or offers other stunning views of the hotel’s impeccably landscaped grounds. The comfortable, yet elegant décor is inspired by that found in traditional English country inns. Handicapped-accessible rooms are available.

The Inn’s luxurious family-friendly suites offer a bit more space than found in its standard guest rooms. These suites feature a king bed for the adults and bunk beds for the kids. Cribs and sitting services are available as well.

The Inn offers uncompromising service and comfort throughout, with nightly turndown, extra-thick 100% cotton linens, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, mini bar, digital safe, Gilchrist & Soames soaps, shampoo and lotions and wireless Internet access and voice mail.

Other amenities include:

• 24-hour in-room dining
• Mini bar
• Twice daily housekeeping service
• Lighted make-up mirror
• Concierge service
• Desk and workstation
• Wireless and T1 Internet connection, separate from phone line
• Windows that open
• Valet service and free parking
• Immediate access to the Duke University Golf Club
• Complimentary daily newspaper, Monday through Friday
• Express check-out
• Private prearranged transportation to airport and local area, through concierge or conference planner
• Same-day laundry and valet

The Presidential Suite
The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club’s Presidential Suite offers discerning travelers the ultimate in luxury accommodations. With 1,500 square feet of elegant space, guests will find it the perfect location for brief or extended stays.

An impeccable Italian marble floor leads into a well-appointed living room where visitors will find: a hand-hewn armoire offering abundant storage space, a spacious executive desk, a work chair that fits to a tee and a large plasma screen television.

The refined yet comfortable dining room can be set with the Inn’s formal china and can accommodate as few as two or as many as eight visitors. The space is outfitted with a full butler’s pantry.

For enjoying the fine weather and impressive views, nothing is better than the suite’s grand walkout balcony overlooking the first tee, the practice green, and the ninth and 18th greens of the Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course.

Fairview Dining Room
Located at the prestigious Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, the Fairview Dining Room is the city’s only AAA Four Diamond-rated restaurant. The Inn is also a recipient of the AAA Four Diamond rating.

The Fairview is locally, regionally and nationally renowned for its seasonally inspired contemporary cuisine, exceptional service, extensive wine list and glorious vistas of the prestigious Robert Trent Jones-designed Duke University Golf Course.

Named after the impressive Victorian-style mansion built by Washington Duke in the late 1800s, the restaurant is surrounded by rolling hills and tall Carolina loblolly pine trees and exudes a warm English country inn atmosphere.

Executive Chef Jason Cunningham leads the talented culinary staff that creates the restaurant’s award-winning fare. Cunningham has extensive experience in Four Diamond establishments, including The Wheatleigh Hotel and Blantyre, both in Lenox, Massachusetts.

To delight and engage the most discriminating of palates, Cunningham utilizes locally grown foods and pairs these delicacies with the finest ingredients from around the world. The Fairview is perfectly appointed with English antiques and fine paintings and boasts decorative fabrics and carpets in rich hues that enhance the luxurious dining experience. Its outdoor terrace is the ideal place to enjoy both the extraordinary cuisine and the region’s fine weather.

To further enhance its premier dining experience, the Fairview has assembled an extensive wine list featuring 250 varieties of the world’s finest vintages. Forty of these esteemed labels are available by the glass. French, Italian and American wines comprise the wine collection, which consistently receives the Wine Spectator magazine’s Award of Excellence.

Afternoon Tea
A fantastic way to unwind after a day of shopping or meetings. The Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club serves Afternoon Tea in the Fairview Dining Room, Tuesday through Sunday on the half hour from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reservations are required.

• The Classic Tea: Choose from a wide selection of teas from Taylor's of Harrogate, established 1886. Served with a variety of tea sandwiches, fresh homemade scones and a variety of handcrafted sweets.
• The Tea Royale: The Classic Tea served with a glass of French champagne or mimosa.

Sunday Jazz Brunch
Classic eggs Benedict, brioche French toast, wild Scottish salmon, shrimp and grits and roasted pork tenderloin are just a few of the choices available on the Fairview’s brunch menu. Entrée prices range from $23 to $45 and include an appetizer and dessert.

Breakfast
This first of the day meal boasts more than 18 different cooked items, a varied assortment of breads, cereals, fresh fruits, juices, coffees and omelets. Breakfast prices range from $8 to $14.

Lunch
Local favorites include the Washington Duke shrimp and corn chowder and the Fairview jumbo lump crab cake served with fried green tomatoes, lemon parsley sauce and chipotle aïoli. Menu choices include soups, salads and entrees ranging from $6 to $19.

Dinner
The Fairview’s dinner menu offers salads and small gourmet dishes from $6 to $17 with main courses ranging from $20 to $35 for a grilled 8-ounce certified Angus beef filet mignon accompanied by whipped potatoes, grilled asparagus and served with either a Stilton fondue or cabernet reduction.

Tasting menus feature additional seasonal delights from the culinary staff. The Fairview’s sommelier is on hand to assist diners in selecting the perfect wine pairings to complement their fare.

Dessert
The Fairview’s extensive dessert menu offers treats such as Meyer lemon crème brulée and Madagascar vanilla soufflé, home-churned ice creams and sorbets with fresh berries and artisanal cheese plates. Dessert prices range from $8 to $12. Coffee, tea, brandy, cognac, sherry, port, dessert wine and Maderia are available.

Bull Durham Bar
The relaxed, intimate atmosphere at the Bull Durham Bar provides the perfect place to unwind and enjoy cocktails, hearty fare and gourmet delights after a round of golf or harried business day. A full lunch menu is offered and a light menu is available throughout the day. Visitors can enjoy golf course views from their table. Comfortable seating is available by the fireplace or at the bar. (Updated May 2008)