The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Charlotte

What made my stay at The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Charlotte so memorable was the warm, personal care from the team. Every time I walked through the lobby, someone greeted me and made me feel welcome. That level of hospitality is rare, and I really appreciated it. Olivia, Jay, Jeffrey, Christoph, Blake, and Iva, along with so many other staff members, looked after me so well. When packages arrived, they helped bring them to me or track them down. They also handled my laundry quickly, then returned it beautifully packaged and prepared. Those thoughtful details made a difference. The hotel itself is beautiful and relaxing. I travel quite a bit, and the staff were consistently kind and professional from the moment I arrived. Thanks to the whole five-star team. I'm grateful, and I look forward to coming back.

Our room was immaculate, comfortable, and calming, a great place to unwind after an exciting day for the kids. Food and room service were outstanding too, arriving on time, tasting delicious, and delivered with care. Even during a one-night stay, each interaction felt polished but personal. We came to Charlotte to give our kids a holiday experience, and the team made it memorable. The managers and staff went out of their way to make the children feel special, welcome, and celebrated without us even having to ask. The front desk staff were warm, attentive, and engaging right from the start. You could tell they cared about us and about creating a meaningful experience for our family. That's what made The Ballantyne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, stand out. The staff and management created a lasting family memory, not just a place to stay. We'll absolutely be back.

The property itself is stunning, just what I'd expect from a Marriott Luxury Collection property franchised by Northwood Hospitality. We live in Charlotte and are long-time, very loyal Marriott customers, so we're familiar with their standards. We selected The Ballantyne for our daughter's Afternoon Tea bridal shower after attending its Afternoon Tea service on a weekend. I haven't stayed here, but I've attended events. The shower was disappointing. We had to find staff to fix incorrectly set-up things and replace dishes that were supposed to be clean but were dirty. There was little communication or organization around service. They forgot to serve until we asked near the end. When the drinks finally arrived, they were barely chilled, and many guests didn't want to drink so close to the event's end when they would soon be driving. The staff we encountered were very nice and apologetic, but that didn't undo an experience whose problems were obvious to our guests on such a special day. I contacted the salesperson who coordinated the event. The most they offered was to remove the champagne from the bill we'd prepaid. They kept the 24% automatic gratuity/service charge, and I still haven't heard from the salesperson's leader, whom I asked to contact me. The property is beautiful, but for what they charge, their execution of a small bridal shower was beyond disappointing. If they can't manage that, I can't imagine the chaos at a big wedding or busy event.

On the second day of my stay at the Ballantyne Hotel, I returned to find my room door held open by the security bar, leaving my personal belongings exposed to anyone passing by. There was also a microwave on the study table that I never requested. I called the Front Desk right away and asked what had happened. They only said, “This is out of protocol and we’ll look into it.” Twenty minutes later, the house keeping manager knocked, apologized, and removed the microwave. That was the only follow-up. Management didn't explain how they'd prevent this from happening again, check whether anything had been taken, or make sure I was okay. It was unnerving and ruined my last night in Charlotte. I was excited to stay after a friend's recommendation, and everything had been fine until then. Do your research before booking. Next time, I'll reserve at an ACTUAL reputable luxury hotel.