Kimpton Cardinal Hotel by IHG

The Kimpton Cardinal is a beautiful, clean place with an amazing Art Deco feel. The building used to be the RJ Reynolds corporate office, and apparently it was a precursor to the Empire State Building. You can sense that history in the building. There’s a big sitting area in the lobby, where we had a wine social from 5-6pm. The restaurant and bar are on the other side of the first floor. Dinner and breakfast were excellent, and Taylor, Kristina, Gregory, and the rest of the staff were attentive and friendly. The menu leaned fancier than I prefer, but I liked the arugula salad at dinner and veggie quiche for breakfast. We got a one-bedroom suite, with plenty of space to hang out. It had a desk, wardrobe, foldout couch, coffee table, side chair, and TV. The fridge was full of snacks and alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks for an extra charge; I didn’t try any. The bedroom was huge, and I think the bed was a king. The bathroom was huge too, but there was nowhere to hang a towel by the shower. A full bathtub inside the walk-in shower was odd, and the sliding door offered little privacy. The furniture and sheets seemed new. A big thank you to the helpful staff everywhere. Alyssa and Lydia at the front desk helped us change our credit card, use our welcome amenity drink credit, and book restaurants. This was my second stay at the Kimpton Cardinal, after a work visit, and this time I came with family for a quick weekend in the area. Both stays were outstanding. I’d definitely return, though there isn’t much to do outside the property itself in Winston-Salem.

I’ve photographed at this hotel several times without ever being asked to leave. Before coming to tonight’s shoot, I checked online and saw that photography was “welcomed and encouraged,” with no mention of needing to book a time. About five minutes into the shoot, I was told to leave, which would have been fine if the man and woman had just listened. When I tried to explain what I’d seen online, the man talked over me to my clients. I felt small and dismissed. If they don’t want the publicity photographers can bring, that’s their choice, but they should at least listen and not talk down to people. I wouldn’t consider staying here now. My clients, who had been looking at booking their wedding night here, felt the same way. Call and schedule a time first. I’d do that next time, but I definitely won’t be back.

The complimentary social hour with vinyl records was a great touch, and the hotel is really convenient for downtown W-S. The place has such a cool feel, with architectural history mixed with modern style and elegance. The staff were great, the bathroom suite was massive, and the amenities were amazing. The basement was a wow too. I’ve never seen quite another hotel like this. You could stay here the whole time and still have fun. I’ll definitely be back.

The restaurant and bar are great, and you should try the steak au poivre. Rooms are unusual but clean, and the showers have really refreshing pressure. The property is super cute, with distinctive things to do: an indoor half-court basketball court, two bowling lanes, foosball, shuffleboard, and a huge slide. This will be my choice next time I’m in town.