Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Cary / The Umstead Hotel and Spa
The Umstead Hotel and Spa
Cary, North Carolina, United States · Independent · Grand Luxury
Jim and Ann Goodnight, the SAS co-founders, opened The Umstead on January 15, 2007, on 12 lakefront acres in Cary beside the SAS campus, and named it for William B. Umstead State Park half a mile away. It is North Carolina's only Forbes Five-Star hotel, and its restaurant Herons and its spa hold Five Stars too. A Dale Chihuly sculpture anchors an art collection that is more than 60 percent local and regional artists.
- 150 rooms
- Opened 2007
- Rooms from 540 sq ft (50 m²)
About The Umstead Hotel and Spa
- North Carolina's only Forbes Five-Star hotel; Herons and The Umstead Spa also hold Forbes Five-Star, a triple the hotel has repeated into 2026.
- Jim and Ann Goodnight opened it on 15 January 2007 on 12 lakefront acres beside the SAS campus, and named it for William B. Umstead State Park half a mile away.
- The permanent art collection includes work by Dale Chihuly; more than 60 percent of the pieces are by local and regional artists, with a gallery that rotates seasonally.
- Entry-level rooms start at 540 sq ft (50 m²).
Restaurants and bars
- Herons — Restaurant
Experiences
- Herons Restaurant — Signature restaurant, one of only 64 Forbes Five-Star restaurants worldwide; hosts food and wine pairing dinners.
- The Umstead Spa — Spa consistently acclaimed among the best in the Raleigh area, offering spa therapies and beauty treatments.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- AAA Five Diamond (2026)
- Forbes Five-Star Restaurant (2026)
- Forbes Five-Star Spa (2026)
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
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