Historic Raleigh Hotel Reimagined with $36 Million Renovation Celebrating Local Character and Design

Hotel Indigo Raleigh has reopened after an extensive $36 million renovation that transformed the 1969 landmark building while honoring its iconic curved architecture. The 204-room boutique property features contemporary interiors by New York design firm Inc., incorporating sculptural elements, local North Carolina artwork, and warm oak finishes that reflect the city's identity as the "City of Oaks." The hotel now includes a new 20th-floor restaurant and lounge called High Ground offering Southern cuisine and city views.

The 1969 building's distinctive circular design became the primary architectural inspiration for the interior overhaul, guiding decisions about form and spatial flow throughout the property. The renovation team prioritized connecting guests and residents to local culture through carefully curated North Carolina artwork and natural materials like cork and oak, creating spaces that reflect regional identity rather than generic hotel aesthetics.

The ground floor transformation represents a shift in the property's function, converting previously enclosed areas into an open community lounge and integrating a vintage Airstream coffee bar as a functional gathering point. This design approach acknowledges the building's decades of community significance while repositioning it as a mixed-use social hub rather than a traditional guest-only facility.