Located in the neighborhood of SouthPark—six miles from the core of uptown Charlotte, Canopy by Hilton Charlotte SouthPark opened last month, becoming the first Canopy hotel in North Carolina. Providing guests with an experience inspired by Southern heritage and local design elements, this 150-room hotel offers an upscale, yet hospitable, environment reflected through its interiors as a natural extension of the community.
“During the design process, we took our design cues from this rich location steeped in history and culture and explored the aesthetic of a gracious Southern home with English origins. It’s something that still resonates today in a lifestyle of relaxed formality—where comfort and graciousness are pervasive in the region. This design inspiration led the conception of this warm and welcoming lifestyle hotel,” said Rafael Berkowitz, design director, Wilson Associates’ New York studio.
Upon entering the foyer in the lobby, guests are greeted by an elegant console and beautiful flower arrangement, which leads to the reception desk. The lobby has been conceived as the grand room of the “home,” which features layered textures and a white-washed color palette for a fresh, clean and casual atmosphere—similar to traditional Southern residences. The Lobby Retreat offers a comfortable arrangement of modern and traditional furniture set around an open fireplace. Also ideal for social gatherings, Fine & Fettle is the hotel’s official restaurant, serving a modern spin on the Southern experience. Bridging the gap between the outdoors and indoors, the Canopy Central is connected to the Verandah.
“We incorporated residential-inspired furniture and fabrics that you would commonly find in the Charlotte area throughout the public spaces,” Berkowitz said. “For example, the hotel’s official restaurant—Fine & Fettle—has a communal table and furniture adorned with traditional fabrics and pops of color. The restaurant also showcases a faceted mirror wall along with traditional vintage plate-ware art installation.”
The hotel provides 150 “Just Right” guestrooms, including four suites, that showcase a modern spin on Southern traditional bedrooms. The design highlight of the accommodations is the Canopy bed, inspired by the traditional half tester bed, which is reinterpreted as a sculptural, wooden modern version of draped fabric canopies. In keeping with the Southern-style theme, the guestrooms provide Canopy’s signature “uncloseted” open wardrobe with Southern louver screens as the main element to define this brand component. Traditional and contemporary furniture pieces are mixed in the guestrooms to provide a residential feel—all anchored by an area rug with a vibrant pattern and colors, inspired by a commonly used technique of flame-stitch fabrics.
The Southern residential inspired aesthetic continues throughout the extensive meeting and event areas, totaling 9,000 sq. ft. The design of the grand ballroom and smaller breakout rooms draws inspiration from a home study and library with rich finishes and curated artwork from local artists. Additionally, the carpeting features North Carolina tartan-inspired patterns and colors—tying back to the roots of SouthPark. The layout of the event spaces ensures that the grand ballroom is connected to the terrace while the elegant butler’s pantry supports both the event space and garden terrace.
The fitness center’s design captures the energy of the space by offering a playful use of colorful wallpapers that have “traditional” prints with a twist—unexpected contemporary “objects” not found in its original versions are inserted in the patterns.
“Connection to the neighborhood is key for the Canopy by Hilton brand,” Berkowitz said. “For Canopy by Hilton Charlotte SouthPark, we ensured the hotel naturally felt like one of the grand homes in the SouthPark neighborhood. The residential feel helps our guests relax and/or work in a comfortable, thoughtful environment that makes the most of their stay.”
