AC Hotel Chapel Hill Downtown

Notable as the first Marriott-branded modular construction project on the East Coast — with entire rooms built in a factory, then transported fully furnished to the job site — this property played a pivotal role in the revitalization of Chapel Hill’s central business district. Located at an intersection where business activity gives way to residential, the AC Hotel was designed to “step down” toward the houses, thus easing the transition between larger commercial buildings and neighborhood homes.

This AC Hotel is well positioned on Rosemary Street, with features like a community-inspired mural, a lobby bar, and an outdoor corner firepit to draw in pedestrians. Its central, walkable location makes it easy for hotel guests to park in the onsite garage, then get everywhere else via sneakers or bikes — including the nearby main campus of the University of North Carolina.