Enjoy US southern charm at North Carolina’s Proximity Hotel

Guest blogger Andrew Lisa reviews North Carolina’s eco-friendly Proximity Hotel – the first to be awarded LEED Platinum Hotel status in the USA.Proximity Hotel, lobby

I love North Carolina. I got married there. From the beautiful beaches in the east to the Great Smoky Mountains in the west, there is no state in the USA that offers such a perfect blend of cultural character and aesthetic beauty.

In the city of Greensboro, you’ll find the Proximity Hotel which is a perfect marriage of old-world Southern charm and the cutting edge of the modern green movement. Whether you see them or not, there are dozens of systems – from the lift which generates its own electricity, to the solar-panelled roof – that makes the hotel run on 40 per cent less energy than others in its class.

Accommodation

Speaking of class, every single one of the hotel’s 147 rooms exudes luxury. Complete with custom-designed furniture and commissioned art, every corner of the hotel is a statement to the fact that no expense was spared in making Proximity a top-tier destination hotel. Rooms vary from loft kings, to suites, to studios. There is something for everyone, and every room is beautifully furnished, lit and decorated.

Food

Dining options include the hotel’s sister business, the award-winning Print Works Bistro, which offers a brilliant wine selection, including many by the glass. Three walls of windows set the atmosphere, and if you’re just in the mood for drinks, there’s an old-school bar.

Proximity Hotel City SuiteFacilities

After you hit the fitness studio, which is next to the pool, check out the spa or book yourself an in-room massage. Hang out in the cavernous yet exquisite social lobby – wifi is complimentary there, as it is throughout the hotel.

Activities

Take advantage of the complimentary transportation to local shopping or dining. Not in the mood to drive? Enjoy the garden or get up and go on the Greenway, the local biking and hiking trail right outside of the hotel.

Recommended for… Business travellers – called the “best small city for business travel” by Entrepreneur Magazine, the Proximity just might be the best hotel into which a business person could land.

Be aware that… There have been reports of harassment of tourists in certain parts of Greensboro. The area surrounding the hotel is safe, but as with any city, do some research before exploring the town.

‘Good’ credentials:Proximity Hotel, reception

  • High-efficiency Kohler plumbing fixtures saved two million gallons of water in the first year alone
  • Over 1,500 pounds of debris were diverted from landfills by recycling 87 per cent of construction waste
  • Cutting-edge technology and construction allows the building to operate using 39.2 per cent less energy than a conventional hotel/restaurant
  • Large, energy-efficient ‘operable’ windows provide natural sunlight to 97 per cent of regularly occupied areas

For more information about the Proximity Hotel visit www.proximityhotel.com.

About the author: Andrew Lisa is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. He writes about travel and destination providers such as Bluegreen Resorts.

[google-map-v3 width=”550″ height=”350″ zoom=”12″ maptype=”roadmap” mapalign=”center” directionhint=”false” language=”default” poweredby=”false” maptypecontrol=”true” pancontrol=”true” zoomcontrol=”true” scalecontrol=”true” streetviewcontrol=”true” scrollwheelcontrol=”false” draggable=”true” tiltfourtyfive=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkermashupbubble=”false” addmarkerlist=”Greensboro, North Carolina{}cabin-2.png{}Proximity Hotel” bubbleautopan=”true” showbike=”false” showtraffic=”false” showpanoramio=”false”]