24 hours at the Ballantyne Hotel: 7 must-do activities on your staycation.

I love hotels. I love hotel bars. I love hotel hot tubs. I love hotel wedding watching.

Last weekend, we dropped our 2-year-old at my in-laws, but instead of just staring at each other around the house and joking about “What did we do before our child?” we decided to book a room at the Ballantyne Hotel (19 minutes from our house).

Staycation!

If you book in advance, a room at the Ballantyne Hotel costs $189 (plus tax).

You thought it was going to be more. Wrong.

Here’s 7 must-do activities on your Ballantyne Hotel staycation.

(1) Hit golf balls

Real grass. $7 for a bucket of balls. 2 putting greens (both in solid shape).

(2) Chill at spa & indoor pool

My wife got a facial. Loved it. Treatment came with a free white wine, champagne or mimosa. After her treatment, we chilled in the lounge chairs at the indoor pool.

The indoor pool had a table with free snack mix and fruit water.

Use the outdoor lounge chairs that overlook the 18th hole.

(3) Enjoy hotel room balcony view

Look out over the wonderland of B-town! Room was very, very nice.

(4) Watch a wedding, or two

The Ballantyne Hotel is a turnkey wedding venue – thus they’re always hosting weddings. There were two weddings at the hotel the night of our stay.

This made for excellent people watching – highlighted by the bride and groom taking photos on the 18th hole while golfers tried to play (cover image at the top of this story).

(5) Sip a cocktail on the hotel lobby veranda hightop tables

There are 6 hightop tables outside of the main hotel lobby and the inside bar wait staff will take your order. Overlooks the golf course.

My new, fancy drink order is a Dirty Grey Goose Martini, on the rocks (I hope you’re impressed).

(6) Dinner at The Gallery

We had an great experience here. Here’s an Agenda breakdown of their new fall menu. Outside of Beef ‘N Bottle, it’s the best service I’ve experienced at a Charlotte restaurant.

Nice touches included: choice of lemon, lime or cucumber in your water, three different butter options for your bread,  amuse-bouche and free macaroons at the end dinner.

I recommend the French Onion Soup and the 8oz Filet with Truffled Mashed Potatoes.

(7) Strolling the hotel with a drink

Aren’t you curious about the people who hang out at hotel bars on a Saturday night? Me too. Although, I guess it’s me.

The Ballantyne Hotel allows you to grab a drink at either or the hotel bars and take it with you anywhere around the hotel. Power strolling.

Bonus: The hotel has free wifi and I highly recommend waking up, purchasing a $2.50 coffee from the lobby bar (free refills) and doing some writing in one of the four leather chairs by the lobby fire place.

I need another staycation already.