There’s no such thing as a free lunch, but at the Franklin Hotel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, there’s free breakfast and I’m not talking watery buffet ala Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn Express and other chains.


This luxury boutique hotel just blocks from the University of North Carolina offers a sit-down breakfast in their gorgeous Windows restaurants complete with full menu, a waiter in a white jacket and the personal attention that convinced Conde Nast Johansens, the London based luxury hotel guide, to include this 67-room hotel on its list of recommended properties.

It’s a kick to sit down at a restaurant, open the menu and not have to quibble over prices. Because there are NO prices. You can sit down in this light-filled, arched window restaurant and feel like Donald Trump who orders what he wants, price be damned. Everything on the menu is absolutely free.

And speaking of menus, the Franklin also offers a menu of pillows. Try one or try them all. From Hungarian goose down feather pillows to allergy-free hypodown pillows, the fairytale princess from Princess and the Pea would be hard-pressed to feel a pea through all that down. Not that she’d probably notice. She’d be too busy nestling into the 740-thread count sheets and the English tapestry foot quilt. Other fun features are the marble bath tubs, the white noise machine and the “Do Not Disturb” button that you can set from your bed.

But the best thing about the Franklin is its location. It’s smack dab in the heart of downtown, right along Franklin Street. You can walk to the university, you can walk to Morehead Planetarium, you can walk to both the stadiums. And when you walk back, the cozy lobby bar, called the Roberts at The Franklin, will be waiting with a delectable lineup of martinis and wine. With an Italian marble fireplace, exquisite carved ceilings and a baby grand piano, this Carolina gathering spot is perfect for putting your feet up, discussing the Tarheels latest victory or watching the mass of humanity that streams down Franklin Street.

The Franklin Hotel, 311 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, 919.442.9000.