Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Ballast

The nine-story Hotel Ballast, part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection, aptly contains features of both a boutique hotel and a corporate chain. It has direct access to the riverfront boardwalk and it's just a few blocks from the heart of the historic district. Half the rooms have terrific views of the river and the USS North Carolina—the rest have views of the city. There's a vast free parking lot, a trendy outdoor dining and lounge area with a small pool, and two on-site restaurants, plus a coffee shop.