By The Triad does not do hospitality the way the big resort towns do, and that is exactly the appeal. Across Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point you will find historic homes and grand old mansions that have been carefully turned into bed and breakfasts, the kind of place where the coffee is already brewing, the host knows the best table in town, and the walls hold a century of stories. Whether you are visiting for furniture market, a weekend of museums and Moravian cookies, or you simply want to play tourist in your own backyard, these inns are some of the most characterful places to stay in the Piedmont.
Why Choose a Triad Bed and Breakfast
Chain hotels have their place, but a good B&B trades the parking-lot anonymity for something more personal: a real breakfast made to order, hosts who live and breathe their city, and a building with architecture worth admiring. In the Triad, many of these inns sit inside historic districts within walking distance of downtown restaurants, museums, and parks, so you can leave the car parked and explore on foot. They also tend to be intimate, often fewer than a dozen rooms, which makes them ideal for couples, small reunions, and travelers who would rather be greeted by name than by a key-card kiosk.
One practical note for planning: these are independent inns, not large hotels, so room counts are small and weekends book up fast around High Point Market, college move-in weekends, and festival season. Reserve early, and call directly if you have questions about accessibility, parking, or special occasions. Many of these properties are also bookable through standard travel sites, but the inns themselves are usually happy to take a reservation by phone.
Greensboro: The Historic Magnolia House
If you only have time for one Triad inn with a story, make it the Historic Magnolia House in Greensboro. Housed in an 1889 Victorian-Italianate home, the Magnolia was one of the very few lodging options listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book for Black travelers crossing the Jim Crow South, appearing in the guide beginning in 1955. Opened as a hotel by Louise and Arthur Gist in 1949, it welcomed an extraordinary roster of guests, including Lena Horne, Ruth Brown, Satchel Paige, James Baldwin, and historian Carter G. Woodson, and it served as a gathering place for civil rights organizers from the NAACP, CORE, and the Freedom Riders.
Today the Magnolia House is a working bed and breakfast with four guest rooms, plus an on-site restaurant and bar, a lounge, and event space. It joined the National Park Service’s African American Civil Rights Network in 2023, and you can learn more about its place in history through the National Park Service. Staying here is as much an act of historical preservation as it is a comfortable night’s sleep. For locals, it is also a worthy place to bring out-of-town guests when you want to show them a Greensboro landmark that genuinely matters.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 442 Gorrell St., Greensboro, NC 27406
- Phone: (336) 617-3382
- More info: National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Rooms: Four guest rooms; complimentary breakfast included. On-site restaurant, bar, and event space.
- Good to know: Because there are only four rooms, book well ahead, and ask about restaurant hours and tours when you reserve. You can also find it listed on Visit Greensboro.
Winston-Salem: Sleeping Inside History
Winston-Salem leans hard into its history, and its inns reflect that. From the restored Moravian town of Old Salem to the grand mansions of the Historic West End, this is the strongest cluster of charming inns in the Triad.
The Zevely Inn, Old Salem
The Zevely Inn holds a unique distinction: it is the only bed and breakfast located within the historic district of Old Salem Museums and Gardens. The house dates to the 1840s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, restored to reflect its mid-19th-century Moravian roots. Several rooms feature working fireplaces, and a freshly prepared breakfast is served each morning in the sunny breakfast room. Stepping out the front door puts you on Main Street amid cobblestones, costumed interpreters, and the smell of fresh-baked Moravian cookies and bread, which makes it a dream base for exploring the district on foot.
- Address: 803 S. Main St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
- Phone: (336) 748-9299
- Website: zevelyinn.com
- Good to know: Daily breakfast is included, and the parlor offers coffee and conversation by the fireplace. Because it sits inside Old Salem, it is steps from the district’s shops, gardens, and museum buildings.
The Shaffner Inn, Historic West End
A short drive from Old Salem, the Shaffner Inn occupies a Queen Anne and Tudor-style mansion built in 1907 for Henry Fries Shaffner, a co-founder of Wachovia Loan and Trust. The house has been restored with its grand staircase, hand-carved tiger oak paneling, and original fireplaces intact, paired with modern touches like Wi-Fi and smart TVs. With eight guest rooms, a rooftop deck, and event space, it is a popular choice for weddings and special occasions as well as overnight stays. Complimentary breakfast is included.
- Address: 150 S. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
- Phone: (336) 777-0052
- Website: historicinnsws.com/the-shaffner-inn
- Good to know: Eight rooms only, so book ahead. Central downtown location near restaurants and the arts district.
The Summit Street Inns
For a slightly larger spread, the Summit Street Inns pair two restored late-1800s mansions, the Colonel Ludlow House and the B.J. Sheppard House, sitting side by side on Summit Street in the heart of the Historic West End. Together they offer around ten guest rooms with private spa-style bathrooms, mini-refrigerators, gardens, and shared amenities, all within a residential historic neighborhood that is walkable to downtown dining. The pairing makes it a comfortable option for couples and for small groups who want adjacent rooms with their own quiet character.
- Neighborhood: Summit Street, Historic West End, Winston-Salem, NC
- Website: historicinnsws.com
- Good to know: Both houses share management with the Shaffner Inn; call ahead through the Historic Inns of Winston-Salem for current availability and rates.
High Point: The J.H. Adams Inn
High Point is the furniture capital of the world, and its showpiece inn fits the part. The J.H. Adams Inn is built around a stately 1918 mansion, opened as an inn in 2001 after a careful restoration. With 31 individually decorated rooms it is larger than most B&Bs, blurring the line between boutique hotel and bed and breakfast, but it keeps the personal touch with complimentary breakfast and an on-site restaurant, Cristina Gray’s, serving French-American cuisine with seasonal Southern ingredients. It is a sensible base during High Point Market, when conventional hotel rooms across the Triad fill up months in advance, and it works just as well for a quiet weekend close to High Point University and the city’s museums.
- Address: 1108 N. Main St., High Point, NC 27262
- Phone: (336) 882-3267
- Website: jhadamsinn.com
- Rooms: 31 rooms; complimentary breakfast, on-site restaurant, fitness center, and event space.
- Good to know: Rooms book extremely early around the spring and fall High Point Market; reserve as soon as your dates are set.
Tips for Booking a Triad B&B
- Reserve early and call directly. These inns have small room counts, and weekends tied to festivals, college calendars, and High Point Market sell out fastest. A phone call also lets you ask about parking, accessibility, and dietary needs before you arrive.
- Ask what breakfast looks like. Most of these properties include a made-to-order or hosted breakfast, which is part of the charm and a real value. Confirm serving times so you can plan your morning.
- Mind check-in windows. Unlike a 24-hour hotel front desk, small inns often have set check-in hours. Let your host know your arrival time, especially for late or early arrivals.
- Use the visitor bureaus. For a fuller list of historic stays and current events, the Visit Winston-Salem and Visit Greensboro sites are reliable starting points.
Planning tip: If your goal is to soak up history on foot, base yourself at the Zevely Inn in Old Salem or the Magnolia House near downtown Greensboro, where you can walk to museums, gardens, and restaurants without moving the car. If you are coming for High Point Market, book the J.H. Adams Inn the moment your dates are confirmed, because the entire Triad’s lodging tightens up around those weeks.