The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill turns 100 and they're celebrating their centennial with special events and exhibits.

We sent producer Rob Holliday to join the party.

[upbeat music] - Once you step foot into The Carolina Inn, you should be ready for a very unique experience because you know that you're in Chapel Hill and you know you're in North Carolina.

Not only just in the lobby, but all the touches that are throughout the spaces, including the guest rooms where there's nods to Chapel Hill, as well as the university.

- It's a beautiful little town that we have here.

And then, entering the doors of The Carolina Inn, it sort of just adds to that entire experience.

The ambiance, it's really hard to be in a bad mood at The Carolina Inn.

- [Robert] For decades now, guests have been dropping their bags and their worries off as soon as they check into one of The Carolina Inn's 185 guest rooms.

- And the way it was built, there's some very small rooms and there's some larger rooms, there's some suites.

But, you know, I think that doesn't matter, it's just being in the inn makes you feel great, and whether you're in a small room or a large room.

- [Robert] Or a ballroom in a booth or on a bar stool, but the fun, relaxing vibes aren't just limited to those staying at The Carolina Inn.

- The Carolina Inn has always had the philosophy that they wanna be a cornerstone of the community and the campus itself.

We really wanna be a go-to place for people to come together and enjoy all the festivities.

So we do a lot of programming to bring the community into our doors.

- [Robert] That includes hosting teas, dozens of weddings, and a popular series of parties open to the whole community.

Fridays on the front porch events run from April through October each year.

- It's sort of an end of week celebration.

[upbeat music] They have a band out there normally, so you can listen to music.

Young families bring children, it's great to watch the children play on the lawn.

You meet an awful lot of people, you can have good fun out there and good entertainment and good food.

- [Robert] And speaking of food, The Carolina Inn's full service restaurant is also open to both guests in the community.

- The Carolina Inn's restaurant is named Crossroads, and if you've ever been in Chapel Hill at class changing time, you can see why that it's named Crossroads because of it really is where both locals and students are crossing paths at the same time.

I think that a lot of the Southern dishes are usually what people are looking for, to just have a unique experience.

Pimento cheese, for example, people love Pimento cheese and they're definitely coming back for something like that.

- If you've never visited The Carolina Inn before, this is the perfect time.

And the reason why is a century in the making.

- The Carolina Inn turning 100 is pretty special.

Most hotels do not have that type of age on them, they've either been converted into something else or are not in business anymore, so this is something very unique.

The building has evolved over the years, from the '20s to the '40s to the '70s and '90s.

So there's different characteristics throughout the hotel that make it special and unique.

- [Robert] Photos from all the 11 of the inn's decades line the walls along with a special exhibit that features pieces from the past.

- Well, we're really excited to kick off this centennial year and there'll be events happening throughout the year, so they're not gonna be a one-time event.

There will be many specialty dinners, including like a Gatsby dinner that features 1920s menus and drinks from that era.

There'll be specialty teas that are gonna take place.

We just launched a centennial beer in partnership with Carolina Brewery, which is a local brewery to Chapel Hill, so we have our own name brand, we just launched our own coffee line.

- It's very exciting.

This place has been here 100 years.

You can go to a lot of historical sites around the country, but none have evolved, I think, like this has.

They've maintained the traditions, they've maintained the historical significance, and yet they've moved on with the modern times too.

- [Robert] And so, with a dual focus on honoring its past, while still preparing for its future, The Carolina Inn begins its second century, always striving to put a smile on the face of anyone who walks through the doors.

[upbeat music] - The Carolina Inn is at 211 Pittsboro Street in Chapel Hill, and they'll be having centennial celebrations throughout the year.

For more information, give them a call at 919-933-2001 or visit their website at hyatt.com and look under Carolina Inn.