Hotel Ballast Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

On a Business trip in the Carolinas, I decided to stay at Hotel Ballast in Wilmington. The kingroom was spacious and suited my need. It offers a beautiful view of the river and a possibility to see the boats moving and the battleships in the waters. The service was great. I was welcomed warmly by a crew that was available and attentive to my requests. The cafe as well as the restaurant at the hotel offer a vast menu to suit most palates. They open early in the morning for breakfast and stay open late for lunch and dinner. The bar is open late for night caps. The clientele of the hotel is cordial. I will stay there again.

Hotel Ballast has a great location in downtown Wilmington! Nice and friendly staff! We had great customer service from everyone we encountered starting with the valet, front desk personnel, each and every housekeeper all the way to the head of housekeeping. We accidentally left something and were delighted that housekeeping has a process in place to retrieve lost and found items. We’ve been to tons of resorts and hotels and typically if you leave something behind it’s gone, period, end of story. Thank you Hotel Ballast for keeping my item safe until I realized that I’d left it behind!!

I hosted a charity event here a few weekends ago and people have still been raving about it! I absolutely loved everything about the hotel, especially Samantha who was so helpful throughout the entire process. We booked the grand ballroom and everything went very smoothly. Their staff was so nice and helpful. Everything was very clean and organized, we had no issues at all. If you're thinking about having an event here I would highly recommend it, the banquet menu is amazing and the scenery it top tier. We've had this event for years and everyone agreed this year was the best, largely thanks to Hotel Ballast. The location is amazing too and it looks great for pictures, especially the riverwalk! I can't wait for us to host here again.

Overall a really nice hotel with great staff and a really good breakfast. The parking is $25 a night and the lots can get full but whenever we needed to park we were able to find a spot. The room itself was nice but there were a few little spots that needed some TLC, especially in the bathroom. But the bed was clean and comfortable and it was close to a few shops and restaurants so the location was great.

The hotel was very nice and the room was very comfortable. The only thing some people may not like is that there is no fridge. My wife and I being accustomed to boutique style hotels had no issues with that. The Italian restaurant, Hugo, was amazing. We were trying different spots around the city so we only had drinks and an app but they were amazing. This is a must do place in the city.

We had such an amazing visit at the Ballast! Erica and Maria checked on us often to make sure we had everything that we needed and we felt completely comfortable! The view of the Cape Fear River is amazing and so lovely. We cannot wait to come back to this historic Hotel! Thanks to all the staff at the Ballast.

Hotel Ballast Wilmington is one of our favorite places to stay in Wilmington, and this visit only reaffirmed why. The location truly cannot be beat—right on the Cape Fear River with direct access to the Riverwalk. Everything is within easy walking distance: restaurants, shops, breweries, and museums. During our stay, the Christmas lights along the Riverwalk were absolutely beautiful and added such a festive, romantic touch—especially since the Riverwalk is accessible straight from the hotel. Check-in was wonderful. The receptionist who helped us was incredible—so kind, welcoming, and genuinely pleasant, which set the tone for the entire stay. I also love that the hotel has a 24-hour gift shop, which is incredibly convenient. The on-site coffee shop is another big plus; while I do wish it had longer hours, it’s still so nice to have quality coffee available right in the hotel. This was an anniversary trip, and a return visit after loving Hotel Ballast during our honeymoon, so it meant a lot to us. We were greeted with sparkling champagne waiting in our room, which was such a thoughtful and romantic gesture. The only small oversight was that we were provided just one champagne flute, but it didn’t take away from the experience. Dining-wise, Sugo Italian Steakhouse was phenomenal and absolutely worth the price. Everything—from the food to the staff to the atmosphere—was top-notch and made for a perfect anniversary dinner. Unfortunately, the second restaurant, Board & Barrel, was a letdown. The food was overpriced for the quality we received, which was disappointing, especially compared to how exceptional Sugo was. Like many downtown areas, Wilmington does have a visible homeless population, and a few individuals were around the hotel during our stay. However, this never made us feel uncomfortable or unsafe and didn’t negatively impact our experience at all. Honestly, the most negative moments came from a couple of rude fellow hotel guests we encountered—but that in no way reflects on the hotel or its staff. We stayed in a suite, which we absolutely loved for its spaciousness and comfort. The only thing I wish it had was a microwave, as we did have to go downstairs to heat up leftovers. That said, we would absolutely stay here again—always in a suite. Hotel Ballast remains a favorite for us and continues to be our go-to when visiting Wilmington.

The beds and pillows are amazing. It is noisy on the street side, but the river side this time was as noisy. We frequent here when in town. I did go down to the restaurant to see if I could get some breakfast to go. No one greeted me, positioned in the back bar with her back to me. I decided to go to her since she was not coming to me. "Are you still serving "? She said um... looked at her watch and said," it's 11:55, I guess. Ugh, I left, got coffee, took my business elsewhere. By the way, the coffee lady, on 1/18/26, was the sweetest. She, literally made it all right. Sugar the night before for drinks.