Sotherly Hotels Inc. has completed its $10 million renovation of Hotel Ballast, formerly the Hilton Wilmington Riverside, at 301 N. Water St. in downtown Wilmington.

The company is celebrating a grand unveiling this week of the landmark property's refreshed interior and exterior and rebranding, which were announced last year.

“We are excited to complete this conversion and to launch Hotel Ballast as the premiere boutique hotel in Eastern North Carolina,” said Drew Sims, CEO of Sotherly Hotels Inc., in a news release.

Upgrades were made to all 272 of the hotel’s guestrooms (shown below), including new laminate flooring, artwork and bathroom fixtures (shown at right). In addition, the lobby, meeting spaces, restaurants and all public areas have been redone.

Design highlights include the addition of a communal library area and a gallery featuring artwork from the Savannah College of Art and Design. The riverfront pool and terrace have been refurbished, with updates including the installation of cabanas, lounge furniture, fire pits and an outdoor bar that is accessible from the Riverwalk and open to the public on weekends.

Other notable aspects of the renovation and rebranding effort include the addition of Board and Barrel, a new restaurant that features casual indoor/outdoor dining and seasonal live music, and Buffalo Bayou Coffee and Pantry, a gourmet-to-go café serving locally ground coffees and house made light fare.

“An anchor of hospitality and tourism for over five decades, it is exciting to see that rich history infused into a stunning new product. We look forward to welcoming our neighbors and travelers home to Hotel Ballast for the next 50 years to come,“ said Karen Morganti, director of sales and marketing for Hotel Ballast.

A landmark in historic downtown Wilmington, Hotel Ballast first opened as an inn in 1970, playing a vital role in downtown’s major revitalization efforts. The hotel’s name honors the maritime history of Wilmington and draws upon its riverfront location on the Cape Fear River.

Read about the hotel's new restaurants in Wednesday's Restaurant Roundup.