Authentically Winston-Salem
The Story of Graylyn
Located just minutes from downtown Winston-Salem, Graylyn was once the country estate of Bowman and Nathalie Gray, who built the Norman Revival-style Manor House in the late 1920s. Today, Graylyn reigns as one of the country’s most enchanting and historic hotels, doubling as a sophisticated and highly sought-after executive conference center with 85 guest rooms and uniquely distinctive event space.
Services & Amenities
- Graylyn Dining Area for formal dining all-day
- Grille Room for casual dining and cocktails
- In-room dining (7am - 9pm)
- Unlimited complimentary ice cream
- Complimentary refreshments
- Mrs. Gray’s butterscotch cookies every afternoon
- Outdoor swimming pool *seasonal*
- Tennis court & loaner racquets and tennis balls
- Outdoor pond with fishing poles available for guests to use
- Walking/jogging maps
- Graylyn Historic Timeline
- Lawn games
- Bicycles available for guests to ride
- 25,000 sq. ft. of private indoor and outdoor event space
- 15 meeting rooms
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Complimentary transportation to/from Reynolda Village
- Complimentary parking
1925
Bowman Gray, a former president and chairman of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and his wife, Nathalie, purchased 87 acres of land previously belonging to Reynolda House, the extensive estate owned by R. J. Reynolds.
1928
The groundbreaking was on January 15. Built in the Norman Revival style, the Manor House featured steel and concrete construction with a veneer of fieldstone from local quarries. As many as 136 people worked on the construction of the estate at one time.
1932
The Gray family moved into the Manor House in 1932. With approximately 60 rooms, the house was one of the largest in North Carolina, second only to Biltmore. The grounds and gardens were designed by Thomas Sears of Philadelphia, PA.
1935
On July 7, Bowman Gray died while vacationing with his family aboard a ship in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. He was buried at sea.
1935-39
The Grays’ sons, Bowman, Jr. and Gordon, and their wives moved into the Graylyn Estate. In 1938, Nathalie Gray married Mr. Benjamin Bernard, and moved into what is now known as Bernard Cottage, where she lived until her death in 1961.
1946
Mrs. Gray and her sons gave the estate to the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University. The estate served as an academic hospital facility until 1959. From 1959 to 1972, it housed many academic programs for the medical school.
1972
Gordon Gray purchased the estate from the medical school and, on the same day, donated Graylyn to Wake Forest University.
1980
On June 22, a fire ignited on the third floor of the Manor House during an outdoor concert by the Winston-Salem Symphony. The following day, the president of Wake Forest University, Dr. James Ralph Scales, announced that the home would be restored to its original splendor.
1984
In January, Graylyn International Conference Center opened following a $6 million renovation. Thomas Alexander Gray, grandson of Bowman and Nathalie Gray, was the preservation consultant for the restoration.
1987
Graylyn was named to the National Register of Historic Places.
1990
Restoration began on the Mews, a Normandy-style farm complex on the estate, thus adding another dimension to Graylyn. The project included 35 guest rooms alongside lounges, meeting rooms, and a dining room, doubling guest capacity.
1997
In October, Graylyn renovated the Gardener’s Cottage, thereby making available four additional guest rooms.
2016
Graylyn became a member of the Historic Hotels of American, a program affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which was once chaired by Gordon Gray.
