You’ve watched it rise on the corner of Academy and Park in downtown Cary. And very soon, you’ll be able to stroll, dine or even stay at The Mayton Inn.

Boasting gorgeous public spaces with names like Waverly and Page, a spa, and a restaurant dubbed Verandah serving upscale Southern fare — not to mention 43 upstairs guest rooms — The Mayton Inn is a dream come true for both its owners and for downtown developers.  

“We’re ecstatic to be almost across the finish line,” said Deanna Crossman, who owns the luxury property with her husband, Colin.  

“We want to be a draw for downtown. I want the neighbors to come play in our restaurant, and I want our guests to go eat in the community.”

Cary downtown development manager Ted Boyd said the inn, “fits well with the vision of downtown redevelopment. It’s making downtown a destination in terms of the ability to stay overnight.

“The local element is unique. Every time you visit a downtown, wherever it is, you might think, ‘What is the one place I need to stay or go eat that I couldn’t find somewhere else?’ That ties into it, the unique component.”

Cary Magazine has the honor of being the first official guest at The Mayton Inn, where tonight we’ll celebrate with the winners of the 2016 Maggy Awards in an invitation-only event featuring behind-the-scenes tours of the all-brick, Georgian-styled inn.

In preparation for the party, we donned our hard hats and made a visit to the hotel this week. Here’s a sneak peek, thanks to photographer Jonathan Fredin.

Check out our new February issue for the full story on The Mayton Inn, and our recent enews piece on Verandah.