<p>What's the best inexpensive hotel to stay at close to campus?</p>
<p>When I went to visit we stayed at the Drury Inn</p>
<p>As far as location, the Illini Union is dead center in the heart of the campus, but it could be a bit cheaper. You can walk to whatever you need to see, and parking is included. Check it out. If you need to drive to campus to look around, be prepared to feed the meters. There are a ton of hotels/motels that are within a mile or two of the campus.</p>