<p>My wife and I, parents of freshman daughter, are trying to book two nights somewhere in or near South Bend during the ND-Navy football weekend Oct.28-30. We will be spending little time at the hotel and looking to spend under $100 per night. Any thoughts or ideas? Is it possible to be within 10-15 minutes of the campus or do we have to go further out? Any tips would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Hi, Juldad,</p>
<p>If you have checked availability of rooms in the South Bend/Mishawaka area lately, you already know that the few rooms that are still available are being offered at astronomical rates. My husband and I booked rooms weeks ago, on the hope of getting tickets for the same football game, and we only found rooms in Elkhart, Indiana.</p>
<p>I would try a Kayak search for rooms. You will see what’s left of the closer rooms nearby, then can work your way outward to areas like Elkhart and Niles, Mi. It will probably help to lower your expectations for a three-star hotel, the kind of room you might want (king-bed rooms seem to be the last to go) and begin to incorporate a longer drive into your game day plans. It might be worth calling a given hotel directly. On FroshO weekend, we had a problem with our reservation at our booked hotel, but they still had the room to accommodate us. </p>
<p>My sister is going with us. The dentist she works for in Maryland laughed when she told him we were staying in Elkhart. His daughter is an alum and and he remembered fondly the drive in from Elkhart after sleeping in a cheap hotel, in the days when they were the parents of freshman and had no idea how far in advance they needed to book a room. I guess we are all in the same boat. </p>
<p>Good luck with your search.
See you at the game. I think we’re in the end zone, in the nose-bleed seats.
Who cares? It’ll be fun!</p>
<p>We have found Elkhart to be perfect. Most of the traffic comes in from the west on game day so it easier to get in and out, its cheaper, we don’t spend much time in the room and it gives us a head start heading back east on Sunday morning.</p>
<p>We also booked weeks ago, in Elkhart. Not under $100 but not the rates you will find closer. If coming from east, agree with above that it gives you a head start going home on Sunday, as long as you don’t need to go back to campus for something.</p>
<p>Thanks rckpgh, Spotfire and sassymon! Your comments are very much consistent with what I have been finding. Next year, we will have to book much earlier.</p>
<p>Although there are still a few options left in Elkhart, we booked a cheap hotel in Dowagiac, MI 22 miles away. (Trying to keep within budget after a hefty book bill this past month.) A bit more of a drive, but we are planning to spend most of our time on campus during the weekend anyway. Next year, we’ll try to get a little bit closer - Elkhart perhaps. Appreciate your help!</p>