<p>near the Main Line or near Swat/Haverford? I am a bit taken aback by the selections I turned up online...downtown is very expensive of course and the burbs near the Main Line are not straightforward for someone unfamiliar with traffic/safety/distance issues. would be open to B&B's...direct experience on where current parents stay would be nice...I can turn up plenty of course online but have no frame of reference.
Have even considered taking a gander at Chadds Ford..never have seen it.
thanks!</p>
<p>you can look on the college web site under "visiting" - they have some suggestions. Also, if you search this (Swarthmore) forum for hotels, you'll see some old threads with suggestions.</p>
<p>A reasonable choice near Swarthmore is the Howard Johnson in Springfield on Baltimore Pike. Not the height of luxury, but reasonably priced ($99/night I think, lower with AAA discount) and convenient.</p>
<p>thanks dadx3...I have found a room at the Glenn Mills Holiday Inn Express...and one in the Bryn Mawr Alum house...for good prices..will check out the HoJo...still listening to anyone's personal experience. I am pleased we will be in the Bryn Mawr house but I could only get one night...lots of students on spring tours I am sure. I forgot how expensive Philly can be since we live in the quiet part of Virginia.</p>
<p>I second the Howard Johnsons recommendation. Good clean recently renovated rooms very close to the Swarthmore campus (on the Baltimore Pike right next to Best Buy). Maybe 2 miles. Tons of restaurant options on the Baltimore Pike as well. My fav for a casual meal is the Bertucci's pizza.</p>
<p>Does the HoJo's have internet access in the rooms?</p>
<p>Faline2 and others,
It took us two years with having a S at Swat to realize that staying at one of the hotels at the airport was a great idea. It is only 15 minutes to campus and there are/were some great deals available on nice hotels. We took a whole bunch of rooms at the Renaissance for graduation last year for $99 a night, I believe. A really nice hotel. It is a bit farther, of course, than the Howard Johnson's on the Baltimore Pike, but I think that's a recently added option to the local hotels. The HoJo's might be the new "right choice," but I've never understood why the College doesn't mention staying in the airport vicinity.</p>
<p>Last fall, while my D was having her overnight stay, I spent the night at the Courtyard on Rt 30, near Villa Nova. It was not too bad of a distance, but I was not sure if the hotels on Balt ave would have reliable internet, which I needed for work while I was there. Next year, when she is a freshman, I would love to find somewhere closer for the times that we choose to spend the night. (we are only 3 hours away)</p>
<p>I second the rec for the airport hotels - it's a very quick drive to Swat from any of them. (They actually are suggested on the Lodgings link on the Visitors tab, btw.)
We also recently tried the Radnor, which is about the same distance in the other direction (up the Blue Route rather than down).</p>
<p>I so appreciate the specific recommendations. Thanks All! We are on our way this week! Son will be attending classes at Haverford and Swat. Can't wait to see the place in early spring..last time we visited a few years ago was mud and snow season. Not sure what I will do while he is in classes etc...but looking foward to being on your turf....have vague hopes of getting to Chadd's Ford. We did an airport area hotel a few years ago with a spectacular industrial view...but the price was right. I don't know if we will make it to see a few Philadelphia highlights or not downtown. big cities are a stretch for us</p>
<p>Faline, the campus is looking really beautiful right now. (So is Haverford's, in all fairness. But Swat's is prettier. ;)) Chadds Ford is great. There's a Simon Pearce forge nearby, too, where you can watch glassblowing . . . and shop. Have a wonderful trip!</p>
<p>thank you! with son number one we made it to see the symphony downtown and that place is just swoon gorgeous.....looking foward to it. except for the drive part.</p>
<p>Any updates to this thread? May be needing housing near campus for a few days.</p>
<p>jym626, not sure when you plan to visit, but a new Courtyard Marriott is opening in Springfield this summer: </p>
<p>[Courtyard</a> Marriot at Springfield Country Club | 400 W Sproul Rd, Springfield, PA 19064 | 610-690-7600](<a href=“http://www.springfieldcc.net/hotel.htm]Courtyard”>http://www.springfieldcc.net/hotel.htm).</p>
<p>Until then, my sister has stayed at the Days Inn in Springfield the last few times she came to town (both within the past year) and she says it’s just fine:</p>
<p>[Days</a> Inn Springfield/Phil.Intl Airport Pennsylvania Hotel near philadelphia airport, Citizen Bank Park, Philadelphia Zoo, Springfield Convention Center](<a href=“http://www.daysinnspringfieldpa.com/]Days”>http://www.daysinnspringfieldpa.com/)</p>
<p>Both are within a few minutes of Swarthmore.</p>
<p>Thanks, Lucie. This, unfortunately, says it wont open til December [Courtyard</a> Philadelphia Springfield: Springfield Business Hotels](<a href=“http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phlgf-courtyard-philadelphia-springfield/]Courtyard”>Hotel In Springfield, PA, With Luxury Bedding | Courtyard) :(</p>
<p>You could stay with the Quakers at Pendle Hill - [Bed</a> and Breakfast/Extended Stays](<a href=“http://pendlehill.org/bandb]Bed”>http://pendlehill.org/bandb)</p>
<p>The Courtyard by Marriott in Springfield is now scheduled to open in October: [Courtyard</a> Philadelphia Springfield: Springfield Business Hotels](<a href=“http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phlgf-courtyard-philadelphia-springfield/]Courtyard”>Hotel In Springfield, PA, With Luxury Bedding | Courtyard)</p>
<p>The Inn at Swarthmore College is now in the approval process. Here are some sketches. <a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/administration/towncenterwest/TCW%20perspective%20views%20for%20poster%20session.pdf[/url]”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/administration/towncenterwest/TCW%20perspective%20views%20for%20poster%20session.pdf</a> It is scheduled to open in 2016. Maurice Eldridge provided a partial history of the project in 2011: [Guest</a> Column: Rumors and Realities :: Town Center West :: Swarthmore College](<a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/town-center-west/guest-column-rumors-and-realities.xml]Guest”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/town-center-west/guest-column-rumors-and-realities.xml)</p>
<p>The Purcell Darell House is across the street from campus:</p>
<p>[Purcell</a> Darrell House Bed and Breakfast - A Quick Overview](<a href=“http://www.purcelldarrellhouse.com/]Purcell”>http://www.purcelldarrellhouse.com/)</p>
<p>We stayed there for son’s graduation (made reservations years in advance!) and really enjoyed it.</p>
<p>OMG they have cavaliers!! I so wish I could stay there but just finalized (and paid for) on campus housing.</p>