<p>Is there a local law against 'em? ;)</p>
<p>The closest seem to be in either Cortland or Utica.</p>
<p>(Yes, I know there are several B n' Bs in Hamilton.)</p>
<p>Still, you'd think there be one nearby to Colgate.</p>
<p>Where does everyone stay when there is a big rush of people?</p>
<p>If you are interested in being within Hamilton itself or a minute out of town you should look into the Colgate Inn, the Hamilton Inn, the Wendt University Inn and White Eagle properties. Further, the colgate.edu website supplies all the local options for visitors. The sooner you book somewhere leading up to big events and weekends the better. </p>
<p>Chain hotels and motels in Hamilton? I think they are suited to the traffic they get where they are located already.</p>
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<p>Yup, thanks. As posted previously, I’m aware of them.</p>
<p>Colgate is a very small town. It has about one of everything, and no more than two of anything. Okay, maybe three or four bars. It’s a college town. There are a couple of fast food places. But since you put a chain motel where the traffic is fairly regular – along main roads and near tourist destinations, neither of which apply to Hamilton, New York – it’s not too likely you’d see one in Hamilton anymore than you’d see a department store or major chain store (except for maybe a drug store) or a ‘real’ shopping mall or many other things much more likely in larger towns. There are the very nice places listed above,the Colgate Inn being the nicest. The Wendt University Inn isn’t so different from chain motels, and not very fancy, believe me. There are motels in Utica, Syracuse and other larger towns, but that’s a bit of a drive.</p>
<p>ColgateDad,</p>
<p>I am in Hamilton now and have a couple of notes about current town matters that relate to your points.</p>
<p>The village and Colgate are negotiating the details for a new arts center of 15,500 square feet to be built in town using the world renowned design of architect David Adjaye. It will be on university-owned property including the former Parry’s store between Utica and Madison streets. One issue to be resolved is where will visitors park. This is a small town issue that will shortly be resolved- as we have large crowds for many events. Of course, this museum will be great for the local economy and so a solution is forthcoming.</p>
<p>The Wendt University Inn is finishing the interiors of its new 80 room wing. That adds a lot of capacity to the town.</p>
<p>If places are booked up, I would recommend visitors also look at Turning Stone which is closer than Utica and Syracuse, just off I-90 to the north.</p>
<p>It seems like there isn’t much in Hamilton!</p>
<p>There is a Howard Johnson in Norwich, which is approximately 35 minutes away from Colgate.</p>
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I’ve visited about 50 schools and I believe Hamilton is the smallest college town I’ve seen … and it is not very close to anything else either. I’m sure it’s fine for a student who is very campus focused (and what a campus) (I would have liked it) … however, for someone who wants to frequently go clubbing, go to the mall, go out to restuerants Colgate might not be a great choice.</p>
<p>Where is the nearest hospital?</p>
<p>Community Memorial Hospital is basically across from campus</p>
<p>Colgate’s location in a very small but pretty upstate New York town makes you rely on the college itself for much of your “lifestyle” needs. The idea that someone goes off to college wanting to go “clubbing” or otherwise be regularly entertained seems a bit strange to me. We are talking about getting a college education, not amusing ourselves for four years. Making a more modest commitment to getting an education while enjoying many other fun and games can be done at any number of other colleges. Students of that kind might want to look elsewhere at some of the big city schools. </p>
<p>Clearly, this has become more and more of a need for many young people today who insist on being constantly entertained and “in touch” 24/7. Hamilton, New York offers a pretty big respite from that – no malls, no shopping centers, no “strip” of junk food, auto parts stores and motels, just peace and quiet. If you can’t hack that for four years, you clearly have other needs and should look elsewhere. Colgate itself has built many new “lifestyle” oriented buildings like modern dorms, a fitness center, improved cafeterias, and others. Other colleges have gone much farther, creating virtual resort communities in which students live. Such a waste of money to entertain and keep people constantly satisfied. </p>
<p>Many, if not most, of the top liberal arts colleges are located in similar small towns. Think Middlebury, Bowdoin, Williams, Hamilton, Kenyon, Oberlin and others. Even Dartmouth and Cornell have only medium-sized, but still very nice, towns. They are certainly not cities. They do have some motels, though. </p>
<p>One of my nephews attended NYU where he seems to have gotten a good education, but he said he never even felt much like he was in “college” but more like he was living in an apartment building down the street from some other buildings where he could attend classes. That’s great if it appeals to you. It would not appeal to me. I like a college to be a college and the small town is part of that with trees and fields and hills and the small town in the middle of all that. So if you’re disappointed in the lack of fun and games distractions which many colleges provide, look elsewhere. In the meantime, I think students who attends small LAC will get the better educations and many will have the more memorable college experiences. </p>
<p>I’ve always thought it a little funny when someone who doesn’t seem to understand what a small town even is finds a place like Hamilton, New York not up to their urbanite expectations. Those people clearly have different expectations of college and a few of them appear to want only “some” college along with lots of everything else to distract themselves with. That kind of college experience is available, but not much at the upper end of the spectrum. At the upper end, Northwestern has Evanston, Harvard has Cambridge, Yale has the glories of New Haven, and Princeton certainly has a beautiful town. Perhaps those would be more appealing? As for small LAC’s they do tend to be out in the woods a bit more.</p>
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I do not think this comparison is not necessarily accurate. Compared to NYU or Columbia in Manhattan sure. </p>
<p>I’ve visited a bunch of these schools. Middlebury and Hamilton … sort of similar although Middlebury has an artsie thing going for it. Most of these others are in much bigger towns. Hamilton is 4000 people … Middlebury 8000. Meanwhile Cornell (Ithaca) is in a town of 30,000 … Dartmouth (Hanover NH) is 10,000 … Bowdoin (Brunswick) is 20,000.</p>
<p>As someone who probably would love Colgate and has visited a lot of schools Hamilton is A LOT smaller than most of these other towns.</p>
<p>Hamilton, NY is about the same size as Oberlin, OH and a teeming metropolis compared to Gambier, OH (home of Kenyon). That’s exactly what my DS is looking for. There are some lovely B&Bs in Hamilton (we stayed at Holcomb’s and hope to return).</p>
<p>Hamilton, NY, with its 6600 residents, was named number 11 of America’s Friendliest Towns in Dec., 2012 by Forbes. Check it out.</p>
<p>What keeps Colgate students busy? Visit and see for yourself or maybe evaluate the colgate.edu site’s contents. </p>
<p>Clubbing and shopping in malls? Not so much. Thankfully so.</p>
<p>Good luck with your college search!</p>
<p>Hamilton is small, no debate. But it is quaint and actually has some very good restaurants. But do not expect to come here for malls, Red Lobster, Starbucks or even B,B & B. And no Holiday Inn, Clarion, etc.</p>
<p>Most Colgate students have cars. Malls are within driving distance in Syracuse and Utica. Ski resorts are near by. Otherwise, the campus will mostly be your social life.</p>
<p>On to the op, there are lots of rental houses that people often use for those big weekend. We didn’t figure that out until senior year after staying at some unusual places/not-really-B&B’s/nice B&B’s. If we could rewind, I would have stayed in Hamilton ever time in one of those houses. They were listed online but I can’t remember where.</p>
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<p>ColgateDad, you are obviously a huge booster of your child’s college–and seem to believe Colgate has just the right amount of amenities for students (not too many!), in the perfect little town–but I wouldn’t be so quick to judge others’ choices. It’s absurd to suggest that people who attend Harvard, Yale, Northwestern, University of Chicago, etc. (not to mention “lesser” schools) aren’t fully immersed in the college experience or are more easily distracted just because there are things to do in a surrounding city. If anything I’d say it is testament to their ability to focus that they can graduate in four years with so many things competing for their attention. :)</p>