<p>I'm so excited to be visiting next month! I know that the William and Mary website has a 'where to stay' portal, but was wondering if anyone had any personal recommendations on hotels and restaurants in the area? </p>
<p>During the information session and tour, will we be able to see the freshman housing that will be available for fall 2013?</p>
<p>@bando, what we show on our tours is one of the current freshman residence halls. While that is going to be an upperclassman residence hall next year, housing doesn’t differ widley. Yes floor plans are a bit different (high ceilings vs lower ceilings, hall bathrooms vs suite bathrooms, etc.) but your guide will discuss all of that with you and you can view every residence hall through the Residence Life website.</p>
<p>bando15, we’ve stayed in Williamsburg many times. The most conveniently located hotel is the Hospitality House, just across the street from the football stadium. It’s seen better days, but was still somewhere between adequate and good the last time we stayed there, 3 years ago. Being able to walk anywhere on campus or in Colonial Williamsburg without moving your car is a plus. The Green Leafe (pub food, lots of beer) is immediately next door, and is a nice foreshadowing of life at W&M. </p>
<p>Nowadays we like to stay about 2 miles down Richmond Road, at the Hilton Garden Inn or the Springhill Suites. Just across the street is Food for Thought, a very nice, affordable, quirky restaurant that is a perfect fit for W&M families. The Residence Inn in the same area is NOT someplace I’d recommend because it was in crying need of a major overhaul when I stayed there in spring, 2012. Tripadvisor says it has been renovated, but I’m not staying there myself until I personally know someone who can vouch for it.</p>
<p>If you go during off-season and stay on a weeknight, you should be able to get a room for under $100 in any of these places. Other restaurants in the area to try: the Cheese Shop and Aromas for sandwiches and quick meals; the Blue Talon for a nice dinner; the Fat Canary for a special dinner. I would avoid Seasons in CW.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Since Williamsburg is also a tourist destination, there are many, many chain hotels very close to W&M.
It’s just a matter of which ones you prefer.</p>
<p>The closest chain hotels are on the Bypass Road and also along Route 132/143 (I-64 exit 238).</p>
<p>Food at the Second Street Restaurant is very good:</p>
<p>[Second</a> Street Restaurant - an American Bistro in Williamsburg, Virginia](<a href=“http://www.secondst.com/SS-splash-index.htm]Second”>http://www.secondst.com/SS-splash-index.htm)</p>
<p>Thank you so much! We are taking the college tour on the 16th of Feb and staying for a couple days. Very excited.</p>
<p>If you’re looking to stay close to campus, the Williamsburg Hospitality House is literally across the street.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Uhhh, not really. Not for visits anyway, which is what the O/P is asking about.</p>
<p>Hospitality House is on Richmond Road, across from the very north side of campus.
The Visitors Information Session is held in the undergrad admissions building which is way over at the southeast corner of the campus, about a mile walk away.</p>
<p>Doable, yes. But saying “across the street” is misleading.</p>
<p>It is close to a mile from the Hospitality House to the admissions office if you drove, but why would you? If you cut across campus it is about a half mile. Easily walkable and that is how you would be getting around as a student.</p>
<p>I find the Ho House to be more than a little dated and normally stay somewhere else. But if you want this to be your one shot and really seeing campus, it can’t be beat. The Brick House Tavern, Green Leaf and the Dellys, all of which are right there, are where the students hang out.</p>
<p>We’ve been to Williamsburg many times, and also recommend the Hilton Garden Inn on Richmond Road. We also agree with @frazzled1’s endorsement of Food for Thought across the street. The Hilton doesn’t have true one-bedroom suites, though, so if you want a door between the living room and the bedroom, we highly recommend the Embassy Suites over on Mooretown Road. The rate at the Embassy Suites automatically includes breakfast. At the Hilton, some rates include it and some don’t. If you stay somewhere that doesn’t include breakfast, try to get to Five Forks Restaurant at least once. Their corn cakes are addictive! Here’s their Yelp link:
[Five</a> Forks Cafe - Williamsburg, VA](<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/five-forks-cafe-williamsburg]Five”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/five-forks-cafe-williamsburg)</p>
<p>If you drive to campus, we’ve found it pretty easy to park. The “P6” lot is on the corner of Francis and is quite close to the Admissions office; it’s also convenient for stopping in to the shops at Merchants Square. The last time we were there, it was $1 an hour. Here’s more information:
[William</a> & Mary - Maps & Directions](<a href=“http://www.wm.edu/about/visiting/directions/index.php]William”>Directions to Campus | William & Mary)
There’s also a large garage on Henry Street, but that’s farther away from Admissions.</p>
<p>TJ, 
I’ll meet you half-way. About three-qaurters of a mile (according to Google) zig-zagging through campus. ;)</p>
<p>ARL, I’ve looked for that P6 lot and couldn’t find it. :o
Will try again.
If it’s near Merchants Square, that helps.</p>
<p>Five Forks Cafe sounds interesting, but I’m partial to hotels that include breakfast.</p>
<p>Golf- that is weird as I googled it too and it showed it as a half mile. It doesn’t seem that long to me (cutting through the Sunken Gardens) but that was what Google said.</p>
<p>The paid lot is on the corner of Francis and S Henry I believe. Across Francis street from Barrett’s Seafood.</p>
<p>Five Forks is great- but warning- on weekends it is quite a wait. Almost no tourists as it isn’t that easy to find or look at, but the grad students and locals know it well.</p>
<p>I agree with Arlmom- we usually stay at the Hilton Garden or Embassy.</p>