This is our Spring Break tour, and I’d love any suggestions on where to stay – either just neighborhoods/parts of town and/or specific hotel recommendations.
Would like to be relatively close to campus, but also where we can walk to dinner and get vibe for what the locale offers.
Particular question about Pittsburgh: is downtown the place for tourists to stay or is a fun neighborhood better? We are coming in early to see the city a bit over the weekend b4 college visits start on Monday. Won’t have car but happy to Uber to sights / museums, etc.
Pitt / Carnegie Mellon (will not have car so will Uber.
Penn St.
Lehigh
WPI
Trying to use Kimpton, Marriott and Hilton points as much as possible so bonus points for them!
At Pitt we stayed at the Wydham on campus. Such a pleasure to be right down the block from where the info session was. Much less stressful that way. Loved the location and nice enough hotel.
Will fly into Pittsburgh. Will pick up car on our way out of Pittsburgh and have it the rest of the time.
After WPI we’ll drive to Boston and return the car. Then planning to stay that 2nd weekend in Boston as tourists, again without a car. I’m more familiar with Boston as I’ve been there for work quite a bit.
The neighborhood around Pitt is cute. There were fun restaurants and stores that were easily walkable. I found the “not having to drive to and park at” the info session/tour to be such a boon that after that we always tried to stay at a walk to campus hotel when one was available at the rest of our visits to other colleges.
It’s been a hundred years since I went CMU, but I used to live in Shadyside which was a fun pedestrian-oriented dining and shopping area, and about a 15-20 minute walk to campus. Another nice area close to campus was Squirrel Hill. Check out both and see what you think.
One of the boutique hotels in Shadyside would be a nice change from traditional chain hotels - within walking distance to restaurants in Shadyside but a 20 minute walk/5 minute drive to campus. There is a Courtyard on the fringes of Shadyside, but located more for the hospital - 10 minute walk into the heart of Shadyside.
Several hotels in Oakland would be within walking distance of both Pitt and CMU but there are more student-type eating choices.
Downtown would be a 10 minute drive to campus, but the Renaissance, Kimpton Monaco or Omni William Penn would be the recommendations. Plenty of food options there.
When you get to Penn State, you could stay at the brand new Hilton, right in town. It has a great restaurant. In town there is also a Best Western (too old, too noisy) , a rebranded/refreshed hotel now called The Graduate (not to be confused with the apartments across the street from it, also called the Graduate), and the venerable Nittany Lion Inn (quaint, old school).
Off campus there are many choices. Don’t stay at the Ramada but all the others are nice.
This Residence Inn is very close to WPI and has a full breakfast. I’ve stayed here on numerous occasions for sporting events at WPI and have always been satisfied with my stay.
@AlmostThere2018 , East Liberty was a very down and out neighborhood for decades. As in, don’t go. It has seen a lot - tons- of development. Some people describe it as up and coming, others as trendy and hip. There are reasons to go there (like Trader Joe’s) and it is sort of a “new” neighborhood where an old one used to be. It is relatively close to Oakland. It wouldn’t make me fall in love with Pittsburgh but it’d be a decent base, Personally, I would recommend Shadyside but as a Kimpton fan, I get the allure of that.
@AlmostThere2018 - East Liberty (where Hotel Indigo is located) is improving, but I find it still a little rough around the edges. I wouldn’t call it a “fun” neighborhood. There is also a Springhill Suites in Bakery Square, pretty close by, if you do want to stay out that way. Shadyside is a more concentrated neighborhood – plenty of walkable shops and restaurants, and closer in to Pitt and CMU – you might check out the Inn on Negley, a nice B&B.
At Penn State, the Atherton Hotel is very nice, and walkable to everything.
For Lehigh you could stay at the historic Hotel Bethlehem or there is a Hyatt Place in Bethlehem- walkable to restaurants but a few minutes drive to campus. There are some Marriott hotels but I believe they are in Easton ( near Lafayette) and Allentown.
It appears you’re looking at engineering schools. If so, I’d suggest, that if you’re touring Lehigh in the morning, that you add a Lafayette tour in the afternoon.
but all the others are nice.