<p>Hi
Can anyone recommend a good, clean inexpensive hotel/motel close to campus we can use while moving our student in?</p>
<p>Thanks!
-j</p>
<p>“Inexpensive” is very subjective. Our favorite place, by far, is the Inn at USC. It’s right on the campus, runs about $120-130ish per night and includes a breakfast buffet. We’ve been using it for three years now and never had a problem, with exception of no vacancies occasionally.</p>
<p>There is also a Courtyard by Marriott in The Vista. I’ve never stayed there but Marriotts are generally very reliable.</p>
<p>The only other place we’ve stayed is a Hampton Inn out on Harbison Boulevard. It was okay but you waste a lot of time and gas driving back into the city.</p>
<p>Good luck! I hope your child loves Carolina as my child does!</p>
<p>I recommend the Courtyard Columbia Downtown (Assembly and Blossom Street) and the Hilton Columbia Center (Senate and Park Street). I’ve also heard the Inn at USC is nice.</p>
<p>Oh, you’re right – it’s a Hampton Inn that is in The Vista.</p>
<p>If you let them know you are visiting the school, the Inn at USC offers reduced rates. It also has free parking and free buffet breakfast that needs to be figured into the cost…all in all it’s extremely convenient and a good value.</p>
<p>The Hilton Downtown (in the Vista) is nice and you can often find great internet rates especially with prepayment. The only negative is expensive parking costs.</p>
<p>The Springhill Suites in the Vista was very nice and was a very nice value when we stayed there last year for parent’s weekend…would have loved to stay there for commencement but it was already sold out… it also has free parking for guests.</p>
<p>[SpringHill</a> Suites Columbia Downtown/The Vista: Spacious hotel accommodations in Columbia](<a href=“http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/caesh-springhill-suites-columbia-downtown-the-vista/]SpringHill”>Hotels In Columbia | Springhill Suites Columbia Downtown)</p>
<p>I just saw that there is a new Sheraton hotel downtown; I don’t know anything about it but it appears to be newly renovated…I don’t think it even existed as recently as May commencement…at least I had never seen it come up when looking for hotels</p>
<p>[Sheraton</a> Columbia Hotels: Sheraton Columbia Downtown Hotel - Hotel Rooms at sheraton](<a href=“Marriott Bonvoy Hotels | Book Directly & Get Exclusive Rates”>http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1783)</p>
<p>most of the hotels mentioned already are nice, but wouldnt be considered “inexpensive”.in ordfer to get more value, you would have to stay outside of the immediate campus/downtown vicinity…though we’ve gotten a better rate and more availability at a new Holiday Inn Express which is on Taylor St at the edge of the Vista area…still very close by.Also to try in the Vista area are a Staybridge Suites and a Springhill Suites.
Moving outward (but not by much…maybe 3 miles?) in the Greystone Blvd area…where the zoo is… is a Homewood Suites and an Embassy Suites.
If you look in the Harbison Road area, you’ll be further out still but close to the big box shopping you might need to do for a move -in,like WalMart,Best Buy,etc.Also lots of chain restaurants out that way.Figure its another 10 -15minutes out.
Another idea might be to look at the chain motels that service the Fort Jackson area of town.There’s definitely lower priced chains in that area…like Days Inn,Motel 6 types.Problem there is if theres a Ft Jackson graduation going on in that time period availability would be iffy.
One spot not mentioned yet is the Clarion Hotel.Its close by the campus and may be a bit cheaper since its older than all the new stuff thats been put up in the past 10 years or so.Its perfectly fine we stayed there for an interview weekend 5 years back.No free breakfast but parking is free and its close by to the campus especially the Horseshoe area where some freshman dorms are.
Welcome to the USC Family!
You should know that if you’re coming from out of town the housing dept allows for a one day early move in to the dorms, theres a request form on the main page of the housing website!</p>
<p>We actually got a $109 a night rate at the Hilton by booking online and prepaying and $99 at Spring Hill Suites with regular payment. For a city like Columbia that’s not a bad rate.</p>
<p>Hilton’s rates change often…we got that rate and booked the room, called a family member to them about it and it was already gone…up to $219…helps to check their website often but clear cookies between the times you check or use a different computer.</p>
<p>We’ve recently stayed at the Holiday Inn on Taylor St. and will be staying again over move-in weekend in August. They have a USC rate of $89 a night if you book far enough in advance. Nothing fancy but clean, close, and comfortable.</p>
<p>Has anyone stayed at The Whitney Hotel on Woodrow Street?</p>
<p>In four years of visiting Columbia I honestly never heard one word about it…didn’t know it existed.</p>
<p>I looked it up and found very mixed reviews…a great number from as late as August 2009 said it was very tired and needed paint and remodeling.</p>
<p>That’s usually not a good sign…also said it was used by many attending events at Ft. Jackson…</p>
<p>Unless someone has first hand info to contradict the many bad reviews I’d pass.</p>
<p>SpringHill Suites are great and brand-spanking new!</p>
<p>They were renovating the Hampton Inn (in the Vista) in May; maybe they are done by now.</p>
<p>We’ve stayed at the Whitney numerous times. We like it. Free breakfast, bottled water, newspaper. Not far from campus. Breakfast is not as good as the Inn at USC. </p>
<p>The best part is that they are two bedroom (2 bath) apartments with a full kitchen and living room (and washer-dryer!) . So, if you are a Dad with a teenage daughter(s), this prevents the awkwardness of sharing one regular hotel room,with just one bathroom. And also cures any snoring problems keeping someone awake. For three or four people, it’s the only place I’d go. Much cheaper than 2 hotel rooms and much more personal (if the hotel rooms aren’t connecting)</p>