Gainesville hotels

[LilGMom]

We'll be driving down in a little over a month from NW FL and are planning on staying in the Gainesville area. I currently have the Clarion Inn & Conference Center booked for one night. I just came across some reviews where people have said "Run away as fast as you can", "I wouldn't let my dog stay here", "drugs & ____(word for paid hourly "friend")", etc. It is only for one night but I don't want to leave feeling like I need a tetanus shot. I want to stay under $100 (with tax) so I'm not expecting something incredible but I do want clean & safe. Do I have the wrong place booked? Any other Gainesville area hotel that are right off of I-75 that are decent?

TIA.

 

[deej696]

My company is based in Gainesville and we have had two training sessions at the Best Western Gateway. As you are coming south, it is at the first exit for Gainesville. Very nice clean hotel with continental breakfast daily. Its located adjacent to the interstate so should be easy for that as well. If you need to be near restaurants, etc. then you will probably want to go up an exit. There is a Mariott Courtyard and Red Roof Inn at the next exit (Newberry), and I believe this is also where the Clarion is located. There are many restaurants and the mall is on this exit also. Sorry I cant give any feedback on the hotel you have booked, but thats what I know

Or you could come about 20 more minutes to my hometown of Ocala, and we have plenty of nice hotels on the interstate

 

[LilGMom]

Or you could come about 20 more minutes to my hometown of Ocala, and we have plenty of nice hotels on the interstate

Thanks for the info. I'm cancelling the Clarion and am back to the drawing board on where to stay on Friday. When we get a late start out of our hometown we normally drive until Lake City which puts us about 2.5 hrs. from WDW the next morning. With this trip we won't be leaving until 4:30pm at the earliest so We have an 8:30 ADR at Boma (which I really don't want to lose since we missed out on this meal last trip due to an illness) so the closer to WDW without getting into a hotel super late the better. Just need to decide which is more important - driving less on Friday (after school and work) or sleeping later and feeling less rushed on Saturday morning.

Thanks again for the input.

Know of any nice, clean and safe places near I-75 in Ocala?

 

[deej696]

Oh there are plenty. There is a Country Inn and Suites, Hilton, La Quinta, Courtyard Mariott, and Fairfield Inn all adjacent to the Interstate. The Hilton may be a little over $100 a night, but I would tend to think that the rest of these would fit your budget. They are all located on SR 200, which is basically "restaurant row" for us, although a some of them have closed this year Anyway, they will all be convenient to hop on in the morning and finish heading south

 

[LilGMom]

Thanks so much. I am thinking of booking the Holiday Inn Ocala Conference Center (working on building up my Priority Club points ) and being close to 'restaurant row' is always a plus!

 

[deej696]

if that is the same as the Holiday Inn and Suites off Sr 200 then you made a great choice. It is probably the nicest hotel in town and their restaurant Sky is also tops in our area. Glad you decided to pump some money into our economy

 

[LilGMom]

if that is the same as the Holiday Inn and Suites off Sr 200 then you made a great choice. It is probably the nicest hotel in town and their restaurant Sky is also tops in our area. Glad you decided to pump some money into our economy

It is the same one and we are more than happy to oblige. If you don't mind I might pick your brain on restaurants in the next few weeks.

 

[MattM]

I'd recommend the Courtyard by Marriott on Archer Road (right off I-75). Ive had to stay at the Best Western that deej is talking about a few times for Gator game weekends. Maybe its just bad luck with rooms, but we've never had a good room there. Courtyards are consistent.

When you drive through Gainesville, slow down, because you are in the presence of Tebow

 

[deej696]

When you drive through Gainesville, slow down, because you are in the presence of Tebow

I love it

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If there is a Hampton Inn located around there I would try to stay at it, because all their locations are very clean and their continental breakfast offers both hot and cold items.