Universities and the cities around them are brimming with energy and vitality. When organizing a prospective student visit, a parents weekend trip, a homecoming gathering, or a return trip for a major game, you’ll have much to look forward to, from legendary must-see eateries to stadiums packed with spectators.
To help you plan a vacation to the best college towns in the country, our editors investigated and reviewed rankings and traveler ratings for local hotels, as well as their closeness to college campuses.
Hyatt Regency Princeton: Princeton, New Jersey
The Hyatt Regency Princeton offers a contemporary hideaway with 330 rooms and suites, making it a great location for touring Princeton University’s ivy-covered campus. Whether you’re visiting a current Princeton Tiger or on a campus tour as a potential student, you may start your day at this hotel with a morning exercise, followed by breakfast and a cup of coffee at Laurea.
This hotel is conveniently located midway between the historic university and the Princeton Junction Train Station (both somewhat more than a mile away), making it easy to access to school, explore nearby attractions such as the McCarter Theatre Center and Princeton MarketFair, and use public transit.
The Charles Hotel: Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Charles Hotel is located in Harvard Square, only steps from small booksellers, cafés, and shops. The house is bordered by the area’s historic Georgian and colonial buildings, making it an ideal location for visiting both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campuses. Recent customers describe the top-rated Cambridge hotel as well-appointed and brimming with collegiate charm. Travelers like its central position and cleanliness, which provide for a pleasant trip experience.
Within the hotel, Henrietta’s Table offers chef-created regional delicacies ranging from weekend brunch to dinners with local ingredients, while Bar Enza is a “neo-trattoria” with Italian dining specialties. When it’s time to commemorate a special occasion or simply unwind, Noir Bar is ready to mix a cocktail, while Regattabar is a destination jazz club.
The guest rooms and suites have windows overlooking the Charles River, Harvard Square, Cambridge, or Boston, as well as a harmonic balance of contemporary features such as Shaker furniture, plaid carpets, paneled walls, and Carrara marble baths. Each room also includes a spacious work desk and a winged leather chair with an ottoman for unwinding after a long day on campus.
The Clement Palo Alto: Palo Alto, California
Check into a beautiful one- or two-bedroom suite at The Clement Palo Alto, one of the best hotels near Stanford University. Upon arrival, you will be given to complimentary valet parking, and if you enjoy wandering, you can easily explore the area’s shopping, dining, and entertainment options on foot. Recent guests said this hotel is fantastic since it includes food and valet parking, and the location is excellent for exploring the region.
This contemporary all-inclusive hotel, located near the Stanford University campus and Cardinal Stadium, provides a magnificent home away from home experience. Each of the 23 residential-style suites has its own living area and bedroom(s), as well as Matouk bedding, a fully equipped refrigerator, and a Nespresso coffee maker.
The all-inclusive prices allow you to have breakfast, lunch, and supper in your room, or in The Kitchen or The Dining Room. When it’s time to unwind, take a dip in the rooftop pool, read a book in a cabana, sip wine by the fireplace, or grab some food from The Kitchen’s 24-hour pantry.
The Blake Hotel: New Haven, Connecticut
Whether you’re visiting a Yale University student or exploring Yale’s Peabody Museum of Natural History and Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The Blake Hotel provides a boutique experience near to everything. Recent guests describe it as a nice house at a perfect location for touring university.
The property’s 108 apartment-style guest rooms and suites have contemporary decor and kitchenettes, allowing you to grab a fast lunch whether you have an early wake-up call or when the celebrations go until late at night. The accommodations are decorated with Yale-themed elements and blend work and pleasure with comfortable sitting spaces, big windows, writing tables, and smart TVs.
Make dinner reservations at Siena Ristorante. This New Haven landmark, located within the hotel, is famed for its genuine Italian cuisine, which includes homemade pastas. If you want city views, head to the High George by Siena rooftop restaurant, which serves selected beverages and a seasonal cuisine.
The Rittenhouse: Philadelphia
Make dinner reservations at Siena Ristorante. This New Haven landmark, located within the hotel, is famed for its genuine Italian cuisine, which includes homemade pastas. If you want city views, head to the High George by Siena rooftop restaurant, which serves selected beverages and a seasonal cuisine.
The Rittenhouse is a premier Philadelphia hotel located in the green-filled historic Rittenhouse Square. This hotel is well positioned for seeing the city’s must-see sights, making it perfect for campus visits and parent weekends at the city’s leading universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, and Drexel University.
The newly refurbished guest rooms and suites provide a comfortable way to begin and finish your days, with soft pillow-top mattresses, marble baths, and giant flat-screen TVs with simple access to other devices. A separate vanity and dressing space allow multiple people to get dressed in the room at the same time, as well as a stocked bar and twice-daily housekeeping with evening turndown service.
Hilton Pasadena: Pasadena, California
Hilton Pasadena, located less than a mile from the California Institute of Technology, is commended by guests for its convenient location, making it perfect for prospective students, parents, and alumni. Gather with family or college friends at The Corner Craft Kitchen + Bar, which serves American fusion food and has indoor and outdoor seating. Alternatively, head to the pool deck to socialize in the sunshine.
When it’s time to bed, the guest rooms and suites have contemporary design with midcentury modern touches. Each room features luxurious mattresses, work workstations, minifridges, and charging stations.
Beyond the campus, Old Pasadena, the Pasadena Convention Center, and other eating and retail options are all within walking distance; the renowned Rose Bowl is around 3 miles distant.
Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club: Durham, North Carolina
As one of Durham’s premier hotels, the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club is an excellent choice for parents and friends visiting Duke University students. The quiet on-campus getaway, nestled among 300 acres of thick pines, includes the 18-hole Duke University Golf Course, an indoor swimming pool, and a fitness facility.
Guests remark about the premium environment, history, and exceptional service, stating that this hotel is great for move-ins, graduations, college campus tours, and Blue Devils games. The rooms and suites are decorated in English countryside-inspired style and provide home amenities such as a Nespresso coffee maker, a 50-inch TV, and a large work desk.
Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel: Providence, Rhode Island
The Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel, located within a former Masonic Temple, mixes modern facilities with classic 1920s architecture. Travelers claim this property stands out because of its placement in the middle of the city: The hotel is located across from the Rhode Island State House, within walking distance of the Amtrak station and downtown Providence attractions, and approximately one mile from Brown University’s campus.
Each guest room and suite has a pillow-top mattress for a restful night’s sleep, a minifridge for late-night or early-morning food, and an Aveda-stocked bathroom.
Throughout your stay at one of Providence’s premier hotels, you’ll have access to the Public Kitchen & Bar, a communal gathering spot accessible for breakfast, dinner, and drinks. While you’re in town to cheer on the Brown Bears, you can work out at the fitness facility, and there’s an on-site convenience shop for late-night needs.
Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore: Baltimore
The Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, which has a four-star spa and a rooftop pool, is a pleasant facility that prioritizes service, according to recent guests. The urban retreat is a popular Baltimore hotel for parents, friends, and family visiting Johns Hopkins University students due to its exquisite amenities, services, and traveler reviews.
The resort, located approximately 5 miles from campus, offers a variety of eating options, including Maximón, which serves contemporary South American and Mexican cuisine. For a spectacular evening, visit The Bygone on the hotel’s 29th floor, which provides sumptuous cuisine and beverages in a 1920s-inspired setting with magnificent Inner Harbor views.
Graduate Evanston: Evanston, Illinois
The Graduate Evanston, infused with Wildcat culture and history, is a great location for excursions to Northwestern University and exploration of Chicago’s North Shore. Located a few steps from school, the facility features vintage-inspired décor with warm tweeds and plaids, as well as college inspirations, which guests say make the rooms seem cozy and elegant.
From first-year move-in until graduating, Wildcat parents will have access to a variety of facilities at their home away from home. The Graduate Homestead Room is a colonial-style restaurant and lounge with dark woods and a brick fireplace that serves fresh American cuisine infused with foreign tastes. Guests may hire bikes to explore the city (Lake Michigan is only a few blocks away), as well as use the fitness facility.