Baltimore hotels best for cruising

Posted after my cruise this past March

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=45929605#post45929605

 

I agree that the $15 parking fee for the 1 night is kind of tacky (just include it in the room rate), but otherwise it is a bargain.

Have decided to just do the Park/Cruise package pre-cruise, and head part way home after the cruise, and stay along the way.. FREE parking!:rolleyes:;)

And restaurants I can count on with reasonable pricing..

:)

figured I would shoot this out this morning, the rest of the party are currently in various states of passed out from the trip yesterday. The kids are really looking forward to getting on the ship this morning.

The Sleep Inn is nice, my quick review is that the staff is GREAT, not one issue there. The rooms are nice, clean and quiet. The on-site wifi sucks, but we are on the 4th floor so it might be a distance thing.

I'm not sure I would classify anything within 'walking distance', 'hiking' might be closer to reality, but we are travelling with two younger kids, so that could be part of it. We asked for recommendations for dinner having eaten in Little Italy for lunch and were told to try Mo's Crab and Pasta Factory, the Hotel even called Mo's and had their shuttle pick us up. Not sure if it was the time of night (after 10pm) or just the length of the day, but Mo's was considered by all to be very good, and a hassle free trip, so win-win.

Anyway, Sleep Inn works fine, if you are already booked keep it, and enjoy the cruise!

I stayed at the O'Donnell Street Best Western this month and last September. Always ask for a high floor with a city view. Both times I stayed there were great- well organized free shuttle service both ways. They pick you up at the scheduled time and are waiting to pick you up at the first exit as soon as you get off the ship.

I travel with my wheelchair bound cousin and everyone was so helpful. There is a free shuttle to the inner harbor area. For safety sake, I would never travel/ walk around an area that I am unfamiliar with and I did park under a light pole. The only problem I had when I returned was the birds got me good and I still need to wash my car.

By all means, people should do what they are comfortable with so they don't have to worry while on vacation.

I stayed at the O'Donnell Street Best Western this month and last September. Always ask for a high floor with a city view. Both times I stayed there were great- well organized free shuttle service both ways. They pick you up at the scheduled time and are waiting to pick you up at the first exit as soon as you get off the ship.

 

I travel with my wheelchair bound cousin and everyone was so helpful. There is a free shuttle to the inner harbor area. For safety sake, I would never travel/ walk around an area that I am unfamiliar with and I did park under a light pole. The only problem I had when I returned was the birds got me good and I still need to wash my car.

 

By all means, people should do what they are comfortable with so they don't have to worry while on vacation.

Your really lucky it was only the birds who got your car.

When we cruise out of Blatimore, we ALWAYS stay at the Best Western Plus in Elkridge. Great rooms, clean, great service, decent breakfast, great shuttle too and from the port. Cant go wrong.

This one is the one we continue to use! GREAT deal with trinity reservations .com!!

Anyway, Sleep Inn works fine, if you are already booked keep it, and enjoy the cruise!

I think we'll even go to Mo's for dinner, tho' we will probably be earlier than 10 PM!:) I'll be sure to send out a quik review, as we sail in just over a month!:D

Just booked Best Western Plus Elkridge last night for our 26 Oct cruise to Bermuda. This is our third time cruising out of Baltimore and third time at this hotel. Great price, great hotel.

Just booked Best Western Plus Elkridge last night for our 26 Oct cruise to Bermuda. This is our third time cruising out of Baltimore and third time at this hotel. Great price, great hotel.

If it turns out to be a dud, maybe we'll switch to the Elkridge Best Western, as we've heard good things..:)

If not, we'll stick with the Sleep Inn as you have with the BW!:D

We have stayed here a number of times for both cruising and when flying out of the airport. It was recently remodeled. We also make the reservations at trinityreservations.com -- their prices includes the taxes, etc.

There is a restaurant/pub adjacent to the hotel with good food.

When going to the airport, we have shared the shuttle with pilots and flight attendants. They said they usually stay at this hotel. :)

Thanks for the 'heads up'..! We've never cruised from Baltimore, so after some research settled on the Sleep Inn..:p

If it turns out to be a dud, maybe we'll switch to the Elkridge Best Western, as we've heard good things..:)

If not, we'll stick with the Sleep Inn as you have with the BW!:D

Okay now that I am back and have a few more minutes... I can give you the total rundown, and the return to the Hotel.

1st I stand by my original words that the hotel is fine, and that we had no issues. That said here are a few things to know.

1st we had read some concerning things about homeless around the hotel. The homeless issue in Baltimore isn't something I was aware of before hand because I don't live on the east coast. After having time to think about it, I will say that the trip adviser posts about the homeless around the hotel are accurate to a point, and then may be overblown. Yes there is a 'tent city' next to the road, but it isn't visible unless you are looking for it. I would say that has more to do with the 'park' or church that is at the end of the street than with the hotel. We had no issues with that and it was a none factor when we returned as well, the parking lot is well lit and it totally was not an issue.

2nd Cruise terminal transportation is handled by a third part company, and it was fine. We were called in our room when they arrived to take us to the terminal, and provided a card with a number to call once when had recovered our bags getting off the ship, and the van arrived within 10 mins. I did see the BWI Best Western van waiting when we got off the ship so if you don't want to call someone and wait that may be a better option for you.

Long and short of it is, that the Staff and the facilities were great, and the transport was good as well. The placement of the hotel was less than perfect.

Has anyone stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Baltimore? We stayed at BW Elkridge last May and agree that it was a good choice. DH does not want to drive down the night before for our March cruise. We are about a 4 hour drive away, but I am very nervous about driving in the day of a cruise. We just booked this cruise and I checked our roll call and it is very active and a lot of the people are staying at BW the day before (were given a slight discount with a group rate) and I fear a CROWD to get to and from the port, so I was looking at other options to entice DH. I would want free parking and free shuttle as part of the deal. We are doing a 14 day cruise, so $210 is a lot of $ to pay just for parking at the port.

Coming from the north, you might check out the hotels in White Marsh. Previous posters have mentioned park and cruise packages from a couple of the hotels, including, I believe, the Fairfield by Marriott. There's shopping, a mall, and food in the area, and you're out of town on your way home when you get back to your car.

No experience with the Comfort Inn.

^^Thank you. Will look into that!

You also have a Hilton Garden Inn and a Hampton Inn located in White Marsh both near the Fairfield Inn and right off I 95

^^Thank you. We LOVE the Hampton Inn. Stayed in their hotels when we used to cruise from FL. Complimentary cocktail hour was the fun part! ;) Just kind of pricey. We used Trinity Reservations for our BW reservation in May and it was a bit over $100 which included free parking and shuttle. And breakfast! I just figure if I'm going to spend $210 to park at the port, I might as well pay a bit less than that to stay over the night before...but DH differs of course! :rolleyes::( But then you have to figure maybe dinner and drinks out the night before, extra tips for the shuttle driver and maid....just don't know what to do! :confused::confused:

but DH differs of course! :rolleyes::( But then you have to figure maybe dinner and drinks out the night before, extra tips for the shuttle driver and maid....just don't know what to do! :confused::confused:

I'm not sure why anyone who lives anywhere on the I-95 corridor would have any doubts about coming in a day early! Late season snow, early season rain, unexpected bright sunshine, magnetic shift of the Earth's axis, stampeding turtles, who knows. ANYTHING can randomly turn I-95 in the northeast corridor to mid-Atlantic into a huge parking lot!

I'm not sure why anyone who lives anywhere on the I-95 corridor would have any doubts about coming in a day early! Late season snow, early season rain, unexpected bright sunshine, magnetic shift of the Earth's axis, stampeding turtles, who knows. ANYTHING can randomly turn I-95 in the northeast corridor to mid-Atlantic into a huge parking lot!

Oh, I agree COMPLETELY. I DO NOT trust Mother Nature!!! :eek::eek:

I guess my main concern at this point, regarding the Sleep Inn is a place to eat close by..:o

I haven't really seen much, but maybe this query will produce something to ease my mind!:)

Cruising Set 1, 2016. Coming into Baltimore the day before by Amtrak-

Looking for hotel close to pier- wife i wheelchair so want convenience.

Thanks ervryone posting. Will be checking the posts above.

I stay at Best Western, Elkridge...

Check out www. trinityreservations. com

Cruising Set 1, 2016. Coming into Baltimore the day before by Amtrak-

Looking for hotel close to pier- wife i wheelchair so want convenience.

Thanks ervryone posting. Will be checking the posts above.

 

Baltimore Penn or BWI?

If you're coming into Baltimore Penn, the Inner Harbor area will be fine; probably halfway between Baltimore Penn and the pier. The Renaissance, for instance, is across the street from the Inner Harbor, and Marriott generally does accessible very well. You'd need to cab it to the pier. Elkridge would be a terrible choice if you're going into Baltimore Penn!

If BWI Amtrak Station, then the airport hotels work fine. I still might lean to full service (Marriott, Westin, Embassy Suites) for ease and accessibility, although several of the hotels run shuttles to and from the pier.

I would not take Amtrak to Baltimore Penn and cab it to the airport area for a hotel! The opposite might not be so bad as you'd be closer to the pier (but not necessarily more convenient).

I guess my main concern at this point, regarding the Sleep Inn is a place to eat close by..:o

I haven't really seen much, but maybe this query will produce something to ease my mind!:)

We were greeted by Carnival as we drove across Pennsylvania toward Baltimore, with a phone call telling us not to arrive at port prior to 4 PM, as they were delayed due to an ill passenger/airlift! I immediately called the Sleep Inn and told them we'd need a later shuttle to the Port the next day. She said their driver usually isn't available that late, but they would make arrangements for us!:p

We arrived in the evening (Saturday) so traffic was a tad congested in downtown, but we made it intact.. Real nice hotel.. Staff is wonderful!

Arrangements had been made for a later transport, and the room was great!

Parking for our vehicle was in a fenced in area.. After the cruise we called the Driver, and he arrived within 10 minutes..

We also found several nice places to eat several blocks away, and tho' we were hesitant to walk thru the area, we had no issues, and it was just the wife and I.. There are homeless evident in the area, but we were not bothered by anyone.. Everyone in the city was quite friendly..! We will definitely go back to the Inner Harbor Sleep Inn on our next trip to the area..!:D

Just a heads up.. If using a GPS, have your final 5 minutes of directions written down, as we lost reception among the tall buildings of the city..;)

I booked the Hampton Inn BWI with their Park, Sleep & Cruise package for October 2016. I'll be getting the package free with my HHonors points.

We are planning to go to Medieval Times the night before for my son. The hotel is not too far from there, so it's a good location for the restaurant and also the port (its in the middle of the 2).

http://www.hamptoninnbwiairport.com/a-park-sleep-and-cruise-transportation-package/

Driving from Michigan. We want to park at the port so we can get off the ship and drive off. Can anyone help with a hotel or city to stay on the way. It can be 1 or 2 hours away. Thank You. Our cruise is in Feb. Next month.

I booked the Hampton Inn BWI with their Park, Sleep & Cruise package for October 2016. I'll be getting the package free with my HHonors points.

 

We are planning to go to Medieval Times the night before for my son. The hotel is not too far from there, so it's a good location for the restaurant and also the port (its in the middle of the 2).

 

http://www.hamptoninnbwiairport.com/a-park-sleep-and-cruise-transportation-package/

Called the Hampton Inn BWI today and they no longer offer the Park, Sleep and Cruise package. It is still available to book online (not updated) but they say they do not do it anymore.