Out-of-Towners beware!!!

[wahoo]

Just a word of warning to anyone planning on going to South Bend....

The Day's Inn in Elkhart, IN is a absolute joke!!! We were locked out of our room for over 3 hours. All the clerk could do is keep apologizing as management nor maintenance would respond to a phone call. The breakfast(???) that was laid out Friday morning was a joke...a few doughnuts and some cold cereal. Both beds in the room ought to be used as firewood.

On a positive note, we had a wonderful time touring the campus. The college football hall of fame was most enjoyable. The best part was watching Charlie's boys scorch the Cougars. I think the Cougar DB's are still looking for their jockstraps!!!.....

GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS
Indiana---build some nice hotels....with reasonable rates!!!!!!!

 

[KMac151993]

You will find bad hotels in all 50 states, they aren't just in Indiana.

 

[guff]

I stayed at the same place baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad experience. Newly remodeled my @$$

 

[Domer95]

PS
Indiana---build some nice hotels....with reasonable rates!!!!!!![/QUOTE]

The WORST by FAR is the AIRPORT MOTEL (if it's still there), out by the Michiana Reg. Airport. My parents/relatives stayed there as there wasn't another place for an hour. The A/C units were falling apart, the 'showers' trickled, the sheets were scary and they had a pool (that was totally filled in with dirt).

BUT it was CHEAP, close and we didn't spend much time there.

 

[wahoo]

I'm not knocking Indiana...just that flea-bag excuse for a motel.
I do wish Indiana would do something about the excessive raising of rates over a ND football weekend

 

[guff]

I reserve my room early - like now for next year's game. The prices seem to be lower and for some don't adjust prices for football this early.

Remember this advice is coming from they guy that stayed at the Days Inn Elkhart. Did I mention it was a very bad experience?

 

[wahoo]

I would do that if I knew what game I would be going to. It's tough when you aren't a season ticket holder.

 

[TheRocket]

The WORST by FAR is the AIRPORT MOTEL (if it's still there), out by the Michiana Reg. Airport. My parents/relatives stayed there as there wasn't another place for an hour. The A/C units were falling apart, the 'showers' trickled, the sheets were scary and they had a pool (that was totally filled in with dirt).

BUT it was CHEAP, close and we didn't spend much time there.

I stayed at the Airport Motel in 1994 with my soon-to-be wife and two of my former ND Classmates for a game. There were dead cockroaches under the chair's seat cushion, the rug felt sticky to my bare (!) feet, and our door had a big hole in it if someone tried to kick it in.

I don't know if that motel is around anymore. Maybe it was replaced by the Airport EconoLodge, which is offering gameday rooms for the "affordable" rate of $160/night.

But if you start searching all of the online travel sites as soon as the dates open up (330 days in advance), you can sometimes snag a cheap room. I found a room at the Mishawaka Extended Stay for the Mich. State game for only $80/night. I have rooms reserved at the Elkhart Quality Inn ($55/night) and the Niles Inn ($63/night) already reserved for the Penn State game next September. Everything in SB or Mishawaka was either booked or ridiculously expensive.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

PS
Indiana---build some nice hotels....with reasonable rates!!!!!!!

The WORST by FAR is the AIRPORT MOTEL (if it's still there), out by the Michiana Reg. Airport. My parents/relatives stayed there as there wasn't another place for an hour. The A/C units were falling apart, the 'showers' trickled, the sheets were scary and they had a pool (that was totally filled in with dirt).

BUT it was CHEAP, close and we didn't spend much time there.[/QUOTE]

Filled in with dirt? Are you serious? The mental picture has me laughing hysterically.

 

[Domer95]

Filled in with dirt? Are you serious? The mental picture has me laughing hysterically.[/QUOTE]

DEAD SERIOUS. My family thought so as well, as when we were going to check out, we pretended to be swimming/diving, etc. (we even have pix to prove it!!!!!) The managers (of Indian, as in India, descent) were so 'scared' (I guess), they locked the door and made us put the keys thru the mail chute, to which we laughed even more.....

 

[okerlaND]

Is this the Days Inn near the airport?

Is this the Days Inn near the airport?

Or a different Days Inn?

 

[bigdon]

I have stayed at so many of those "Flea-Bag" motels around South Bend and enviorns I can't remember all of them. The problem is the places are half vacant unless there's a football game and then their packed regardless of the condition or price.

I stay at the Marriot in Chicago and rent a car to campus. It is a little inconvient but the Hotel is filled with ND people having a party and you have various choices for dinner in Chi.

.

 

[bigdon]

I have stayed at so many of those "Flea-Bag" motels around South Bend and enviorns I can't remember all of them. The problem is the places are half vacant unless there's a football game and then their packed regardless of the condition or price.

I stay at the Marriot in Chicago and rent a car to campus. It is a little inconvient but the Hotel is filled with ND people having a party and you have various choices for dinner in Chi.

.

 

[guff]

Does anyone know anything about Baymont Inn & Suites in Stevensville MI? I just booked a couple rooms there the weekend of 2006 PSU game. The rate was outstanding but I'm afraid it might be too good to be true. Did I just booked my family into a rathole hotel?

 

[TheRocket]

I have a room reserved at the Niles in in Niles, MI for the PSU game. It's located on Bus. 31/SR 933, just over the state line. I've stayed there about 5 times for ND football games, and the rooms are fair but the rates are cheap. It's better than the Airport Motel, which I think is now a chain.

Then again, I may just get an RV for the Penn State game...

 

[irish4life99]

Yikes, I know that motel. I think that's were the Parolee's stay when their released. J/K but it is bad. I think the hotel is gone now.

 

[NDgettysburg]

We stayed in the Marriott Courtyard in Benton Harbor, MI for the Navy game....about 45 mins from campus. Worked out pretty well, especially since I could use Marriott Rewards points and it cost us absolutely nothing.

 

[irish4life99]

Filled in with dirt? Are you serious? The mental picture has me laughing hysterically.

DEAD SERIOUS. My family thought so as well, as when we were going to check out, we pretended to be swimming/diving, etc. (we even have pix to prove it!!!!!) The managers (of Indian, as in India, descent) were so 'scared' (I guess), they locked the door and made us put the keys thru the mail chute, to which we laughed even more.....[/QUOTE]

If you didn't mind the drive and want to spend just a little extra, try one of the B&B's in St. Joe, MI (sister city to Benton Harbor) right on Lake Michigan with killer views. Since it's off season, you should find some great rates.
http://www.sjtoday.org/

 

[domerfor life]

I have stayed at so many of those "Flea-Bag" motels around South Bend and enviorns I can't remember all of them. The problem is the places are half vacant unless there's a football game and then their packed regardless of the condition or price.
I stay at the Marriot in Chicago and rent a car to campus. It is a little inconvient but the Hotel is filled with ND people having a party and you have various choices for dinner in Chi.
.

How far is Chi-town from SB? How can I get tickets to a game next year? If that's possible.

 

[irish4life99]

How far is Chi-town from SB? How can I get tickets to a game next year? If that's possible.

It's about 80 miles. Hour and a half drive if you have no traffic. I would consider it too far. But if you want to make a weekend out of it it's not terrible. They have do have train service from South Bend to Chicago on the South Shore. From the South Bend Airport right to the corner of Randolf and Wall St. Even if you decide to come to SB, you can come a bit early and go on a day trip to Chicago. If you come before the end of Sept. you can take the free trollys all over Chicago. It's fun, and cheap. But if you want to go up the Sears Tower they charge $20.00 bucks a head.