Where NOT to stay in Memphis?

[Kristilyn1]

Our family is driving through Memphis in July on the way to the inlaws. We will be spending two nights in Memphis, we will have a rental car. I'm looking for a clean place, not expensive that has a pool for the kids. I don't need to be THAT handy to anything, i.e, the airport or a particular attraction, but don't want to be in Siberia or some seedy neighborhood.

Any suggestions of a hotel or an area we should be looking at or avoiding? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kristi

[mbrogier]

I've never been to Memphis, so I have no idea where to stay. If you have time, don't forget to take your kids to The Peabody Hotel to see the ducks. They march through the lobby at 11 and 5. www.thepeabody.com

[Goin' Coastal]

My advice would be to stay on the West side of Memphis. Germantown borders Memphis on the West, and that is where we have stayed when getting our DD set up to go to grad school there.

[ashleenicole]

I agree with Coastal, stay on the West side of town around Wolfchase Galleria Mall. I travel to Memphis on buisness frequently and I usually stay at either the Hampton Inn or Wingate at Wolfchase.

I'd definitely stay away from the airport area hotels.

[SandyM]

Originally posted by ashleenicole
I'd definitely stay away from the airport area hotels.

Or anywhere near Graceland. :rolleyes:

[Jazzmatazz49]

I'm not sure about pools, or even Memphis for sure, but when we just want a clean, nice, very INEXPENSIVE room for a good night's sleep, we try to find an Extended Stay America motel. They're very reasonable and have a kitchen with a bar area. I think the one we stay in at Lexington, KY is about $60 a night. If we're just spending a night on the road, we don't want to pay for room service or other luxuries, and this is the most consistent chain we've found.

[alicerh]

Originally posted by Goin' Coastal
My advice would be to stay on the West side of Memphis. Germantown borders Memphis on the West,

Originally posted by ashleenicole I agree with Coastal, stay on the West side of town around Wolfchase Galleria Mall


Hey you guys - Did we "sutherners" confuse you? West of Memphis is the Mississippi River and then you are in West Memphis, Ark. :) You want to go east!

One I would recomment is the Homestead Studio Suites 6500 Poplar . I called and 2 bedroon suites are $65 but are booked until May 1. Also in the same area are Hampton Inn and Suites 962 Shady Grove and Homewood Suites 5811 Poplar. These are all in east Memphis very close to I 240.

Also,Microtel Inn and Suites and Comfort Suites, both on N Germantown Parkway, south of I 40 in the Wolfchase area.

You can go to the company websites of all of these to get specifics and prices.

Let me know if you need more info
Alice

[Goin' Coastal]

[i]

Hey you guys - Did we "sutherners" confuse you? West of Memphis is the Mississippi River and then you are in West Memphis, Ark. :) You want to go east!



[/B]

OOPS! And I knew that, too! Thanks for pointing that out!

[Kristilyn1]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion! I was having a hard time connecting the places mentioned and being west of the city. I did check out Homestead suites, but it looks like they only have one bed per room, which won't work for the two kids! LOL.

In my searches, I did find West Memphis, AR. Specifically the Hampton Inn. Now, I understand that the area is a truck stop/ industrial wasteland---is that the worst of it? We have no plans to go off on foot from our hotel to go anywhere, we also tend to be tucked up in bed pretty early with the kids. The only thing we plan to do at the hotel besides sleep is let the kids swim in the pool. The only other reason I am looking at W. Memphis, is that our ultimate destination is in Missouri, going up I55, so it was slightly more convenient in that sense. Will we be murdered in our beds in W. Memphis?

Kristi

[jtoepfert100]

Kristilyn - I think your impression of W. Memphis is pretty much dead on. I think if you are only looking for a place to stay one night and have no sightseeing in mind, you should be fine. Because of the industrial nature of the area, I do notice a peculiar smell when I've been out there and, believe me, it ain't pretty in that neck of the woods, but it would be a lot more convenient to I-55 than the other recommendations posted here. The only other option you have for proximity to I-55 is downtown Memphis itself, which would be quite pricey in July.

There are quite a few motels that I've seen right off the highway in West Memphis and, while I can't vouch for their cleanliness, some of them seem quite new. There is a Days Inn out there with a restaurant, Margaritas, that I've heard is actually quite good. Don't know much about the Days Inn, however.

I will also second alicerh's recommendations for the Homestead Suites and Hampton Inns on Poplar. They are reasonably priced and it's a good neighborhood (mine!:) ).

Good luck!

[alicerh]

Kristilyn- My reservation with W. Memphis is that is a huge trucker area. I don't think there will be a quiet moment all night long because of the huge truck traffic. The ones I mentioned on N. Germantown Rd. will be on your way in. You will continue on I 40 to the bridge over the Miss river and then take I55 to Mo. The prices you find may well be cheaper in July. Memphis in July feels like he** and few would be coming here unless they are going thru as you are. Be sure the car you rent has a good a/c. The ones I told you about were the ones listed as suites. There will be all the regular national "brands" along I40 so look at other chains too.

[jrichards]

When I was there for 2 nights in July 2002, I used Priceline. This is the hotel I got for $30/night with 2 double beds. It was clean, cheap for parking ($5/night), and easy to get around from.

Wyndham Garden Hotel - Memphis
300 Nth 2nd Street
Memphis, Tennessee 38105
901-525-1800
http://www.wyndham.com/Memphis/default.cfm

Located in the Downtown area of Memphis, TN Within Walking Distance of the Pyramid Areana; Approx. a 10-15 minute drive from Graceland(Elvis Presley's Mansion); 1 blocks from the Trolley Line that will take you any where in the downtown area you need to go. Near the world Famous Beal St. home of Blues and Bar B Que.

The hotel is also conveniently close to area attractions such as Cook Convention Center, the Pyramid, Mud Island, the Orpheum Theater and Graceland.

So, maybe try making a bid?

Jennifer

[Kristilyn1]

personally, I love priceline, in fact we used it for our car and saved approximately $100 for the 8 days we are there. I've also used it for hotels in the past. My only problem is that you can't guarantee a room with two beds until you check in. I hate the idea of sweating it until we get in whether the kids will have to sleep on the floor, so as much as I hate to pay even a little more ;) , being cheap, since we are "road tripping" it so to speak, I'd rather guarantee a bed.

I did check directly with Homestead Suites and apparently you people who like them have told WAY too many people, they don't have availability for the nights I am looking for. I will check the Hampton Inn on Poplar, as the hotel we are looking at in W.Memphis is a Hampton as well.

Otherwise, since we plan on having to drive to whatever sightseeing we do (my kids aren't much for strolling quaint neighborhoods looking for shops and restaurants) I'm okay in trucker wasteland if it means I save some bucks. I have to run the A/C full blast in any hotel we stay at, regardless of noise. Even though we camp and travel frequently, we just can't sleep well away from home :p

Thanks for all the great info.

Kristi

[Gina O]

Kristi -

I just returned from three nights in Memphis yesterday. I would not recommend the Fairfield Inn at 240 and Perkins. It seemed safe and clean, but we left on Friday morning for shopping (there is a Williams-Sonoma outlet nearby if you want directions, let me know via email or PM, I don't get here often), golf, then to Beale street. When we returned at midnight, our door was propped open with the lock. We figure the housekeeper did it when she was there and never went back (we didn't have all our towels). Nothing was bothered that we could tell, but it was a VERY unsettling feeling. I was also not terribly happy with the manager's response to the situation.

In driving through West Memphis yesterday, it did not look to be awful, but that is my only experience with it. Good luck, Gina