The Best Cheap Hotels to Book in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Whether you’re in town to cheer the Crimson Tide and tailgate all night long or stay serene with some local fishing, this Country Inn and Suites by Radisson serves as a great home base. Enjoy complimentary cookies in the lobby, a swim in the outdoor pool and a sweat session in the gym. Work up an appetite with a 20-minute walk to the flagship outpost of the iconic barbecue joint Dreamland, founded in the neighborhood in 1958.

Loved for its cleanliness and proximity to the University of Alabama and Bryant-Denny Stadium, Holiday Inn Express and Suites Tuscaloosa-University excels in convenience and affordability. Not interested in football fandom? Walk across the street to the University Mall, Shoppes at Legacy Park or Midtown Village. Alternatively, head farther outside the city and into nature at the University of Alabama Arboretum or along the nature trails at Moundville Archaeological Park.

Right off I-29/I-50 and main drag McFarland Blvd, Best Western University Inn elevates the basics with complimentary wifi, free hot breakfast, a sundeck, a fitness center, a business center and an outdoor pool – the largest hotel pool in Tuscaloosa. All rooms include microwaves, mini-fridges and coffee makers. For a dose of greenery, Bowers Park is right down the street, or drive 13 minutes to Hurricane Creek Park to meander the trails or swim in the creek.

With a stay at the Hampton Inn Tuscaloosa-University, you’ll be right next door to the University of Alabama. You’re also not far from the riverfront, where the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk, Queen City Park and Manderson Landing offer quiet diversions. Hotel rooms are simple and homey, and complimentary breakfast (and weekday breakfast bags), wifi, an outdoor pool, a business center and a fitness room make for superb value.

In southeast Tuscaloosa, 4mi (6km) from downtown and close to I-29/I-50, this Ramada by Wyndham offers economical rates without sacrificing comfort. Rooms include complimentary wifi, a microwave and a refrigerator, while business-class king rooms feature a work desk. Follow the free continental breakfast with a dip in the large outdoor pool or a workout in the fitness center, then head to see a performance at the Bama Theatre or browse the exhibits at the Alabama Museum of Natural History.

We love Fairfield Inns for keeping things bright and cheery inside its properties, and this one is no exception. Colorful rooms come complete with flat-screen televisions, coffee makers, access to the indoor pool and complimentary breakfast, parking and wifi. Some accommodations include pull-out sofas and mini-fridges. The hotel is a half-mile (0.8km) from US-11, 5mi (8km) from the University of Alabama and 6mi (10km) from the Paul W Bryant Museum.

If you want to be on the University of Alabama campus, Hotel Capstone sets you on the grounds of the largest public university in the state. As the only full-service hotel in Tuscaloosa, it offers 12,000sqft (1,115sqm) of event space, an outdoor pool and an on-site restaurant. Legends Bistro serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with fare ranging from the Bama burger and rib-eye steak to chicken tenders and pizza.

Stay awhile at Candlewood Suites Tuscaloosa, an extended-stay property offering amenities that keep the long-term traveler in mind. Every suite features a fully equipped kitchen, a 43in television and a large work desk, and you can grab everything you need from Candlewood Cupboard, the on-site grocery store. Alongside these offerings are the Lending Locker – full of games and small appliances – free on-site laundry, a fitness center and an outdoor gazebo grill.