Baltimore Hotels suggestions..

[hoosier sailor]

We are looking for suggestions on hotels in Baltimore with shuttles to and from the airport and to the port. We have searched the pages on here and could not find any answers.  Thanks in advance for your help/

[Nanatravel]

Isn’t Baltimore harbor still closed due to the freighter ship accident and subsequent bridge collapse? 
 

There are numerous name brand hotels in the harbor area. There was one near the aquarium that I stayed at which was very nice. Can’t recall the brand name probably a Hilton hotel.

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, hoosier sailor said:

We are looking for suggestions on hotels in Baltimore with shuttles to and from the airport and to the port. We have searched the pages on here and could not find any answers.  Thanks in advance for your help/

To my knowledge there aren't any hotels downtown in Baltimore that have a shuttle from BWI-- this is fairly standard in other Northeast major cities. The only hotels with shuttles are those that are immediately adjacent to the airport. BWI is about 20-30 minutes from the downtown core. 

 

If you want to stay downtown I would tell you to either look at the Inner Harbor or Fell's Point. Fell's Point is a little more happening out of the two but both areas have plenty of hotel options to fit most budgets from budget to 5 star. Some of the highlight hotels in town would be the Sagamore Pendry and Four Seasons located in or near Fells Point (would consider those to be the top options with the Sagamore Pendry being the nicer of the two). The Renaissance, Royal Sonesta, and Hyatt are located on or just off the Inner Harbor-- have stayed at all of them over the years and they are perfectly nice corporate hotels in good locations. 

 

All these hotels are a short 10-15 minute Uber ride to the port. Again, I can't think of a major hotel that offers a shuttle to the port downtown but maybe someone here knows of one. 

[noslen3333]

howdy. I am sailing out of Baltimore on Sept. 8 - 22 and made a reservation at the Best Western Plus. The address is 565 O'Donnall st. They have shuttle to the ship back and forth for a fee. Looks like a decent hotel. Their direct phone number is 855-516-1090. Hope this helps

 

[noslen3333]

correction...the address is 5625 O'Donnall St. Sticky "2".

[markeb]

To piggy back off princeton123211's post, if you're wanting to stay in "Baltimore" with things to do, there aren't shuttles. If you want a shuttle, you'll need to check around the airport area, but may need to Uber to the actual port. There will be much more to do in the harbor area. Today that's mostly Harbor East to Fell's Point. Along with the hotels they mentioned, a slightly off the beaten track location is the Hotel Monaco. It was the old B&O Headquarters and is a Kimpton property now under IHG. Nice, slightly quirky rooms. Really nice onsite restaurant and bar. 

 

If you're arriving in town late and just want to crash, there are some full service hotels around the  BWI/Elkridge area that will have restaurants. Again, you may be on your own to get to the cruise port.

 

The O'Donnell location mentioned above is one of the most polarizing hotels on the East Coast. People from outside the DMV area seem to love it. No one (maybe an exaggeration, but not much) who lives anywhere in the DMV or have ever traveled to that part of Baltimore would stay there. I met relatives there years ago. Would never go back. I understand the bus stop and travel plaza aren't there anymore, but that's my memory, and it's not a good one. There's a perfectly good Marriott and Westin (and others) near the airport.

[shipgeeks]

I've seen recommendations for Trinity Reservations, which lists a number of hotels and their amenities such as shuttles.

[princeton123211]

12 hours ago, noslen3333 said:

he address is 565 O'Donnall st. They have shuttle to the ship back and forth for a fee. Looks like a decent hotel.

Which is fine, but you are on an island there. I'm not suggesting that anything bad will happen to you at the hotel itself but the area surrounding you is sketchy and doesn't provide easy access to the tourist areas of the city itself. If you plan on staying at the hotel and not leaving then by all means but if you want to see things in Baltimore I would find something more central. Wouldn't be an area I would be comfortable staying myself. 

[noslen3333]

well, now ya'll have given me food for thought. Maybe I better do some more looking. I will be by myself and somewhat apprehensive. I'm from the old school and have never used Uber. No clue nor Lyft? I've read where the taxi service is somewhat "sketchy" so not sure what to do. Is uber a safe mode of travel? 

 

 

 

[noslen3333]

ok. I had another Best Western that has a shuttle to the ship. It is the Best Western Plus Arundel Mills. I will be coming in on Amtrak and maybe this is a better hotel for me. I am 66 and while I like adventure, there are some aspects of this cruise that can send my blood pressure soaring. lol. Just want to feel safe. Thanks

 

[Rubyfisch]

I've stayed at the Courtyard right by the port. There are plenty of taxi cans at the airport, although they aren't particularly nice and cost probably 1.5 times what an Uber would. I have taken a Lyft to the port and used a shuttle service that works with the hotel (for a few). Both worked just fine.

[princeton123211]

9 hours ago, noslen3333 said:

I'm from the old school and have never used Uber. No clue nor Lyft? I've read where the taxi service is somewhat "sketchy" so not sure what to do. Is uber a safe mode of travel? 

Uber and Lyft are basically interchangeable in Baltimore (usually it's the same cars and drivers) and will vary slightly on cost. Very safe to use, cost effective, easy, and MUCH nicer than Baltimore taxis. Taxis there aren't necessarily unsafe so much as they are old ratty cars that are unpleasant. If you can set up an Uber account ahead of time and use it while there you will be much better off. 

 

9 hours ago, noslen3333 said:

ok. I had another Best Western that has a shuttle to the ship. It is the Best Western Plus Arundel Mills. I will be coming in on Amtrak and maybe this is a better hotel for me.

Which is in a much better area than the first one but even further from the city-- it's closer to BWI. Again, if the plan is to just go to the hotel and hang out for a night it works. But if you wanted to see any of the city this, from a distance standpoint, is even more inconvenient than the first one. It just depends on what you want to do. 

 

There are nice options downtown that don't break the bank-- Baltimore is for the most part one of the least expensive major Northeast cities. The Admiral Fell Inn in an excellent location in Fells Point is often in the same price point as the first Best Western you mentioned. There is a Residence Inn and Hampton Inn not far from the Inner Harbor. If you want to be in the heart of it all these would be where I would look. 

[noslen3333]

Thank you Princeton. You have given important information to me. I appreciate it so very much. I will continue to look at hotels. Thanks again!