Mobile low cost hotel?

[Mysticks1]

There is also a brand new Candlewood Suites on Royal St just a couple of blocks down from the Renaissance Riverview and the Hampton Inn. It just opened in December. I don't know if they would offer a park/cruise package ut it would be worth checking with them. I would call the hotel directly rather than using their toll-free number.

[Cool Breeze Cruiser]

We just booked the Mirotel Saraland for this Friday night before our cruise on Saturday. The price is $128.39 for a room for up to 4 people & includes parking for up to 2 weeks, tranportation to & from the pier, breakfast & free wifi.

I will report back about it when we get back.

Juli

[ouachita]

We're at the Microtel too. By all accounts it is a decent deal - guess we'll find out friday night won't we.

[Cool Breeze Cruiser]

I said I would post when I got back & luckily the Microtel turned out to be as good as the reviews I had read.

We drove down from Nashville the night before our cruise & stayed at the Microtel Inn & Suites Saraland & did the park & cruise package. I would highly recommend staying there. It is right on I-65 & about 10 minutes from the port.

The hotel is not fancy but is new & very clean & the beds are comfortable. Each room has a microwave & refrigerator.

The staff is wonderful. They were all so friendly! The shuttle driver even brought hot coffee when he picked us up after the cruise.

 

We paid $128.39 including taxes & that included a room for up to 4 people, parking for up to 2 weeks, transportation to & from the pier (it was great to be dropped off right at the door), free wi-fi & free breakfast. The biscuits & gravy were very good.

There is a Ruby Tuesdays next door & a Walmart right down the street.

There were quite a few cruise passengers staying there so it was a great place to meet our fellow cruisers too.

Juli

[firefly333]

Hotel is $59.00, shuttle is $10 either way, and parking is $8 per day, X 5 days is $40, so if you are by yourself no savings doing it as a package. They were very nice and gave me a pass for the shuttle, but I decided to walk anyway, as it really isnt that far to me... though the brick sidewalks arent that great on suitcase wheels. I only had a carry on and my back pack... so I walked over. I just paid for the hotel and the $40 for the parking.

 

Several people told me not to stay here after reading the reviews. The reviews are horrendous. If you cruise on Carnival telling someone the decor is too funky .. but you like New Orleans French Qtr makes no sense.

 

There were two reviews written during the time of the oil spill stating scary people were residents and staying there .. no sign of that now.

 

The office is about 500 yards from Holiday Inn .. so hard to say its a bad location unless the other hotels are too. It is probably that much closer than any other hotel to the port. Easy walking.

 

Every 2nd Friday is arts night downtown Mobile, with a little wine or punch and some had cheeses and moon pies and snacks. I did walk around and check out the art places. Id say 15 to 20 places had open houses, within walking distance of each other. A band playing .. when the saints go marching in .. mardi gras starts in mobil this coming friday.

 

I took pictues of the inside of my room and from the walkway. The rooms are not fancy .. but the bed was comfortable. Worst I can say is the lampshades were a little sideways in the pictures i took. I will post pictures when i get home. I had people telling me they would not stay here after reading the reviews

 

The manager told me he thinks competitors post some of those horrible reviews on trip advisor that Iv seen. they were nice. it is a large block with a 4 story walk up style, with curly cue railings, so it looks similar in style to french qtr. no mold. the stand up heatingand ac unit referred to, is just a unit in the back wall.. the thermostat was on the wall by the bed. just set it to heat and the temp. i was thinking it was some wierd unit freestanding. was the room beautiful no .. but great for cruisers wanting a bed and a clean room.

[firefly333]

PS just call them direct and ask for the cruise special. It is $109 plus tax.

 

It includes parking during your cruise and shuttle both directions. very nice manager. everyone seemed very nice and friendly saying hi when they passed you as I walked around.

 

I guess I dont get people who defend Carnival´s decorating and then say they wouldnt stay in a hotel that the room isnt exactly beautiful. Two ocean view type pictures, lamps, dresser, desk, the usual hotel room furntiture, largeish TV worked fine.

 

Other than the fact that this is a walk up (of course they do have a elevator, but Im talking style of building).. it wasnt nearly what people say in the reviews I read.

 

It was 100% booked.. by 6 pm, no more rooms if you had tried to book last minute .. so someone obviously likes it.

 

Oh yea, .. I think I saw a sign for free internet. Looked like a tiny pool covered over.

[firefly333]

I promised some pics. That way people can see if they want to stay here or not. It was so convenient, and the manager was very nice. These two outside shots are from my 2nd story room, out on the balcony the morning we boarded.

 

See the green pitched roof, over some units and below them the entrance...you can see a place right next but behind...you have to squint, but thats Holiday Inn ..thats how close they are.

 

 

This one is looking toward maybe the govt building..and a hotel with a big R on it. Radisson or Rennaisance?

 

 

The 2nd picture you can see more of the units in Mobile Bay Adventure Inn, which as I said is a walk up, but the price is great if you just want a bed.

[firefly333]

I booked as a single, though a party of 8 was booking into two doubles in front of me.

 

 

 

 

The 2nd Friday of the month is arts night downtown, so I spent the evening walking around to art open houses which were held on a street about 3 blocks from the hotel, easy walking. I had a little wine one place, a moon pie and some punch and nuts at other places. Lots I saw were walking around with larger amounts of free wine than I found, but it was fun to get out and look at the local artists works. A band was playing too, so it was like Mardi Gras, except instead of drinking places like in New Orleans, it was art places.

[futaba951]

I promised some pics. That way people can see if they want to stay here or not. It was so convenient, and the manager was very nice. These two outside shots are from my 2nd story room, out on the balcony the morning we boarded.

 

See the green pitched roof, over some units and below them the entrance...you can see a place right next but behind...you have to squint, but thats Holiday Inn ..thats how close they are.

 

 

This one is looking toward maybe the govt building..and a hotel with a big R on it. Radisson or Rennaisance?

 

 

The 2nd picture you can see more of the units in Mobile Bay Adventure Inn, which as I said is a walk up, but the price is great if you just want a bed.

 

The big R would be the former Radisson. Guess they still haven't taken the R down since changing brands. The Riverview and the Battle House are the only two Renaissance branded hotels in the city.

[firefly333]

I arrived at 5:15, after stopping at a gas stations for directions on which exit to take from I10...got confused directions anyway. Nothing like rush hour traffic, took 4 lights to get thru the light where I turned. Then I had to turn directly into the setting sun and couldnt see a darn thing once I turned on Church.

 

I had people tell me on a Carnival thread where I mentioned Id be staying here, they would pay $60 to stay at another hotel, no way would they stay at such a dump. (they hadnt stayed here either, but pulled up the reviews). I was half afraid of the worse, instead just got a plain hotel serving community coffee where each and every person working there said hello to me and greeted me in a friendly way.

 

I plan to stay there again in May when I repeat this cruise.

[hpreece]

I rented a one way car and picked another up for a one way back home. Drove through the night and boarded in the morning.

[firefly333]

I rented a one way car and picked another up for a one way back home. Drove through the night and boarded in the morning.

 

I think I was better off paying this hotel $8 a day. My bill was about $101 total, including taxes and parking and the hotel itself. My car is pretty economical. I now have a Versa thanks to Carnival Conquest during Ike when I never saw that car again.

 

That seemed to be about the cheapest way to do this that I could come up with. Im glad I have a break before I make that long drive again by myself.

[Julia1969]

Any suggestions for low cost hotel coming from Georgia? Haven't decided if we'll be coming in from north or east of Mobile. Maybe decided on hotel price/availability. Thanks!

 

Look on this site to see if it will help. It offers a list of park and cruise pkg. hotels.

 

http://www.mobile.org/packages.php#Ashbury%20Hotel%20and%20Suites

 

Hope it helps.