Affordable Lodging in the Roanoke, Virginia Area

As the glorious fall season approaches, and the leaves begin to change to gorgeous hues of red, yellow and orange, fall leaf lovers may find themselves making their way to the Roanoke Valley. In addition to the lovely natural scenery, historic downtown Roanoke has lots of interesting places to visit - the Taubman Museum of Art, the Transportation Museum, the Farmers' Market, Hotel Roanoke and a multitude of specialty shops and restaurants.

The question arises - "Where should I stay in Roanoke, Virginia?" In this article, information about various forms of affordable lodging will be provided.

Campgrounds

1. Dixie Caverns Campground - This campground is located directly off of I-81 at Exit 132. The street address is 5753 West Main Street, Salem, VA 24153. The contact number is 540-380-2085.

This campground offers RV sites for $26 a night and tent sites for $8 per person per night. If you would like to have a pull-through RV unit, they do accept reservations for that.

This campground's amenities include electric, water, cable TV, and sewer hookups for all RV sites. Free Wifi Internet is available. The bath house is open year round, and dump service is available on a fee only basis for off-road campers.

Some points of interest of the campground are reduced rates on tickets to tour Dixie Caverns as well as a very nice gift shop, pottery, and antique shop being on site. This campground is open year round.

If you would like to read reviews about this campground, you can find a few at http://www. vparkreviews.com/regions/Virginia/Salem.html.

2. Roanoke Mountain Campground - This campground is located at Milepost 120.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The street address is 2551 Mountain View Road, Vinton, VA 24179. The contact number is 540-767-2492.

To stay at this campground, the cost is $16 per night, and there are 74 tent sites and 30 RV sites available. Three of those sites are accessible to campers in wheelchairs.

This campground's amenities are restrooms, fire pits, a music stage, a group campsite, amphitheater, and a dump station for RVs. Every Sunday evening from June to mid-October, the Blue Ridge Parkway sponsors an hour of traditional music for this campground. The Chestnut Ridge Trail basically encircles the campground and makes for a lovely 5.3 mile hike.

A point of interest regarding this campground is its close proximity to the Mill Mountain Zoo and the Roanoke Star. This campground is open from May until late October.

A wonderful review along with pictures of this campground can be found at http://www.museice.blogspot.com/2008/06/roanoke-mountain-campground.html.

Bed and Breakfasts

1. Black Lantern Inn - This bed and breakfast is located at 1526 Franklin Road, Roanoke, VA 24016. The contact number is 540-206-3441.

The Sweet Jayne Room at this inn is only $75-95 a night. This room has a full size bed with a comfortable mattress, luxurious linens and pillows, a detached bath with a hydrotherapy tub, and a flat screen TV. In addition to the use of the room and its lovely features, this price includes European bath and body products, Turkish towels, fresh flowers, bedtime chocolates, and a freshly prepared, delicious breakfast. Two other rooms are also available for a higher price.

This inn offers free wireless Internet, comfy lounging areas and kitchens, a flat screen TV with a video library, a sound system with a music library, covered porches, and a wonderful view of the Mill Mountain Star. This bed and breakfast is open all year round.

You can check in between 3pm-9pm, and check-out time is 11am the next day.

2. Rose Hill Bed and Breakfast - This bed and breakfast can be found at 521 Washington Avenue SW, Roanoke, VA 24016. The contact number is 540-400-7785.

The Peacock Room at this inn is only $95 a night. This room has a queen size, four poster bed and is decorated in beautiful, rich colors. Down the hall is a private bath that has a lovely shower, a hand-tiled vanity with a sink, and a beautiful chandelier. In addition to the room and private bath, this price also includes afternoon tea and hors d' oeuvres served at 4pm, homemade chocolates in the evening, and a delicious breakfast served from 7am-10am. Two other rooms are also available for a slightly higher price.

This b and b offers free off-street parking, free WiFi computer access, a guest lounge with a microwave and popcorn, a diversely stocked library, transportation to and from the airport, and in-room massage or photo sittings by advance appointment. This establishment is open year round.

Check-in time is between 3pm-7pm, and check-out time is 11am the next day. Reviews of this b and b are provided on its website.

Hotels/Motels

1. Holiday Inn Roanoke - Valley View - This hotel is located at 3315 Ordway Drive NW, Roanoke, VA 24017. The phone number to call for a reservation is 800-448-2296.

This hotel offers a room with two double beds for $114.95 a night for a family of five (2 adults and 3 children). In addition to the beds, the room comes equipped with a desk, cable/satellite TV with premium channels and pay movies, complimentary wireless Internet access, a coffee/tea maker, voice mail, complimentary local calls, a daily newspaper, a hair dryer, and an iron and ironing board. Roll-away beds and cribs are available for an additional fee. The hotel has a total of 115 rooms.

This hotel provides 24-hour front desk help, a restaurant/bar, indoor and outdoor pools, a spa tub, a fitness facility, conference rooms, banquet facilities, meeting rooms for small groups, a complimentary airport shuffle, a business center, wireless Internet access, and coffee in the lobby. In addition, this establishment is located in close proximity to Valley View Mall and a multitude of restaurants and shops. It is also only minutes away from the Roanoke Regional Airport.

Pets weighing 35 lbs. or less are allowed with a $25 pet deposit for the stay and $10 per night pet fee. This hotel is open year round.

Check-in time is at 4pm, and check-out time is at 11am the next day.

2. Main Stay Suites Airport - This business is located at 5080 Valley View Boulevard, Roanoke, VA 24012 and can be reached by taking Exit 3 East (Hershberger Road) off of I-581 and turning right onto Valley View Boulevard-North. The contact number of the hotel is 540-527-3030, or for reservations, you can all 877-424-6423.

For a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 children), a two double bed suite runs $125.95 per night. This suite has a living room, a sofa bed that can sleep one person, a fully equipped kitchen, and a flat screen TV. This hotel has 77 rooms to offer - 2 of which are handicap accessible.

This hotel offers weekly housekeeping services, a free daily deluxe continental breakfast, free 24-hour coffee, tea, and cappuccino in the lobby, free airport transportation, a free weekday newspaper, free high-speed Internet access, an exercise room, an on-site putting green, and a manager's reception on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Dogs weighing 40 lbs. or less are allowed for $40.00 per week. Only one dog is permitted per room.

This establishment is open year round. Check-in time is at 3pm, and check-out time is at 12pm the next day.

Reviews for this hotel can be found at http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g58134-d268330-n5237920MainStay_Suites_Airport_Roanoke_Virginia.html#REVIEWS.