We loved our stay at this hotel. Good service, great location, nice breakfast area, clean and in close proximity to the start of the Hawthorne Biking Trail - a 16 mile one way bike trail through beautiful scenery. Also, very convenient to UF, especially if your kids live on the East side of the campus.

We would definitely choose it again!

I spent two nights at the Hampton Inn in downtown Gainesville while on business at the university. The location is central to many restaurants and bars. Parking is free on the street or you can pay a nominal fee to park in the garage. The room was clean and standard with a large TV. The Bed was comfortable. The complimentary breakfast had a great variety of hot and cold foods, wish I had time to use the waffle maker. The WiFi was also free. Overall, this is a great, inexpensive place to stay in downtown Gainesville. Starbucks is around the corner if you crave fancier coffee.

But more about that later.
A thoroughly frabjous property is this Hampton. The staff never cease to amaze and welcome, even after dealing with masses of academically-tinged travelers. This was my third stay and the day crew turned a slight disappointment (olfactory hint of old mop water in the suite) into a Thing of Beauty. I mentioned it at the desk on my way out in the morning and when I returned to the room that afternoon, they had cleaned the carpets! Problem solved. Except for guilt that I'd added so much work to someone's morning.
I always end up in an end suite overlooking the Courthouse courtyard. It's nifty during Farmer's Market days and once you discover that the professional loiterers aren't going to harass you, it's interesting to people watch and listen. Slight bit of cavilling over the need to use the unattached parking garage but since it's the same one I used when working for Parole/Probation; a lot like Old Home Week. Or Old Convicted Felon Week. But it's easy to park in front of the hotel to load/unload and the desk staff will keep your bags safe so there's no strain. There's also a kind gentleman-of-all-trades who will gladly motor you between garage and hotel in the Hampton golf cart.

Now about those Attorneys. Since it's across the street from the Alachua County Courthouse and the Eighth Judicial Circuit is a busy venue, trial attorneys gravitate to the Hampton like codicils to Probate Court. For the bigger trials, they travel in packs with the paralegals and lesser associates in charge of metal carts sagging under tons of legal files. I know this because every evening at the Hampton the guests not burdened with J.D., LL.M., or LL.D. after their names have to swerve and hop and twist to avoid the file carts under full sail as they negotiate the limited space between the Manager's Reception liquor and the elevators. I swear I've seen sweet little old ladies with blue hair and eyeglasses hanging from bejeweled chains flattened against walls rather than be crushed by thirsty advocates. I've also experienced the thrill of a Senior Partner, cold beer in both hands, admonishing a younger colleague that he should let the lady into the elevator first. A brief experience since the anti-Atticus barrelled on through anyway.
But SP graciously held the door for me until I calmly stated I'd wait for the next elevator.
The doors closed and I turned to the sweet little old lady and said 'I just didn't like the cut of his briefs.'
Travel is so good for building characters.

In summary, ladies and gentlemen, I would recommend the Hampton Inn and Suites, Gainesville, unstintingly and without hesitation (but with proper reservations) as the best in the county and beyond. I would, however, urge extreme caution if you are anywhere near the Courthouse and see Men in Suits carrying what can only be a Penang Lawyer. This is irrefutable evidence that they are all pining for their respective Holmes.


(Good hotel, great location, marvelous staff, abstruse pun and references. And I'll sign an affidavit to that effect.)

This is a beautiful Hampton Inn, upscale compared to the usual Hampton Inn properties. Right out the door are great restaurants, a renovated theatre, and the Bo Diddly stage at the town square. The saltwater pool is tiny, but it fits the space that the hotel was built on. Plus, it has a switch to make a "current" to swim against. Parking is only $5 in the adjacent (covered) lot. The only disadvantage to the area is that there are quite a few homeless people who hang out across the street. I've stayed at this hotel about four times, and never had any problems, but you should know that they'll be around. Other than that, choose this hotel if your're coming to Gainesville!