Visiting Pittsburgh...where to stay? (Carnegie, Homestead: appointed, how much, hotels)

[Cj81]

I am visiting Pittsburgh next week...only staying 1 night and I could use some suggestions on where to stay. Is downtown the best place to stay or can someone recommend a better neighborhood? Looking for a place where we can walk around, shop, eat...etc. Any help on location or hotels is appreciated. Thanks.

[Impala26]

I think it would depend on how much you're willing to spend versus how close to town you want to stay. If you're looking to walk around from your hotel I would suggest to look at the Westin by the Convention Center in Downtown or the Sheraton at Station Square just south of Downtown. Those places offer several shops and destinations nearby.

If you're looking for some places perhaps a bit cheaper and not too far from town (quick drive or cheap bus ride) the next place I would look to is Oakland. There is a Residence Inn and some other hotel there as well. A few good places to eat, but shopping is lacking in Oakland. Also there is a hotel at the Waterfront at Homestead that is near a pretty major outdoor shopping area as well as numerous restaurants and a megaplex movie theater.

I'm sure there are far more options still close to the city, but these are the ones I'm most familiar with.

[BrianTH]

Personally, for a one-night stay I'd recommend being in or near Downtown, provided you weren't on a very tight budget. In addition to the recommendations above, you can also look at the North Shore hotels, which are within walking distance of Downtown (over any number of bridges).

[neurodistortion]

The only place that I could think of where you can do all of the following is down in Station Square. It's close enough to town where you can hop on the trolley or bus and go over to Downtown or the rest of the Southside.

[Impala26]

^^ Ah see, I knew I forgot some nearby. Yes there are several offerings just north of Downtown. There are also a few more in Downtown itself than the Westin, but most of them are pricey. There's a Hilton, The William Penn, and The Renaissance. All of these including the Westin (just looked this up) are 4 star hotels. So yeah, they're right in the thick of things, but they may be too pricey if you're not looking for a fancy hotel.

There's at least one other hotel downtown I know of, can't recall if it's a Doubletree or something else, but it's likely cheaper.

[drshang]

Honestly, if I were you, I'd bid like $50 or $55 and get a 4 star downtown, whatever Priceline gives you. From what I've heard that should be enough to get one of the nice hotels downtown. Pocket whatever you save and have some fun with the rest.

[ctoocheck]

There is a hotel - Holiday Inn I think? - on I think 10th Street in the South Side. There's also a B&B down there that I hear is nice, if you're into that. The SouthSide is definitely a fun and happening neighborhood with things to do for the night, with lots of cafes, restaurants, shopping, and an enormous number of bars.
There are also some choices in Oakland or Shadyside. There are things to do there too, but... the former has stuff to do such as the Conservatory and some University-related things, as Pitt and Carnegie-Mellon are there. The latter is more yuppie/upscale with shopping, cafes, and restaurants. I think the SouthSide has more variety in any case.
Anyway, downtown is fine, especially in the day, but there's not really mcuh to do at night unless you hit up the opera/symphony or something like that. I think you'd be disappointed staying there if looking for things to do in the evening (though it's not terribly hard to get somewhere else from there). The SouthSide would be my recommendation, depending on your age and precisely what you like to do.

[SteelCityRising]

A female friend and I really enjoyed our stay at The Priory in the Near North Side earlier this year.

[PreservationPioneer]

I stayed at the William Penn for my first visit to Pittsburgh. It's in the heart of downtown, so there's a lot to explore, and the hotel itself is a wonder. It's a really great way to experience the essence of Pittsburgh and the extra cost is worth it.

[Renaldo5000]

I would advise the hotel on S. 10th street right off of the bridge on the South Side. The South Side is the most lively neighborhood in the city and will keep you the most entertained.