Memphis Airport hotel suggestion

Last year I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express that is new. Gated parking lot. Plenty of attention to security at the entrance and lobby. There isn't anything nice or safe as close as possible. Either stay in Germantown and drive 20 or 30 or pick something survivable and grit it out.

Thanks. Didn't realize there was a newer Holiday Inn. I'll check it out. I have family that lives in Germantown, but thinks it's too far for a 7 AM flight considering I don't arrive Memphis until midnight the night before!!!
Thanks for your suggestion.

It's only about 20 minutes from Germantown to the airport (and traffic at 5am shouldn't be bad!). Maybe they just don't want to take you that early?

I can't help with hotels, but if you do stay by the airport and drive yourself, just have good directions. I'm sure a hotel like the HIE would be fine, but you don't want to get lost on the way there (especially at midnight).

It is not so bad but there aren't that many hotels either. Does the HIE have an airport shuttle that can pick you up & drop you back off?

Okay, I've weighed it all out and I think staying with family in Germantown is the better choice, definitely safer and cheaper! I will drive myself since I will have the rental car to turn in.
Thanks for all your advise.

I agree with your decision.

Me too but bear in mind that not all rental car companies at Memphis airport specifically are open 24 hours. We found this out the hard way. You may not be able to comply with TSA check-in requirements for your flight if you have to drop the car off & wait for the shuttle to take you to the terminal. Who are you renting from?

Renting from Dollar; they took me they open at 5 AM, so hopefully, that will give me time to shuttle to airport.

That's fine if you have a 7am or later flight. Ours was at 6 so that wasn't enough check-in time.

I'm sort of rethinking staying near the airport but need to know something first. If can get to the car rental before they close at 11 pm, I could get turn in my car and not have worry about the EARLY return the next morning, BUT..... how would I get to hotel? I'm sure some of the hotels have a shuttle that would pick me up????? Is that right? I've looked at hotels in the Southaven area and they seem nicer and maybe have a safer feel, but I don't think they offer shuttle service.
If I stay with family, they aren't able to take pick me up or take to airport.
Any advise?

My advice is to call the airport hotels to find out, perhaps starting with the HIE stumpworks73 mentioned.

If you turn car in at airport, you will have to take thier shuttle back to terminal and then get the hotel shuttle to thier property. NONE of the car rental companies will pick up / drop off anywher but thier lots and the terminal due to insurance issues. I lived in Memphis for 20 years and traveled in and out of MEM (staying over night at airport on occasions) and this is the only way to do. Check in for flights at the hour of the morning you are talking about should not take more than 40 minutes unless its a Monday or Friday morning. Figure on 1 hour on the high side to go thru security and get to gate.