There's a new Westin downtown attached to the Providence Place shopping center. It's easily the best in town and a very short trip over to Brown (about a half mile or so). There's a new Courtyard adjacent to the Westin.

Agree with Mr. Turner. The 3 major hotels in downtown are very close to each other and they are all a short drive/walk ( up the hill) to RISD and Brown. The Westin, the Biltmore and the new Courtyard Marriott are the choices that you should pick from. They are all in a good location and have easy access to the new Providence Place Mall and a wide variety of fabulous restaurants. The Radisson is not a good location and neither is the Marriott. You can't go wrong with any of the above 3 choices.

I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott (don't confuse with regular Marrriott -bad location) and highly recommend it. Large, clean rooms and really good prices. Convenient to everything.

Enjoy Providence - it's hard not to.

Double check me, but the Holiday Inn is close to Brown (from memory, within a mile). I stayed there in November of 2002, and on a scale of 1 to 10, I rate it a 7. It was clean and within walking distance to Federal Hill. The price was around $100 a night, and while it was beside I95, I found it quiet.

Holiday Inn Downtown
21 Atwells Ave
(401)831-3900

The Westin is a much classier place though.

Mike Honeycutt

Yes, the Holiday Inn may be a better deal, however, I didn't mention it because of the seedy crowd that hangs out there at night. I would not walk out in this area at nite.

I was only there for several days, but I walk to the mall and to Federal Hill at night. I never saw anything that looked questionable.

Mike Honeycutt