Judy

I need to stay at a Marriott. I want it to be convenient to Carnegie Mellon. Does anyone know which Marriott is the nicest -
Pittsburgh Marriott - City Center or a Residence Inn - Oakland.

Bill

The Residence Inn in Oakland would be the most convenient, probably even within walking distance. The Mariott City Centre is closer to downtown and would require either taking a cab or bus to CMU.

x

the Residence Inn is closer...you still may need a cab...it says it`s 2 mile....Univ. of Pitt is right there as well as the UPMC/med. center...the Marriott is across the street from the Mellon Center,home of the Penquins..about 4 miles from CMU...and is downtown...hope this helps...neither one is an out-late walking area...

Stephanie P.

Judy:

I'd say Residence Inn in Oakland. However, if you are not collecting Marriott rewards, I'd suggest even more highly, Holiday Inn on Fifth Avenue is a much nicer section of Oakland and it is much closer to Carnegie Mellon (I've walked to it from this area) and Craig Street, where there is a big selection of restaurants, Ebbitt Grill, Star of India, an Italian Restaurant, Thai and Ali Baba, Subway and a 7 Eleven type of store for some soda or late night junk food.

x

ditto the Holiday Inn

Judy

Thanks for the suggestions for the Holiday Inn. I will check into it although I have Marriott gift certificates that I want to use. We're trying to cut down on the expenses of college visits.

Judy

Stephanie -
I just looked at the Holiday Inn website and the CMU site. Is the Holiday Inn that you are talking about on Fifth Avenue the same as Holiday Inn Select at University Center on Lytton St? If so, I found a great rate withthe entertainment discount.

Stephanie P.

I live 25 miles from Oakland so I don't need to stay at the Holiday Inn but it is on Lytton. I went to visit an out of town friend I knew who stayed there. To Judy, I remember there being a Howard Johnson on Bigelow Blvd. Maybe you could check out that rate too. Don't know about quality though.

Judy

Hi Judy,
I think if you're visiting colleges, Oakland makes the most sense as you can get a better feel for the "college scene." I've had family members stay at the Residence Inn and they've all been satisfied. I can't comment on the Marriott City Center as I haven't stayed there since it was a Hyatt. As others have noted the Holiday Inn is in a slightly better location than the Residence Inn, but the Residence Inn should be fine if you have a car. (I believe they also run a periodic shuttle.) Just to clarify a previous post -- the Howard Johnson is now a Best Western. (Also, if you are considering a downtown location, there is a new Renaissance owned by Marriott.) If you go the route of either Priceline or Hotwire, you may be able to get the Residence Inn or the Holiday Inn in Oakland for somewhere between $50-$75/night.

Judy

Judy -
Thanks. The rate I got for the Holiday Inn with the Entertainment discount is $70.00, so I don't think it is worth it to go thru Priceline or Hotwire. I do think it makes more sense to be in the area of the "college scene". I didn't realize Oakland was the area of the college scene. I thought Shadyside or Squirrel Hill is the typical college areas.

rachel

Judy, Staying in oakland is a better bet for college viewing purposes. The college life is in Oakland (Univ. of Pittsburgh), Shadyside & Squirrel Hill (CMU). All three sections are really quite close together. Oakland is a little (well more than a little) rougher and more run down than Shadyside and Squirrel Hill. If you go to the University of Pittsburgh web site, it will direct you to some general web sites about the city, including hotels, etc. There is also a nice bed and breakfast type place shown in shadyside. Not that you asked, but Pittsburgh is a great place to go to college/grd school. Good public transportation making things (jobs, internships, culture, etc) very accessbile. Lots to do within each university community and more in the Pittsburgh community itself. Great neighborhoods, great restaurants, and quite a few universities so there's lots of youth present. I hesitated going to grad school there but it turned out to be terrific. Best Pizza (better than Chicago or NYC)that I ever had at Vincent's Pizza Park on Ardmore BLvd. in Forest Hills (eastern suburb).

DBR96

Stephanie P.: You forgot to mention Kane's Courtyard! Kane's Courtyard is a deli-type place in the Craig Street area. It's not right on Craig Street, but it is on one of the adjacent streets nearby. I think it's the best-kept secret in that area.

P.S.: Ali Baba's is good too.