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Albany · Hotel shortlist

The best hotels near University at Albany

Marc Delacroix

Marc Delacroix France

Updated 1 September 2026 · 12 Albany hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Albany, out of the 12 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.3 down to 4.1.

All five are within 2.2 km of University at Albany.

Hampton Inn Albany-Western Ave/University Area

Highest rated of the five

Hampton Inn Albany-Western Ave/University Area

★★★★★4.3 from 1,018 reviews

Hampton Inn Albany-Western Ave/University Area comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.3 from 1,018 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 3 star property, found under poi and around $194 a night on the dates we checked.

12 hotels in Albany qualified for this list and five made it. Courtyard by Marriott Albany Thruway is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Gymopen to guests, not a partner pass down the road
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in

Check rates Read more

All five, ranked

  1. Hampton Inn Albany-Western Ave/University Area1

    Hampton Inn Albany-Western Ave/University Area

    ★★★★★4.3 from 1,018 reviews

    1.0 km from University at Albany, about a 12 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning

    Check rates Read more

  2. Courtyard by Marriott Albany Thruway2

    Courtyard by Marriott Albany Thruway

    ★★★★★4.1 from 481 reviews

    800 m from University at Albany, about a 10 minute walk

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning

    Check rates Read more

  3. Hilton Garden Inn Albany/SUNY Area3

    Hilton Garden Inn Albany/SUNY Area

    ★★★★★4.1 from 978 reviews

    1.0 km from University at Albany, about a 12 minute walk

    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly

    Check rates Read more

  4. Residence Inn by Marriott Albany Washington Avenue4

    Residence Inn by Marriott Albany Washington Avenue

    ★★★★★4.2 from 608 reviews

    2.2 km from University at Albany

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly

    Check rates Read more

  5. Homewood Suites by Hilton Albany Crossgates Mall5

    Homewood Suites by Hilton Albany Crossgates Mall

    ★★★★★4.2 from 415 reviews

    2.2 km from University at Albany

    • Pool
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly

    Check rates Read more

How this list was put together

12 Albany hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating first and on how close they are to University at Albany second, then took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Marc Delacroix

Marc Delacroix France

Closes the shop two weeks each winter and goes wherever people make something fermented. Dairies in the Basque country, the Caucasus and rural Sardinia.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.