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Raleigh · Hotel shortlist

3 star hotels in the university district, Raleigh

Ellie Brandt

Ellie Brandt Southeast Asia

Updated 1 September 2026 · 37 Raleigh hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Raleigh, out of the 37 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.9 down to 4.5.

The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy is the one I would book myself.

The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy

Highest rated of the five

The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy

★★★★★4.9 from 345 reviews

The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.9 from 345 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 and found under the university district.

37 hotels in Raleigh qualified for this list and five made it. Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Chicago Downtown/River North is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Kitchenettebreakfast on your own schedule
  • Step free accesslevel entry and a lift
  • Dogs allowedno kennel to arrange before you fly

Check rates Read more

All five, ranked

  1. The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy1

    The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy

    ★★★★★4.9 from 345 reviews

    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

    Check rates Read more

  2. Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Chicago Downtown/River North2

    Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Chicago Downtown/River North

    ★★★★★4.6 from 2,047 reviews

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

    Check rates Read more

  3. Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Medical District UIC3

    Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Medical District UIC

    ★★★★★4.7 from 286 reviews

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

    Check rates Read more

  4. SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chicago Chinatown4

    SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chicago Chinatown

    ★★★★★4.6 from 645 reviews

    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Parking
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

    Check rates Read more

  5. Hampton Inn Chicago West Loop Fulton Market Area5

    Hampton Inn Chicago West Loop Fulton Market Area

    ★★★★★4.5 from 1,438 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Pet friendly

    Check rates Read more

How this list was put together

37 Raleigh hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and 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.

Ellie Brandt

Ellie Brandt Southeast Asia

Works weekends at an animal shelter and saves the pay for off-season flights. Hostels, night buses, and volunteering at animal sanctuaries for a bunk. Six countries in three years.

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.