Safe neighborhood??

Can anyone from the Baltimore area help me out? My brother-in-law booked 2 rooms at the Quality Inn (1401 Bloomfield Ave). We just needed a place to sleep (getting in around 10:00 p.m. and out by 9:00 a.m. the next day) and he couldn%26#39;t see paying a higher premium. Not a problem, except I%26#39;ve read lots of on-line reviews and most speak of very poor room conditions (living and dead roaches and other bugs, mice and rat holes) and quite a few mentioned the location as being in an unsafe neighborhood. Can anyone who knows the area (and possibly the facility) give me some information. I don%26#39;t want to question his choice since money is a real issue with them and they won%26#39;t let us help out, but neither do I want to walk into a nightmare. Thanks!

Safe neighborhood??

What kind of rate is your brother paying, any idea?

The neighborhood isn%26#39;t the best, it%26#39;s just off the Interstate on the outskirts of the city. I don%26#39;t know much about the hotel but the reviews here on TA, while not very good, are also not very current...

Within 7-8 miles you could be in the BWI Airport area and could check there for properties, there are lots of budget properties in that area and a list is at bwiairport.com.

(Having said all that, if you%26#39;re really just getting in at 10:00 and leaving the next morning, how bad could it be?)

Safe neighborhood??

Thanks for your reply. We really are getting in around 10 at night and plan to leave no later than 9:00 the next day, so i%26#39;m not concerrned with amenities as much as with safety. I ';googled'; and found lots of reviews that talked about doors that would not close/lock, tough neighborhood, bugs and 1 or 2 that mentioned rodents... that%26#39;s when I decided to post the query here, where I%26#39;ve always gotten good information. As for the room rate, with tax it%26#39;s about $135 - I think he said it was $114 a night. Thanks again.

The White Marsh area has several reasonably priced hotels for under $200 a night, and it is a much nicer area. White Marsh is also right off I-95 but it is northeast of the city rather than southwest of the city (Bloomfield).

If you just need a place to sleep and aren%26#39;t concerned with being near any attractions, you might be better off at one of the airport hotels. There are a number of options on the standard travel sites showing better prices than you got at the QI and you wouldn%26#39;t have to worry about the neighborhood.

Are you just passing through Baltimore, or are you actually looking to do something in the city?

If you%26#39;re just passing through along I-95, you can do better about 20 minutes south of town where you%26#39;re not spitting distance to either Baltimore or Washington (search for hotels around Laurel, Md.). Or 15 minutes north of the aforementioned White Marsh area, look for hotels in Bel Air.

You will save a bunch or find a nicer place for the same money in these areas just by driving a few extra minutes. If you don%26#39;t have a need to be close to the city, why pay for the privilege?

I wouldn%26#39;t stay there- I agree w/ the above poster- stay somewhere a little firther out if safety is your #1 issue.Otherwise, I%26#39;d find a nice B%26amp;B in FederalHill, Conton, or Fells Point (safe areas near the water) if I wanted to save $.

I never feel safe at night and even day in baltimore unless I am right around inner harbor. A lot of the city is run down except for inner harbor and fells point areas. I would stay near BWI like somebody else suggested. That is not a great area you are talking about. It is across from a hospital. It is on the verge of a bad neighborhood. Plus to get to Inner Harbor, if you don%26#39;t take I-95, and go Wilkens Ave into the city, it is very bad neighborhoods. No trees, no grass, all concrete, and very run down. It is the ghetto. I don%26#39;t even feel safe driving in a car through there. What do you plan on doing in baltimore? Sightseeing, buisness, family matters? I live in the columbia area and am only 20 minutes to baltimore. BWI is even closer. I would not stay in the city except for Inner Harbor. Probably the quality inn is not much more convienent than staying around BWI. That is just my opinion.