Hampton Inn Indianapolis Downtown Across from Circle Centre

For travellers who want a central location without the luxury price, the Hampton Inn Indianapolis Downtown Across from Circle Centre is hard to beat. It stands at 105 South Meridian Street, on the main north-south street of downtown, directly across from the Circle Centre shopping area and only a couple of blocks south of Monument Circle, so you step out of the door into the middle of everything. The rooms are the familiar Hampton standard: clean, comfortable and practical, with good beds, a work desk and free Wi-Fi throughout. The big money-saver is the free hot breakfast buffet each morning, which takes care of one meal a day and matters for families and longer stays. There is a fitness center, and the hotel accepts dogs and cats. It is not a place with a destination restaurant or a spa, but with dozens of restaurants within a few blocks you will not miss them, and the location means you can walk to the Circle, the tours, the canal and the stadiums. For a budget-conscious first visit, it is the best-placed of the value hotels.

Location and getting around: South Meridian Street puts you at the center of the Mile Square. Monument Circle is a couple of blocks north, the meeting points for the walking and ghost tours on West Washington Street are a few minutes away, and the Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse are short walks. The Indiana State Museum and the zoo in White River State Park are about a twenty-minute walk west. For the Speedway, The Children's Museum and Newfields, take a taxi or rideshare.

Rooms and who it suits: this is the right choice for budget-minded couples, families who will make the most of the free breakfast, and anyone who plans to be out all day and needs a comfortable, central place to sleep.

Good to know: there is no self-parking; valet costs about $55 a night with in-and-out privileges, so travellers without a car save the most here. Dogs and cats are allowed, up to two, for a non-refundable fee of about $50 for one to four nights or $75 for longer stays. Check-in is at 3pm and check-out at 11am.