ET from Columbia on 5/24/2007 1:38:40 PM:
Not many great options near the trail. The Campus Inn is currently a hole in the ground, but is being rebuilt as a Hampton Inn, and I expect will be pretty nice. No idea when it will open, though. The best way to get to it would be to take the Columbia spur to about 2.5 mile marker, then right on the University recreation trail to the mulch site at Capen Park, then up the VERY steep hill on Rock Quarry Road. The hotel will be on your left before you get to the lights on Stadium. Your other option, hotel-wise, is the Regency, which is a bit dumpy, but right downtown, so good location for restauarants, etc. There is only one B and B that I know of still in business, and that's University Place. Also pretty easy to get to, and near downtown. There's a rumor that the Tiger Hotel is going to reopen as a real hotel, but that's not in the near future.