J. W. Rudmin's Harrisonburg Motel Summary

The following motels are within 2 miles of the JMU East Campus (CISAT).

Here are Jan 2005 prices, but check price by phone.

  The Four Points by Sheraton: 540-433-2521 Old but still nice. $55 for JMU speakers. Buffet breakfast is $6.

Comfort Inn, 540-433-6066. Tell them you're a VAS participant and that Josh and Jennifer said they'd give you a $65 rate. Free continental breakfast includes hot & cold cereal, juice, coffee and tea.

Motel 6: 540-433-6939  $40-but not bad. Towels are a bit thin. Bring your favorite towel, and save money. Shoney's or Waffle House, and a good Italian Restaurant are across Rte 33.  Good Mexican restaurant next door.

Econolodge.  540-433-2576. $59.  Breakfast includes cereal, juice, coffee.

Hampton Inn: 540-432-1111. Built about 1995.  Free hot breakfast, VAS - $70. Ihop next door.

Courtyard by Marriot 540-432-3031.  Built in 2000.  $89 + $8 buffet breakfast

Jameson Inn: 540-442-1515.  Built 2002.  $64 for VAS speaker, Hot breakfast included)

Sleep Inn:  540-433-7100. Built 2004. VAS-$65. Free hot breakfast

Best Western:  540-433-6089. Built in 2004. VAS price $51. Free breakfast includes hot and cold cereal, fruit and pastries.

<>Directions:  Exit #247, Route 33 eastbound, from I-81. At the first stoplight, Burgess Road, Best Western is on your right, and Sheraton, Comfort Inn, and Motel 6 are on your left. Continue through the light, and just past the shopping center, you can turn right up a steep hill to Econolodge.  Continue on Rt 33 east to the second light and turn right on University Blvd. Just past Kmart at the first light, Hampton Inn is on your right. Continue another 500 feet to the second light and turn right on Evelyn Bird Av.  Within 500 feet you'll see Courtyard by Marriot on your right, and SleepInn and Jameson Inn on your left.  The East Campus of JMU is another half mile ahead of you.
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<>Days Inn: 540-433-9353  $58 with JMU discount.  Free continental breakfast includes cereal, juice, bagels, waffles. Exit #245, Port Republic Road, westbound. The motel is immediately northeast of the interchange. You can reach the ISAT building by turning left down the hill behind the motel, and following the road along, past the Convo Center, past the Arboretum entrance on the right, and then you will  See the new campus on your left.

The Village Inn, 540-434-7355.  Rustic.  This is actually about 5 miles south of JMU on Rt 11. $59.  Their food is super if you can fit it into your schedule.  If not, there's a fridge and microwave in every room.  Breakfast buffet is $6.  Exit 240 (Mt. Crawford exit) eastbound, and turn right on Rte 11 at the first light.  Go about one mile north and the motel is on your right. The JMU campus is about 5 miles further north on Rte 11.

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JWR's personal preference:  I'd stay at the Village Inn for niceness, Motel 6 for economy, or Courtyard, Jameson, or Sleep Inn for closeness.

Restaurants:  Route 33 is "the strip". There are numerous good restaurants on both the east and west side of I-81. Here are some.  Starting about 1 mile west of I81, and heading east, you will find: Saigon Café, Taste of Thai (both said to be very good), Ciro's Pizza (good homecooked pizza and pasta), L'Italia (fine food, sit-down, pricey), Kyoto Japanese Steak House (?), then on the right in Clover Leaf Shopping Center are Dragon Palace (Big Chinese buffet--$9 incl tax and soda), and Mr. Gatti's Pizza, MacDonald's, Arby's, and Subway.  These are all close to the CISAT complex via Reservoir Street. 

On the west side of I-81, are the new Harrisonburg Crossing Shopping Center with several new small eateries close to CISAT. Clustered immediately east of I-81 are Shoney's, the Boston Beanery, Bravo Italian Eatery, and El Charo, all with good food at modest prices.  A little farther west in the Valley Mall is the economical Country Cookin' (entrée plus modest but good salad bar for about $11 including drink, tax and tip.) and Ruby Tuesday's.  Continuing east on 33 are Red Lobster, and for students--CiCi's Pizza--all you can eat pizza, pop, and salad $5.86 including tax. Then farther up the hill is Golden Corral.  There are very fine restaurants in downtown Harrisonburg, and quite a few others scattered around between Rte 33 and the JMU East Campus.  Special mention for an elegant soup and sandwich lunch is Simple Pleasures at the intersection of Reservoir Street and University Blvd.