Best Budget Hotels and Stays in Spokane
Budget hotels in Spokane are easier to find than the name suggests, even though Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Spokane is the clearest budget pick in this guide. Free parking, a fridge and microwave in the room and a continental breakfast cut daily costs, and the Convention Center is 3 km away by car. Pair it with free sights such as Riverfront Park and the Centennial Trail, and the trip stays affordable (always compare current rates, since prices shift with events). Weekday stays and shoulder seasons help the most, and a car makes the whole plan easier.
Spokane is a good-value city by Pacific Northwest standards: lodging, food and parking cost less than in Seattle or Portland, and free attractions such as Riverfront Park and the Centennial Trail fill days. A budget trip works best with a car and a fridge in the room, and quiet seasons offer the lowest rates (winter weekdays are often the cheapest, with snow to plan around).
Where to stay
Stretching the Spokane budget with free extras
Budget stays in Spokane are about the extras you do not pay for: parking, breakfast and a kitchenette-style room. Days Inn is the clearest value, while hotels such as Madison Inn, Quality Inn Oakwood and Holiday Inn Express Downtown offer free parking too. Avoid event weekends, because Hoopfest and Bloomsday raise prices across the city (book weekdays or shoulder seasons for the lowest rates).
Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Spokane is the budget anchor. Family rooms have a fridge, microwave, tea and coffee maker and free Wi-Fi, a continental breakfast is served with juice, pastries and fruit, and free parking is on site. The 24-hour front desk and express check-in smooth short stays, and bicycle parking suits cyclists. The Convention Center is 3 km away, so sightseeing needs a car or a short ride (guest ratings are more modest than at pricier hotels, so expect a simple stay). Pack your own snacks and use the express check-out on departure day, because the 24-hour desk keeps mornings flexible.
The Madison Inn offers free parking and free Wi-Fi, with a microwave and mini fridge in each room and a launderette on site. Gonzaga University is 7 minutes by car, and the Convention Center and River Park Square are each about 5 minutes. Pets are allowed, a kid-friendly breakfast buffet is served and luggage storage is available. It suits a longer family road trip on a modest budget, and the Amtrak station is 2 km away (the airport is 13 km from the hotel). Breakfast fruit and the kid-friendly buffet reduce the cost of a family morning, and luggage storage helps on checkout days.
Quality Inn Oakwood adds value on the north side with a free café breakfast, a refrigerator and microwave in each room and a 24-hour indoor heated pool. Downtown is five miles away, so factor in driving. Holiday Inn Express Downtown offers free parking, a free gym and a patio with barbecue facilities, 8 minutes on foot from the Convention Center, and a daily breakfast is included. Both let a family cut meal costs without losing comfort (confirm breakfast hours at check-in). Both hotels also keep the first meal of the day simple, which matters more than a small difference in nightly rates for a family with a loaded car.
Free activities keep the rest of the budget intact. Riverfront Park costs nothing to enter, the Centennial Trail runs along the Spokane River for walks and rides, and Manito Park's gardens are open to visitors. Pack a cooler for lunches, use the room fridge and plan one paid attraction a day, such as the SkyRide or the Looff Carrousel. A weekday visit keeps both crowds and prices lower (check opening hours and any seasonal fees before you go). Evenings at the hotel pool or a picnic by the river cost almost nothing, so the savings add up across a long weekend.
A traveler's perspectiveOn a tight road-trip budget I would book Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Spokane: parking is free, rooms have a fridge and microwave, and the continental breakfast covers the first meal. It is a 3 km drive to the Convention Center, so my advice is to park there and spend the day in Riverfront Park. Rooms are basic, and I would put the savings toward a good dinner.
Local tips
- 1Use the fridge and microwave at Days Inn & Suites for lunches, because it cuts restaurant costs noticeably on multi-day stays.
- 2Skip hotels that charge for parking, since Days Inn, Madison Inn and Holiday Inn Express Downtown all offer free parking on site.
- 3Avoid Hoopfest weekend in late June and Bloomsday in early May if you want lower rates, because downtown prices rise sharply then.
- 4Spend days at Riverfront Park and the Centennial Trail, since both are free and can fill a full day on foot or by bike.
- 5Book Quality Inn Oakwood for a free breakfast and a 24-hour pool, but plan for a drive to downtown, which is five miles away.
- 6Check cancellation terms before booking, because rates change fast around Gonzaga games and Convention Center events in the city.