Berea, in Madison County, Kentucky, is known for its folk arts-and-crafts community, according to the Berea official website. The city has become a tourist destination for its annual crafts festivals and Berea College. The college was founded in 1855 by an abolitionist preacher named John G. Fee; it was the "South's first integrated and co-ed institution," reports "American Style Magazine." Today, students at the college participate in crafts that include weaving, wood, ceramics and ironwork. Guests wishing to stay in Berea can choose between a handful of local, affordable lodgings.
Berea's Country Inn & Suites is located on Walnut Creek Drive, a short drive from both Highway 595 and I-75 and two miles from Berea College. The hotel is within walking distance from the Smokehouse Grill & Buffet; other dining options include the Kentucky Artisan Center Cafe and Black Feather Cafe, which is under three miles from the hotel. Guests staying at the Country Inn & Suites are a short drive from local attractions including the Warren A. May Woodworker studio, the Space Voyager Planetarium and the Acres of Land Winery.
Comfort Inn & Suites is located on Paint Lick Road, a short drive from Highway 25 and the 75 freeway; the accommodation is a little more than a mile from Berea College. The three-story pet-friendly hotel provides all guests with 24-hour coffee in the lobby and select rooms with in-room whirlpool hot tubs. Restaurants, including Cracker Barrel, Dinner Bell, Mariachi's and Wan Pen, are all less than a mile from the Comfort Inn. Area attractions such as the Old Town Artisan Village, the Appalachian Fireside Gallery and Churchill Weavers, are a short drive away.
Boone Tavern is a historic hotel located in the heart of Berea's College Square. Built in 1909, the hotel showcases two-story columns along the entrance, a brick frame, white paint and blue-shuttered windows, and the indoors was remodeled in 2010. All rooms are equipped with hand-crafted cherry, oak and pine furnishings created by Berea College student craftspeople over the past 100 years, with many rooms featuring views of the College Square. Boone Tavern hosts its own acclaimed southern restaurant that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves unusual dishes such as "chicken flakes in a bird's nest." Berea College and the Log House Craft Gallery are within walking distance of the hotel, and Battlefield Park, Tater Knob Pottery and Farm and the Old Town Artisans Village are all within 10 miles of Boone Tavern.
Knights Inn Berea is an AAA-approved 2-diamond hotel located on Chestnut Street, a short distance from both Highways 25 and 21 and I-75. All rooms within the property are ground-floor level, and handicapped rooms and facilities are available upon request. The pet-friendly hotel is located across the street from a Pizza Hut and Mario's restaurant, with a Cracker Barrel and Dinner Bell within walking distance. The Berea College, Rancho Valley Country Music, Eastern Kentucky University and Boonsborough Park are all a short drive away.
The Fairfield Inn & Suites is located on Paint Lick Road, a short distance from Highway 25 and I-75. All Fairfield rooms are equipped with down-feather pillows and custom comforters with many rooms overlooking the Gibson Bay Golf course located behind the hotel. Guests staying at the Fairfield Inn are within walking distance of Sweet Betty's restaurant and a short distance from the Waffle Pantry. Attractions near the Inn include the Keeneland Race Track, Kentucky Horse Park and the Blue Grass Army Depot.
