Villanova University is a Catholic university that dates back to 1842. Its various schools offer graduate and undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, engineering and nursing, among others. Located in the town of Villanova, Pennsylvania, the university also has a strong sports ethic and built the Villanova Stadium in 1927. It hosts a wide range of track and team events, plus it's equipped with conference rooms and educational facilities. The stadium, located at 800 E. Lancaster Avenue, can hold up to 12,500 spectators. Several hotels within five miles let visiting teams and proud parents stay in varying degrees of luxury.
The Radnor Hotel is a luxury hotel with all nonsmoking rooms and suites, about one and a half miles west of Villanova Stadium. All 171 rooms have free wireless Internet. The guest rooms have standard amenities, and your stay includes a free newspaper. Dining options include round-the-clock room service and free coffee in the lobby. An on-site restaurant, the Glenmorgan Bar and Grill, offers lunch, dinner and cocktails. Breakfast, which isn't included in your stay, is served in the Terrace Room. The hotel also provides an extensive Sunday brunch. The Radnor's landscaped garden is a place to stroll or hold a wedding. The full fitness club is also open to paying members; its staff includes personal trainers and massage therapists. You can shop for jewelry at Bernie Robbins, which also incorporates a coffee bar and designer jelly beans.
Philadelphia's Marriott West is approximately three miles northeast of Villanova stadium. Here, your Internet access is not free; a set daily fee covers Internet access, and unlimited local and long-distance calls. Parking isn't free, either. The high-rise hotel has nearly 300 rooms and a limited number of suites. Room facilities are standard, but do include a crib, fridge, bathrobe and bottled water. Coffee is in the lobby, and local restaurants will deliver to your room; otherwise, Shula's 347 is the on-site steakhouse and bar. Other amenities here include a fitness room, indoor pool with whirlpool and business center.
The Wayne Hotel is a fancy independent hotel, just less than three miles west of Villanova University. Each of four floors takes a different theme and the rooms and two suites are nonsmoking. Families can arrange for connecting rooms. Superior rooms have either king-size beds or four-poster beds and come with marble bathrooms. The hotel caters to business travelers with secretarial support, free wireless Internet, free parking and access to business machinery. It has also brokered a deal with an off-site gym, which guests can use for free. That's in addition to its own fitness club, outdoor pool and formal gardens. Ask for the free jogging maps at reception. For those who must stay longer, the Wayne Hotel also has 12 furnished, extended-stay apartments.
The Comfort Inn Valley Forge National Park, in King of Prussia, is just under five miles northwest of Villanova Stadium. The Victorian-era hotel is a National Historic Landmark and is located one mile from its namesake national park. Your overnight includes continental breakfast with waffles, free wireless Internet and a free newspaper. Rooms have fridges and microwaves in addition to standard amenities. Night owls may appreciate round-the-clock coffee in the lobby. Hotel facilities include a fitness room, office equipment and laundry room. While the Comfort Inn does not have its own restaurant, Morton's of Chicago steakhouse, Houlihans and Hooters are next door.
