The market for rooms in Baltimore hotels is a little unique. The city is not a major tourist draw, nor is it above average in business travel. For many years Baltimore put most of its eggs in the Convention Visitors basket, but its dated convention center and lagging business recovery from Covid means the city has a lot of hotel rooms it struggles to fill. I filled one of those rooms recently at the Hotel Indigo Baltimore.
If there’s a convention or another large event like the Preakness Stakes, Baltimore hotel prices can climb much higher than one would expect for a city that frankly cannot compete with Washington or Philadelphia for tourism. But on slower dates hotel owners are forced to offer significant discounts. Some hotels have closed altogether in recent years. Even in the historic district where Hotel Indigo Baltimore is located, the good old days aren’t so good anymore. Check current rates on Expedia.
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Baltimore Hotel Locations
Almost every Baltimore hotel is clustered near the waterfront. Over the last decade or two the Harbor East and Harbor Point developments have taken shape on the east side of the Inner Harbor. The addition of offices and hotel rooms there presents a challenge to the traditional downtown. The pavilions at Harborplace now feel like a ghost town and office occupancy is low. Being adjacent to the convention center and stadiums helps some hotels, but business travelers and those with money (or points) to burn prefer to stay in Harbor East hotels.
Hotel Indigo Baltimore is just barely north of the traditional downtown area in Mount Vernon. The neighborhood is traditionally considered a good location. There are amenities and attractions there like Poe’s grave and it’s very easy to walk to the harbor. The architecture is notably beautiful and comprised mainly of historic brownstones built by the city’s founding elite.
While I do consider Hotel Indigo Baltimore to have a good location, the city overall is on a downhill trajectory as far as public safety and quality of life. There aren’t any Baltimore hotels that are immune to this. The Indigo is less than one block from Charles Street, which is considered prestigious, but Charles Street is also full of panhandlers at night. Many storefronts are vacant and what businesses are there close early. During my visit large packs of dirt bikes passed through the neighborhood and sirens were heard throughout my stay. The Catholic Church owns a lot of real estate immediately around Hotel Indigo Baltimore. They’ve attracted a small homeless encampment across from the hotel between the Basilica and the Our Daily Bread charity.
Hotel Indigo Baltimore Property
The hotel is in a historic building that began its life as a YMCA. I remember it as being the least expensive Baltimore hotel until it was purchased in 2014. A full renovation transformed it into Hotel Indigo. Having stayed in a number of historic hotels, this one is above average as far as design and finishing. It doesn’t feel old inside.
Being a historic building, the Indigo is not long on amenities but the restaurant and lobby are very impressive. I lived in Baltimore for nearly 40 years. During that time I would sometimes meet dates at Poets restaurant or attend events in the lobby here, which also doubles as a gallery. There is always a collection of art displayed for sale in the space which feels more like a large and stylish living room than a hotel lobby.
The fitness center is large and well-outfitted. It’s open 24 hours. The hotel also features a grab-and-go area for snacks, drinks and sundries. There’s no parking onsite but a city-owned garage sits directly across the street. It’s open around the clock as well and is only $13 for up to 24 hours. That’s a great deal and much more secure than opting for street parking, which is difficult to find overnight owing to the need for a residential permit.
Hotel Indigo Baltimore Guest Rooms
I booked a standard king room for my stay and received an upgrade before check-in thanks to the Platinum status that comes with my IHG Premier Mastercard. I’m not sure if this room was a suite or ‘corner king’ but it was not at the building’s corner.
At any rate it was a very large room. The addition of a kitchenette along the entrance would have transformed it into a suitable studio for living. Being a former YMCA I’m sure that’s how this room served originally. Without the kitchen installed the floor plan ends up with a lot of empty, unusable space. The room was U-shaped around the bathroom meaning you had to walk the whole U from the bed to the toilet. The desk was at the bottom of the U saving space in the main portion of the room.
Decor throughout the room and hotel is classy and modern. It’s Baltimore themed but done in a way that doesn’t beat you over the head with it. You won’t be having nightmares of ravens and giant crabs at bedtime.
Selecting the Best Hotel
To answer the question in the title of this post, I do think this is the best Baltimore hotel under $200. At least, the best that’s consistently under $200. You might get lucky and book the Hyatt Regency for the same price you’d pay here. On other nights the Hyatt might be $550. I’ve also stayed at the Hotel Monaco near the Indigo. It’s also an IHG brand in a historic building and between the two of them I like this one much better.
I believe the hotel rankings on Expedia and Hotels.com are the most reliable. They’re essentially on a scale of 0-100 based on verified guest reviews. Hotel Indigo Baltimore earns a 9.0 on both sites. The only hotels beating that score are the Pendry, Hotel Revival, Henderson’s Wharf, Carrollton Inn, Four Seasons and the Ivy. Those are all elite and very expensive hotels. For the Indigo to rate higher than every single Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt property in the city is seriously impressive.
I think that rating is entirely justified. I love the hotel and would definitely stay again. If you’re on your way to Baltimore, book a refundable rate online with confidence, and enjoy your time in Charm City.
