Budget Inn Express - Columbia

2.5 star property
Columbia hotel in city center

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your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Budget Inn Express - Columbia

Exterior
Property grounds
Exterior

Reviews

4.4 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Air conditioning
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Free parking
  • Free WiFi

Main amenities (2)

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Air conditioning

Room options

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About the neighborhood

Map
1601 Sunset Dr, Columbia, SC, 29203

What's nearby

  • Palmetto Health Richland Hospital - 9 min walk
  • Township Auditorium - 4 min drive
  • University of South Carolina - 6 min drive
  • Colonial Life Arena - 6 min drive
  • Riverbanks Zoo and Garden - 10 min drive

Getting around

  • Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) - 24 min drive
  • Columbia Station - 14 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Church's Chicken - ‬20 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬7 min walk

About this property

Budget Inn Express - Columbia

At Budget Inn Express - Columbia, you'll be within a 10-minute drive of University of South Carolina and Williams Brice Stadium. Free perks include WiFi and self parking. Also, Fort Jackson and Riverbanks Zoo and Garden are within a short drive.

At a glance

DONE

Hotel size

    • 39 rooms
    • Arranged over 2 floors
DONE

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in time starts at 1 PM
    • Minimum check-in age: 21
    • Check-out time is 11 AM
DONE

Special check-in instructions

    • Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival
DONE

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
    • Minimum check-in age is 21
DONE

Children

    • No cribs (infant beds)
DONE

Pets

    • Pets not allowed
WIFI

Internet

    • Free WiFi in public areas
    • Free WiFi in rooms
LOCAL_PARKING

Parking

    • Free onsite self parking

Property amenities

Services

  • 24-hour front desk

Facilities

  • Built in 2008

Room amenities

Be entertained

  • Cable/satellite TV channels

Home comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Iron/ironing board

Freshen up

  • Towels

Stay connected

  • Free WiFi
  • Phone

Food and drink

  • Refrigerator
  • Microwave

Fees & policies

Optional extras

  • Credit card charges are subject to an extra charge

Policies

The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
This property accepts credit cards.

Also known as

Budget Express-columbia
Budget Inn Express-columbia
Budget Inn Express columbia
Budget Inn Express Columbia
Budget Inn Express - Columbia Hotel
Budget Inn Express - Columbia Columbia
Budget Inn Express - Columbia Hotel Columbia

Frequently asked questions

Does Budget Inn Express - Columbia offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, Budget Inn Express - Columbia does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Are pets allowed at Budget Inn Express - Columbia?
Sorry, pets aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at Budget Inn Express - Columbia?
Yes, there's free self parking.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Budget Inn Express - Columbia?
You can check in starting at 1 PM. Check-out time is 11 AM.
What's the area around Budget Inn Express - Columbia like?
Budget Inn Express - Columbia is in the heart of Columbia, a short 9-minute walk from Palmetto Health Richland Hospital and 4 minutes' walk from Palmetto Health Heart Hospital.

Budget Inn Express - Columbia Reviews

Reviews

4.4

4.8/10

Cleanliness

5.2/10

Staff & service

5.2/10

Amenities

4.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

5.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

2/10 Poor

Thaddeus, 1-night trip
Verified Orbitz guest review

2/10 Poor

BARF! Not even worth $50/night!
Smoke leaked into our ‘non-smoking’ room from above; no TP; no soap or shampoo, dirty room; phone number disconnected; google maps says hotel is permanently closed… it should be condemned!
That’s it…
Smelled of marijuana in the curtains
4-night family trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

6/10 Good

Good price and close to several fast food restaurants. The beds, shower and internet were all fine. The cleanliness needs some work though. When I arrived I found a pair of dirty socks underneath the table where the TV is (I was looking for a socket) and one of the drawers also had another guests old clothes in it. The other guests were not very friendly, and there are a lot of cars blaring music going by day/night. I was also awakened at 5am by the fire alarm going off. Be careful of the people in the neighborhood. There was a homeless person sleeping under a bench, also I was asked for money by a man on the street and I was yelled at by two men for walking up behind them and not announcing my presence (They were walking very slowly). Overall, I assume it is a very low income neighborhood, so don't go outside after dark. Also there is no laundry, and the front desk does not print documents or offer too many benefits. Good price and not a bad hotel, but not many services offered and be careful of the other hotel residents as well as the people in the neighborhood.
3-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

If you are expecting to pay $44 and receive more than what this place has to offer, then the problem is you. The person at the front desk was friendly, personable, and accommodating. Did the room smell like stale weed? Yes. Did the top comforter have crusty stains on it? Of course. But no matter where you stay, you never use the top comforter anyway. Did I sleep like a baby knowing that I wasn't spending upwards of $100 just to sleep and leave in the morning? You bet your ass I did. If you need more than a soft bed and hot a shower, then stay somewhere else. If you only want to spend $44 then don't expect The Ritz-Carlton. Although I can say that The Budget Inn Express in Columbia, South Carolina was The Ritz-Carlton of run-down motels. I stayed two nights, slept like the dead, and felt safe. What more does one need? 5/5 stars.
2-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

6/10 Good

Tanda, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

2/10 Poor

Clint waldun, 4-night trip
Verified Travelocity guest review

4/10 Fair

Stay at your own risk!
When I checked in I had to wait for a long time & then was almost overcharged more than my Reservation....when my reservation price was way too much to stay there. The place is extremely old, run down, the doors were not secure, noisy & I had to fight Roaches! The only thing positive I can say about this property is at least you're not sleeping outside in the cold or heat.
Isreal, 5-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Cool
Great little spot
John, 2-night business trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

8/10 Very Good

Good for the money
It was not fancy but good for the price. The location was also safe.
John, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

6/10 Good

Shannon, 1-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Very nice owner, safe place, room was clean, took care of us very fast
1-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

Never again
They wouldn’t even let us check in. The reservation price was $44 they told us we had to pay $75. This should be illegal.
Jeremy, 2-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review

8/10 Very Good

It's ok
It could use a mirror in the bathroom area and there where a few pests but overall not bat for what i needed it for.
2-night business trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

2/10 Poor

1-night trip
Verified Travelocity guest review

2/10 Poor

I opened the door and the first thing I see is a roach running across the floor and then roaches in the fridge. The towels and the pillow covers were not clean. Then there was soap from the previous guess in the shower. Luckily I was there just for the night for a football game a left right after.
LaB30, 2-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

Never again
You should not recommend this hotel to anyone, it is filthy, the bathroom tub showed mold, no place to hang clothing. Although I went ahead and paid the fees, after entering the room, there was no way that I would stay there overnight, truly disgusting
John, 2-night business trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

4/10 Fair

I didnt !ike anything about the place. It was seedy. No microwave in the room. Although promised in ads.
1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

It is what it is. Basic but clean and comfortable for a good nights sleep along the way
1-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

Property manager was very rude and i did not want to stay there. Not to mention the facility look nasty
5-night business trip
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

This was a horrific experience. I seen a roach in the first room I originally checked in to. I went back downstairs to ask for a new room. When I got into the second room i seen another roach in the bathroom as I was showering. The entire time I could not sleep because I was scared a roach was gonna crawl on me or something. TERRIBLE. HAVE TO DO BETTER
1-night family trip
Verified Travelocity guest review

4/10 Fair

Did not like the area or neighborhood where it was located. Did not feel safe or comfortable leaving my car outside
1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

2/10 Poor

I will never know because they do not answer the phone when you are going to arrive late . Called 5 different times over a 3 hour period and the phone rang , rang, rang. Then I got a call from them @ 11:54 pm, saying my room would be given away at midnight if I didn’t respond. Spent 15 minutes of ringing with no answer. Called back a minute later & they said my room had been given away. How can you give my room away when you don’t answer your phone. I expect a full refund!
1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review

10/10 Exceptional

Shearenthea, 1-night family trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review

2/10 Poor

I checked out a whole day early when I found another place. This place was very dirty, it smelled of urine. Thank God I am a nurse and had gloves with me. I did not touch anything. When I asked about not being charged because the place was so dirty they said I had to speak with the owner. I never saw that person. I was only there because it was right beside the hospital I was having orientation at.
D.Kay, 3-night trip
Verified Orbitz guest review

2/10 Poor

* The desk clerk insisted upon full payment for six days even though I showed Expedia confirmation showing 1st night deposit payment. I had either to pay twice for the extra night or to abandon the deposit by going someplace else. *The toilet leaked--apparently the wax ring had failed. *There were only three electrical outlets in the room. The GFI by the sinks was defective. It was replaced after three days. Phone, toothbrush, and hearing aid charging was accomplished by unplugging the TV when it was time to sleep. *The light switch by the door did not turn on the lights but turned the TV off and on instead. *The TV remote did not work. Four attempts to re-program the remote. The TV set needed examination by that time. The TV worked but we had to get out of bed to operate it. *The fridge was unplugged each day. Why have it then? * Plaster repairs were not repainted. *The sheets were stained but they did appear clean. * The carpet was grungy and didn't appear to be vacuumed. * There were dim lights over the bed but no lights suitable for reading...none that illuminated the desk. *It was impossible to close the door to the toilet quietly. It was not fitted in the jamb properly--important in the wee hours. * No provision for hanging clothes. ********* Comfortable mattress. Sink/vanity was clean and new. Effective A/C. Clean shower with hot water. Good bath towel service. Quiet neighborhood. Hotel has potential but it needs work that can be done by handyman.
David, 6-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review