Members-only rates
4.8 / 5 Excellent

The Principal Hotel

The Principal Hotel
The Principal Hotel – Columbia, IL
The Principal Hotel – Columbia, IL
Check in 3:00 PM
Check out 10:00 AM

About The Principal Hotel

Located in Columbia and with St. Louis Gateway Arch reachable within 17 miles, The Principal Hotel has a fitness center, non-smoking rooms, free WiFi throughout the property and a restaurant. The property is around 14 miles from Grant's Farm, 15 miles from Old Courthouse and 15 miles from Laclede's Landing. The property provides a 24-hour front desk and an ATM for guests. The hotel will provide guests with air-conditioned rooms offering a desk, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a shower. All rooms will provide guests with a fridge. Lumiere Place is 15 miles from The Principal Hotel, while Edward Jones Dome is 16 miles from the property. St. Louis Lambert International Airport is 29 miles away.

Amenities

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Meeting space
  • Fitness center
  • On-site dining
  • Café / coffee shop
  • Dry cleaning
  • Self-service laundry
  • Family friendly
  • Smoke-free property
  • Air conditioning
  • Elevator
  • In-room safe

Reviews

4.8 / 5
Excellent 330 reviews
  • Engine customer Jul 2026

    Enjoyed another relaxing stay! Also, enjoyed all you can eat fried chicken at Washy’s Pub a five minute maximum walk.

  • Engine customer Jul 2026

    Love

  • Engine customer Jul 2026

    This was a terrific hotel! It’s a former Catholic school turned into a cute boutique hotel. Our room was well appointed with a comfortable bed. The staff was friendly & very helpful. The town it was located in, Columbia Illinois, was a beautiful small town that was close to St Louis. It made it easy to get to all of our events. We will stay here again when we return to the St Louis area!

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    The proprietor was working at the desk and was friendly and helpful. The decor and design of the hotel is beyond cute - every detail seems to have been considered. The room was super comfortable and large, and there is even a restaurant next door for breakfast. Can't recommend this place enough!

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Beautiful property!! The staff are very nice and helpful.

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    This place is awesome. Among the top three of nicest hotels I can remember staying in! The room we had was huge! Two queen beds and a couch that pulled out into a bed, the town of Columbia is absolutely amazing. There are surprisingly SO many places within a short walk of the hotel with really great food!! I will stay here every time I travel to the area!

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Overall good stay room could have been cleaned slightly better the floors specifically were dirty with crumbs and other debris. And the bed frame was dusty.

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Cute hotel in small town with good local restaurants within walking distance. Very clean and neat. Easy parking

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Many placed have gone away from having water and coffee in the rooms - both were available which was a wonderful surprise! Everything was very clean and spacious. I don't anticipate being in the area again but might consider it just to check out the space and area better.

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Bery nice place. It was a luxury hotel at a very budget friendly price. It is a school building turned into a hotel. Great concept in terms of decoration and setup.

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Super comfortable in a town so clean you have to wonder how it can be 18 min outside St louis. A true respite. Treat yourself go!

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    The staff that I experienced were young girls. I had to call the front desk for assistance with the air condition. The guage was behind a box that I couldn't access myself. He young lady brought several remotes but was unable to change it and said she would have to access it in the some room somewhere. I never heard from her again. But the hotel itself was so cute with a hotel theme. Lockers and such. Very clean. I would definitely stay there again. The restaurant in site is up scale along with the prices, but the food was not on par. It was just ok.

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Really cool!

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Friendly staff and clean

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Exactly what we needed. Clean, well maintained and priced for a one nght stay.

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    There was plenty of storage for my belongings, as well as a large functional desk for remote work. I had everything I needed within walking distance. The hotel and town seemed very quiet and safe, with walking trails within a block. Staff were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I enjoyed my stay and plan to stay again in the future!

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    We had a wonderful stay. The staff were lovely and really willing to help out. The decoration was quite clever and fun. The rooms seemed new and wer quite comfortable. The location was close enough to downtown St Louis.

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    The hotel was very clean , room was nice size , nice large bathroom with very good walk in shower. Very comfortable bed and pillows. The only thing it should have had a comfortable chair to sit in there were two small uncomfortable table chairs to sit on to watch tv. Very clean safe location with easy access to South County St Louis , Mo. plenty of restaurants near by. I would highly recommend the Principal Hotel

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Great place to stay, eat and celebrate special events

  • Engine customer Jun 2026

    Amazing. The stay here was fantastic. Everything

Frequently asked questions about The Principal Hotel

Does The Principal Hotel have free Wi-Fi?
Yes, The Principal Hotel offers free Wi-Fi for all guests.
Does The Principal Hotel offer parking?
Yes, The Principal Hotel offers free parking on-site.
Does The Principal Hotel have meeting spaces, conference centers, or conference rooms?
Yes. The Principal Hotel offers meeting spaces for business and group use.
Does The Principal Hotel have a fitness center?
Yes, The Principal Hotel features an on-site fitness center for guests.
Where is The Principal Hotel located, and how walkable is the area?
The Principal Hotel is located at 310 S Main St, Columbia, IL 62236. With a Walk Score of 62, the area is rated Somewhat Walkable. Some errands can be done on foot, but a car or rideshare is helpful for most trips.

Why no public rates?

Hotel partners contractually require business-email verification before showing the negotiated B2B rate. Hotel partners offer Engine exclusive business-traveler rates that aren't available to the public.

100% free and without commitment. Leave anytime.

Unlock exclusive rates