The Principal Hotel

3.5 star property

Photo gallery for The Principal Hotel

Breakfast, dinner and brunch served
Reception
In-room safe, blackout curtains, iron/ironing board, free WiFi
Exterior
Room amenity

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Restaurant
  • Air-conditioning
  • Gym
  • Business services

Explore the area

View map
310 S Main St, Columbia, IL, 62236
  • Place, Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Place, Jefferson Barracks Historic Park
    ‪11 min drive‬
  • Place, River City Casino
    ‪15 min drive‬
  • Airport, St. Louis, MO (STL-Lambert-St. Louis Intl.)
    ‪39 min drive‬

Room options

Freshman K

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
(13 reviews)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

ADA Freshman K

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(3 reviews)
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Freshman Honors K

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Sophomore Honors K

  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

Junior Honors K

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Senior K

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed

Senior Honors K

  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 King Bed and 1 Large Single Sofa Bed

Sophomore QQ

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Queen Beds and 1 Large Single Bed

Sophomore Honors QQ

  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Queen Beds and 1 Large Single Bed

ADA Sophomore Honors QQ

  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Queen Beds and 1 Large Single Bed

ADA Junior QQ

  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

Junior Honors QQ

  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

Senior QQ

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

Junior Q

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Similar properties

About the area

Columbia

With a stay at The Principal Hotel in Columbia, you'll be 8.9 mi (14.3 km) from Missouri Civil War Museum and 11.9 mi (19.2 km) from River City Casino. .This hotel is 12.3 mi (19.7 km) from Arsenal BG Ballpark and 15.2 mi (24.4 km) from Busch Stadium.

What's nearby

  • Sylvan Springs County Park - 10 min drive - 15.1 km
  • Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery - 11 min drive - 13.4 km
  • Jefferson Barracks Historic Park - 11 min drive - 16.1 km
  • Arsenal BG Ballpark - 14 min drive - 21.4 km
  • River City Casino - 15 min drive - 19.9 km

Getting around

  • St. Louis Gateway Station - 23 min drive
  • St. Louis Lambert Intl. Airport (STL) - 38 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Top Shooters Sports Bar - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Jimmy John's - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Dairy Queen - ‬11 min walk

About this property

The Principal Hotel

Hotel with free parking, in the vicinity of Missouri Civil War Museum
The Principal Hotel offers 40 air-conditioned accommodations with safes and coffee/tea makers. 40-inch flat-screen televisions come with digital channels and Netflix.

Bathrooms include showers and hair dryers. This Columbia hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and blackout drapes/curtains. Housekeeping is provided on request.

Recreational amenities at the hotel include a fitness center.
Make yourself at home in one of the 40 air-conditioned rooms featuring microwaves and flat-screen televisions. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and digital programming is available for your entertainment. Bathrooms feature showers, hair dryers, and toothbrushes and toothpaste. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and coffee/tea makers.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as a fitness center, or other amenities including gift shops/newsstands and a television in a common area.
Stop by the hotel's restaurant, Graphite Restaurant, for dinner or brunch, or grab snacks at the coffee shop/cafe.
Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, a 24-hour front desk, and luggage storage. Free self parking is available onsite.
Graphite Restaurant - This fine-dining restaurant serves breakfast, brunch, and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
Cafe on the Abbey - This café serves breakfast and lunch. Open select days.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free uncovered self parking on site
  • Limited on-site self parking

Food and drink

  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A restaurant
  • Coffee and tea in common areas

Restaurants on site

  • Cafe on the Abbey
  • Graphite Restaurant

Things to do

  • Gym
  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • ATM
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Luggage storage
  • Water dispenser

Guest services

  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping on request

Business services

  • Meeting rooms

Accessibility

  • Hardwood flooring in room
  • No lift

More

  • Designated smoking areas (fines apply)

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 40-inch flat-screen TV with digital channels
  • Hulu
  • Netflix
  • Streaming services

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Microwave

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
The credit card used to book the reservation must be presented by the cardholder at check-in along with matching photo identification, and other arrangements must be coordinated with the property prior to arrival
This property enforces quiet hours from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 20.0 per day

Payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: USD 100.00 per accommodation, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 20.0 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
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; cash is not accepted
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms

The Principal Hotel Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 185 out of 205 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 11 out of 205 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 205 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 205 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 205 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.6/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Shawn

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Katie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Such a cute little hotel with great decorative details. The staff was super friendly, the room was very clean. Check in only took a minute or two and they were very accommodating for early check in/late check out. It shares the parking lot with The Abbey where a friend’s wedding took place, so it was so convenient. If I ever find myself in Columbia, IL again, I will have to stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Keenyn

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Room was clean, was able to get checked in early so i could relax before my nieces wedding rehearsal. The do not disturb sign was missing, talked to the front desk and got it. I just wish you guys had a hot breakfast, but with the restaurant attached, i understand
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Deborah

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Staff was friendly, and was able to get checked in to the room early, so we could relax before a wedding rehearsal. Room was clean
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jessica

Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Penny

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Temperature great room was clean
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Trish

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice facilities. Convenient to the Abbey. Clean room
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
dry nice place. New clean rooms, adjoining restaurant was excellent. Very low rates for such a nice place.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

felicia

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The area was safe and quiet and the room, bathroom and lobby was very clean. The bed was comfortable However, the hallway on the 1st floor near the elevator was extremely noisy with women talking loudly. I stayed 2 nights. Breakfast was not available onsite on Monday
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Theodore

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This has to be the most charming boutique hotel I have ever stayed at. Everything was new, updated, clean. The staff from check in to busing tables were super nice. Food was amazing and very affordable. Loved the tie to “school” from the periodic table on the soaps and shampoos to the molecular ceiling tiles in the dining room to the carpets and drapes that matches my plaid school jumpers! Would definitely stay again and highly recommend.
Graphite Bar and Dining Room
Upstairs hallway and suites
Cute hallway decor
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Cheri

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Business trip stay here was very comfortable. Easy access no hustle n bustle. Have already booked our next stay.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kelvin

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Rooms was clean. Convenient parking. Staff was friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tomi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Staff was friendly. Our room was sparkling clean. Bed was completely. We really enjoyed the ambiance of the hotel and surrounding town. Breakfast at the Abbey Cafe was great!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A very nice unique hotel with friendly staff. I would highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kurt

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

presley

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michele

Travelled with family
Parking was very easy plenty of spaces available. Front desk very friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

6/10 Okay

Walter

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Plenty of parking in the property, staff not so friendly at the front desk. The room was scorching hot when we first came in. We had to wait hours for the room to cool down.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dallas

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Always nice here. 3rd trip
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jenny

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is always a 10/10 for me!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gloria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very comfortable, clean and welcoming hotel. Highly recommend it
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nancy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful hotel!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Chris

Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025