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 - 9.4 miles
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery - 11 min drive - 8.3 miles
Jefferson Barracks Historic Park - 11 min drive - 10.0 miles
Arsenal BG Ballpark - 14 min drive - 13.3 miles
River City Casino - 15 min drive - 12.4 miles
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
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 transportation
Free uncovered self parking on site
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 elevator
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
Property 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.
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
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
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 187 out of 207 reviews
10 - Excellent
187
Rating 8 - Good. 11 out of 207 reviews
8 - Good
11
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 207 reviews
6 - Okay
6
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 207 reviews
4 - Poor
0
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 207 reviews
2 - Terrible
3
10/10
Cleanliness
9.8/10
Staff & service
9.6/10
Amenities
10/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Kenneth
Dec 2, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Good staff, easy check in, very comfortable and safe.
Overall stay was just terrible.
We booked three rooms based on the high rating this hotel received in the past.
When we arrived, my own room had a strong smell of sewage (I had another colleague corroborate this).
I immediately asked to change rooms (a thing I have never done in all my years of travel) and was assigned another room. Unfortunately, whereas I booked a room with a kingside bed I now received a room with two queen size beds. No apology was offered at the time for the inconvenience.
The new room had a loud screeching sound coming out of the air vent. I recorded it and came back again to reception. I was told that I could not be moved even though I explained that the noise was so loud no one could sleep there.
I did stay up awake all night and had the pleasure of loud noises from the plumbing system added to the air vent noise. I recorded those too throughout the night.
In the morning when I checked out the person at reception finally apologized and offered a free breakfast.
I have never written a negative review of hotels. This is a first but the experience was truly aweful. By the way, after check out a maintenance person was at reception after checking my room and he acknowledged the loud noise.
Oren
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
10/10 Excellent
D
Nov 15, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Everything was great.
D
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2025
10/10 Excellent
tony, Ofallon
Nov 13, 2025
Place was emacetalent
tony
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
10/10 Excellent
Michael
Nov 13, 2025
Michael
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
10/10 Excellent
Jeffery
Nov 12, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Loved this place! It was clean, quiet and comfortable. The little touches all around were so charming. Will definitely stay here again if in the area!
The history and design of the hotel were cool, the room was spotless, and the beds were comfortable. We also appreciated the friendly staff at check-in, and at the attached restaurant and bar. We'd happily stay again.
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.
Katie
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
10/10 Excellent
Keenyn
Traveled with family
Nov 1, 2025
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
Keenyn
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
10/10 Excellent
Deborah
Traveled with family
Nov 1, 2025
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