Axel's take on Airport & 28th Street: #4 of 5 in Grand Rapids, 4.1/10
Useful for flights, shopping and work; choose downtown for the city itself. Airport & 28th Street offers useful hotels, reasonable value and some nearby dining, but weak sightseeing access and a traffic-led setting limit its appeal.
The Kentwood stretch of 28th Street is a shopping-and-business corridor, not a compact airport village. Woodland Mall and the Shops at CenterPoint anchor the western end; toward Patterson Avenue, the emphasis shifts to roadside restaurants and airport access. It is useful for a work stop, retail errands or an early flight.
The catch is how much the roads dictate the visit. Locals steer sightseeing visitors downtown instead, describing 28th Street as traffic-heavy and dominated by chain stores. Airport-labelled lodging is not necessarily beside the terminal, and the airport bus runs weekdays only. Skip this if your ideal evening starts by walking into an interesting neighborhood.
- Best for: business trips and conventions, shopping
- Skip it if: You want a walkable evening neighborhood; You are relying on an airport bus at weekends
- Getting around: Routes 28 and 5 serve parts of the corridor; weekday Route 27 links GRR with Kentwood Station via 29th Street, but the walk to your address matters; car, taxi or a confirmed airport shuttle is simpler with luggage.
- After dark: Expect restaurant and shopping destinations rather than continuous street life; locals describe the corridor as traffic-heavy even where dining choices are plentiful.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $124 a night · usually 5% under the public rate
Where to stay in Grand Rapids: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in Airport & 28th Street
- East Beltline at Woodland Mall. Choose the western shopping end for mall errands and nearby dining, with broad roads rather than a compact neighborhood. Hotels here: Hilton Garden Inn Grand Rapids East.
- Lake Eastbrook Boulevard and 29th Street. A shopping-focused base just off the main corridor; useful for longer stays built around errands rather than sightseeing. Hotels here: Staybridge Suites Grand Rapids-Kentwood by IHG, Extended Stay America Select Suites - Grand Rapids - Kentwood.
- 28th Street east of East Paris. Favor this stretch for airport-oriented trips and roadside dining; expect driving between destinations rather than continuous street life. Hotels here: Tru by Hilton Grand Rapids Airport, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Grand Rapids Airport, Courtyard by Marriott Grand Rapids Airport, Comfort Inn Grand Rapids Airport.
How to choose
- Choose Hilton Garden Inn Grand Rapids East if you're visiting Calvin University or prioritize a well-liked pool and whirlpool; breakfast is extra.
- Choose Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Airport by IHG if you want a cheaper airport base with strong cleanliness feedback and a shuttle; confirm its hours.
- Choose Staybridge Suites Grand Rapids-Kentwood by IHG if you need kitchen-equipped space and laundry for a longer stay, and accept uneven room upkeep.
What paying more buys
Compared with cheaper Holiday Inn Airport, pricier Hilton Garden Inn East offers more consistently praised spacious rooms and an indoor-outdoor whirlpool, but no airport shuttle. Staybridge Suites costs more than Holiday Inn and adds kitchens and laundry. Neither premium makes much sense for a brief flight stop when transport matters most. Typical rates with Axel here run from $83 a night at Extended Stay America Select Suites - Grand Rapids - Kentwood to $187 at Hilton Garden Inn Grand Rapids East (last 30 days).
The best hotels in Airport & 28th Street, ranked by Axel's take
Each hotel scored for what it is by Axel's own review; the rate is one stay Axel priced this week, beside the public rate for the same dates.
- Hilton Garden Inn Grand Rapids East 8.7/10, comfortable suburban 3-star near Calvin University. A strong suburban pick for clean rooms, helpful staff and a worthwhile pool. Why it's here: strong cleanliness, helpful service and a well-liked pool and whirlpool near Calvin University. Accept: breakfast costs extra; some hallway and upstairs noise. $140 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Airport by IHG 8.1/10, practical 3-star airport-area hotel with a restaurant and indoor pool. A dependable airport base, strongest on cleanliness and friendly staff. Why it's here: a cheaper airport base with strong cleanliness feedback, friendly staff and a complimentary shuttle. Accept: dated furnishings; breakfast inclusion and shuttle hours need checking. $94 a night with Axel against $120 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $26 a night less (22%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Tru by Hilton Grand Rapids Airport 8.0/10, simple, limited-service airport hotel. A strong airport stopover, but confirm the shuttle before counting on it. Why it's here: included breakfast, lobby billiards and an indoor pool for simple airport-area stays. Accept: room-to-room noise, inconsistent stayover cleaning and unclear shuttle hours. $116 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Staybridge Suites Grand Rapids-Kentwood by IHG 7.7/10, practical 3-star, all-suite extended-stay hotel in suburban Kentwood. Useful suites and friendly staff, but room upkeep needs more consistency. Why it's here: kitchen-equipped suites, laundry and included breakfast for longer Kentwood stays. Accept: uneven housekeeping and upkeep; seasonal pool and uncertain shuttle. $124 a night with Axel against $153 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $29 a night less (19%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Grand Rapids Airport 7.4/10, older, full-service mid-range airport hotel. A practical airport stop with helpful staff, but rooms need updating. Why it's here: helpful shuttle drivers and an on-site restaurant for short airport stays. Accept: dated rooms, sometimes noisy air-conditioning; breakfast costs extra. $121 a night with Axel against $140 a night on Booking.com for the same dates and party: $19 a night less (13%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott® Grand Rapids Airport 7.2/10, simple 3-star airport-area hotel near shopping. A practical short-stay option, but cleanliness and service aren't consistently dependable. Why it's here: included breakfast and free parking for short shopping or business stops. Accept: inconsistent cleaning and service, room noise, no airport shuttle. $110 a night with Axel against $116 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $6 a night less (5%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Courtyard by Marriott Grand Rapids Airport 7.0/10, practical 3-star airport-area business hotel. Helpful staff and airport convenience, but renovations make room quality a gamble. Why it's here: helpful staff and comfortable beds for short airport-area business trips with independent transport. Accept: renovations scheduled through October 31, 2026; uneven rooms, no regular shuttle. $132 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Comfort Inn Grand Rapids Airport 6.9/10, no-frills 2-star airport-area hotel. Useful airport convenience, but tired rooms and uneven housekeeping limit the appeal. Why it's here: a cheaper airport overnight with included breakfast and useful in-room appliances. Accept: worn rooms and uneven housekeeping; confirm shuttle arrangements. $83 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Extended Stay America Select Suites - Grand Rapids - Kentwood 6.0/10, no-frills budget extended-stay hotel with in-room kitchens. Useful kitchens and a convenient location, but cleanliness and upkeep are too inconsistent. Why it's here: cheaper kitchen-equipped studios for longer stays near Kentwood shopping. Accept: uneven cleanliness, limited reception and extra kitchenware charges. $79 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
