Axel's take on West Memphis: #5 of 7 in Memphis, 3.7/10
Choose it for Arkansas-side plans, not effortless Memphis sightseeing. West Memphis combines solid hotel choice with the strongest value, but river crossings and few walkable attractions make it a poor sightseeing base.
West Memphis is a separate Arkansas city, not the western part of Downtown Memphis. It works best as a road-trip stop or a base for Southland's casino and sportsbook, Riverside International Speedway and the Arkansas-side cycling trails. Broadway has local history and murals, but the main visitor experiences are spread out rather than connected by a convenient walking itinerary.
Every Memphis sightseeing day requires crossing the river, so keep a car and allow flexibility around traffic. The local WM Connect service should not be mistaken for a Downtown Memphis shuttle. Choose this for an Arkansas-side purpose; otherwise, the repeated transfers make it a weaker base than Downtown, South Main or Midtown.
- Best for: travelers on a budget, sports fans
- Skip it if: You will not have a car; Your evenings revolve around Beale Street
- Getting around: Drive across the river on I-40 or I-55; WM Connect is a local West Memphis service, not a Memphis link; from MEM, use a rental car, taxi or prearranged transfer.
- After dark: Evening entertainment is destination-based: casino venues and scheduled speedway racing, rather than a walkable Memphis-style music district.
- Rates: Typical Axel rate $123 a night
Where to stay in Memphis: every neighborhood ranked
Where to look in West Memphis
- Ingram Boulevard. Start here when Southland is the destination; this is an Arkansas-side driving base, not a Memphis walking itinerary. Hotels here: Southland Casino Hotel, Homegate Inn and Suites, Days Inn by Wyndham West Memphis.
- I-40 Service Roads near Ingram. Best for a highway stop and onward driving; choose for road access rather than neighborhood strolling. Hotels here: Radisson Hotel West Memphis, Holiday Inn Express and Suites West Memphis by IHG, Quality Inn West Memphis I-40, Tru by Hilton West Memphis, AR.
- Stephens Boulevard. Another interstate-oriented base for drivers who prioritize an overnight stop over doorstep attractions. Hotels here: Comfort Suites West Memphis I-40 I-55.
How to choose
- Choose Southland Casino Hotel if everyone is at least 21 and you want spacious rooms, dining and gaming together.
- Choose Homegate Inn and Suites if cleanliness and a cheaper overnight matter more than breakfast, a pool or a gym.
- Choose La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham West Memphis if you’re traveling with pets and want breakfast, free parking and an indoor pool.
What paying more buys
Cheaper-than-most Homegate Inn and Suites provides clean, spacious motel rooms without breakfast or leisure facilities. Pricier Southland Casino Hotel buys contemporary rooms, generous bathrooms and dining and gaming on site, but all overnight guests must be 21 or older. Road-trippers who only need sleep gain little from the casino premium. Typical rates with Axel here run from $70 a night at Days Inn by Wyndham West Memphis to $189 at Southland Casino Hotel (last 30 days).
The best hotels in West Memphis, 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.
- Southland Casino Hotel 8.7/10, upscale, adults-only casino hotel in West Memphis, Arkansas. A strong casino stay with spacious rooms, but not a walkable Memphis base. Why it's here: spacious contemporary rooms with dining and gaming together for an adults-only weekend. Accept: everyone must be 21; casino smoking and drives to Memphis. $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
- Homegate Inn and Suites 8.4/10, no-frills 2-star roadside motel in West Memphis, Arkansas. A strong budget stopover where cleanliness matters more than extras. Why it's here: clean, spacious motel rooms for a cheaper highway overnight without unnecessary extras. Accept: no breakfast, pool, gym or elevator. $101 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Radisson Hotel West Memphis 8.3/10, practical 3-star highway hotel in West Memphis, Arkansas. A strong road-trip stop with friendly service, good breakfast and useful extras. Why it's here: friendly service, included breakfast and useful highway-stop extras. Accept: worn finishes, bathroom issues and local-resident booking restrictions. $128 a night with Axel against $149 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $21 a night less (14%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham West Memphis 8.3/10, practical, pet-friendly 3-star hotel off I-40. A strong road-trip stop with friendly staff, clean rooms and useful extras. Why it's here: a pet-friendly highway stop with clean rooms, breakfast and an indoor pool. Accept: street and neighboring-room noise, pet fees and a deposit. $107 a night with Axel against $110 a night on Expedia for the same dates and party: $3 a night less (3%). Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Holiday Inn Express and Suites West Memphis by IHG 8.3/10, simple, limited-service highway hotel in West Memphis, Arkansas. A strong road-trip stop with friendly staff, but highway noise is the trade-off. Why it's here: roomy accommodation, friendly staff and included breakfast for family road trips. Accept: interstate noise, a seasonal pool and local-resident restrictions. $120 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Tru by Hilton West Memphis, AR 8.1/10, simple, select-service hotel by I-40/I-55 in West Memphis, Arkansas. A strong road-trip stop with friendly staff, but highway noise is the catch. Why it's here: included breakfast, an indoor pool and lobby billiards for a short family stop. Accept: compact rooms with limited storage and weak sound insulation. $98 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Quality Inn West Memphis I-40 7.5/10, no-frills budget hotel beside I-40 in West Memphis, Arkansas. A practical overnight stop with friendly staff, but room quality can vary. Why it's here: a cheaper highway overnight with included breakfast and friendly staff. Accept: variable cleaning, occasional odors and highway noise. $91 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 Suites West Memphis I-40 I-55 7.5/10, budget all-suite highway hotel in West Memphis, Arkansas. A practical highway stop with roomy suites, but upkeep and pool availability need checking. Why it's here: roomy suites with sitting areas for families breaking a highway journey. Accept: uneven upkeep and cleaning; pool availability needs checking. $107 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
- Days Inn by Wyndham West Memphis 6.2/10, basic 2-star roadside motel in West Memphis, Arkansas. Convenient for Southland and highway stops, but housekeeping is too inconsistent for an easy recommendation. Why it's here: a cheaper Southland-area stop with truck and RV parking. Accept: inconsistent cleaning, room maintenance and noise. $52 a night with Axel; no public rate was seen for these dates. Sign up free to book this rate · Customer link — Open hotel details
