Colonie
Sprawling suburb north of Albany with the airport, Wolf Road shopping, and the region's largest cluster of chain hotels.
Chain hotels and big-box retail along Wolf Road in Colonie
Why people stay in Colonie
Colonie is a town of about 85,000 people wrapped around the northern edge of Albany, and it's where most travelers actually sleep whether they plan to or not. Albany International Airport is here. Wolf Road — the region's main shopping street — is here. So are Crossgates Mall, Colonie Center, and roughly two dozen chain hotels. It's practical, drivable, and completely lacking in city atmosphere.
For families visiting Albany, this is often the right choice. Rooms are cheaper than downtown, parking is free, restaurants are chain-familiar, and you’re 15 minutes by car from everything in the city. At 9pm the parking lots are full at Chipotle and P.F. Chang's. Skip Colonie if you want to walk to dinner, if you don’t have a car, or if the phrase 'strip mall' triggers you. Everything here is on a stroad.
Enormous chain hotel inventory clustered along Wolf Road, Albany Shaker Road (near the airport), and Washington Ave Extension. $99-180 depending on season and brand. Everything from Fairfield Inn to Hyatt Place to Marriott Courtyard. Best area for families is Wolf Road — restaurants and shopping walkable within the strip. Airport-area hotels are the cheapest but least interesting. Avoid the older motels along Central Ave — cheap for a reason.
What to see
Hotels in Colonie
Getting around Colonie
Albany International Airport is inside Colonie — CDTA bus 737 connects to downtown Albany in 30 minutes for $1.50. From Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak, Uber is $22 or bus 22 plus 737, roughly 45 minutes. Inside Colonie, you need a car. CDTA bus routes exist along the main roads but are slow and infrequent. Driving between hotel and Wolf Road is 5-10 minutes. Free parking universal.
Questions about Colonie
Colonie is where the airport is — hotels within a 5-minute drive include Hyatt Place, Homewood Suites, Fairfield Inn and Hilton Garden Inn. Most offer free airport shuttles. Prices $109-160. Book online, not through the airport.
Colonie for a car-based trip with kids — bigger rooms, free parking, chain restaurants, pools, easy shopping runs. Downtown Albany if you want to walk to the Capitol, museums and Plaza. Split the difference by staying downtown one night and Colonie two if you’re doing a full week.
