IMU hotel receives ‘three-diamond’ AAA ranking

The Indiana Memorial Union Biddle Hotel and Conference Center recently earned three out of five “diamonds” from the AAA Motor Club, according to an IU news release.
Recent upgrades added to all 187 hotel rooms – such as flat-screen television sets, 220 thread-count linens and free wireless Internet – helped the hotel earn the rating, according to the release.
Front desk clerk and IU senior Brittany Garling said the hotel didn’t win a five-star rating because it doesn’t have a pool or an open bar, so a three-star rating was the highest recognition it could receive. She said an open bar isn’t possible because of the no-alcohol rule on campus, but a pool would be nice to have.
“But I don’t think they’re willing to take out the insurance to build one,” she laughed.
IMU Marketing and Communications Manager Kelly Carnahan said the hotel and staff have won several awards in the past and expects more awards as the hotel continuously upgrades its rooms. She said the hotel is like a “little oasis” for its guests, and they usually don’t expect a college campus to have an actual hotel.
“They are pleasantly surprised that it’s so nice and comfortable,” she said. “It’s unusual for campuses to have such a nice hotel.”
Carnahan said guests also enjoy interacting with students who visit and work in the IMU.
“They really enjoy the fact that when they leave their room, students are here,” she said. “They are staying amongst the students instead of being removed from them.”
Hotel clerk and IU senior Chad Martin said he and other staff receive compliments about how the hotel accommodates for its guests and how well it does hosting conferences. He said guests who visit the hotel appreciate the tranquility and quietness of the atmosphere and the hotel’s convenient location.
“It’s just close to everything,” Martin said. “It’s not far away from everything in town like other hotels are.”