Carthage Hotels: Where to Stay in Illinois

Carthage is a small Illinois city of about 2,400 residents and the seat of Hancock County. Hotels in Carthage Illinois are few. We could confirm one motel inside the area, the Prairie Winds Motel on US Highway 136. Larger hotels sit across the Mississippi River in Keokuk, Iowa, in Macomb, and in nearby Nauvoo. This guide lists each place we could verify, flags the gaps, and drops old listings we could not confirm. We do not quote rates, because prices change by date. Call each property before you book.

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Hotels in Carthage Illinois: What We Could Confirm

Where to Stay in Carthage, Illinois

Carthage has one lodging option we could confirm inside the city area. The Prairie Winds Motel sits on US Highway 136 near Carthage. Everything else on the list below lies in another town, so plan to drive.

The state tourism site Enjoy Illinois describes the motel as roughly one mile west of Carthage. Street numbers vary between sources, so use the phone number and the highway name when you look for the building.

Prairie Winds Motel

Enjoy Illinois lists the address as 1746 East US Highway 136, Carthage, IL 62321. A travel booking site lists 1764 US Highway 136 for the same property. Treat the street number as unconfirmed. Enjoy Illinois lists the phone as 217-357-3101.

Both sources count 23 rooms. Enjoy Illinois says rooms have one or two double beds and lists air conditioning, heating, free in-room Wi-Fi, parking, and truck parking. The booking site lists check-in after 3:00 PM and check-out before 11:00 AM. Rooms have microwaves and televisions, and the site notes vending machines on the property.

The two sources disagree on pets. Enjoy Illinois says pets are allowed. The booking site says pets are not permitted. Call the motel and ask before you bring an animal. The booking site also lists a minimum guest age of 21 and a refundable deposit, so ask about both when you reserve.

Several booking sites list the motel under the longer name OYO Hotel Prairie Winds Carthage Keokuk Hwy 136. We could not confirm who operates the motel today. Ask the front desk for the current name and confirm the details before you pay.

Choose this motel if you want a simple room near the Carthage courthouse square and the Carthage Jail, and you are comfortable confirming the details by phone.

Hotels Near Carthage in Keokuk, Iowa

Keokuk, Iowa, lies across the Mississippi River and has the nearest group of brand hotels we could find. Expect a drive and a river crossing. Check a map for current drive times and road conditions, because we did not confirm distances.

Hampton Inn Keokuk

The Hampton Inn stands at 3201 Main Street, Keokuk, IA 52632. Call 319-524-6700. Two listings agree on the address and phone. A hotel trade listing counts 64 rooms on three floors and lists an indoor pool, free parking, wireless internet, and a business center with a small meeting room. The same listing says the hotel opened in 2006 and received a renovation in 2010.

Breakfast details were not clear in the sources we read, so ask what the hotel serves. Choose Hampton Inn if you want a familiar chain brand with a pool.

Baymont Inn and Suites Keokuk

The Baymont stands at 325 Main Street, Keokuk, IA 52632. Sources list two different phone numbers, 319-524-8000 and 319-313-9001, so ask the property which line to use. A trade listing counts 80 rooms on five floors, an indoor pool, free parking, and views of the Mississippi River from a downtown location.

The trade listing names the current brand as Baymont Inn and Suites, part of Wyndham. Confirm the brand on the booking page.

Quality Inn and Suites Keokuk North

Choice Hotels lists the Quality Inn and Suites at 3404 Main Street, Keokuk, IA 52632. Choice Hotels shows free Wi-Fi, a free hot breakfast, and a smoke-free policy. A directory lists the phone as 319-524-9000. We found no second source for room counts or the pool, so confirm both by phone before you book.

Motels and Budget Stays in Macomb

Macomb is home to Western Illinois University and has more rooms than Carthage. We did not confirm a drive time from Carthage, so check a map.

Quality Inn Macomb

Choice Hotels lists the Quality Inn at 1646 North Lafayette Street, Macomb, IL 61455. Choice Hotels also shows free Wi-Fi, a free hot breakfast, and a pet-friendly label. A travel trade listing gives the phone as 309-588-4001 and counts 58 rooms. The listing places the hotel off US Highway 67, about one mile from the university.

Choose this hotel if you want breakfast and plan to visit the university area as well.

Super 8 by Wyndham Macomb

A booking listing places the Super 8 at 313 West University Drive in Macomb, near Western Illinois University and Everly Park. The listing counts 40 rooms and describes a 24-hour front desk, free Wi-Fi, free parking, and laundry facilities. Rooms include refrigerators and microwaves.

A hotel trade listing also places a Super 8 near the Quality Inn. We found only one detailed source, so call the property to confirm the address, the amenities, and the pet policy.

Choose this motel if you want a basic room with a front desk open all night.

Historic Stays in Nauvoo, Illinois

Nauvoo is a historic river town in Hancock County with many lodging options in old buildings. Church history visitors often pair Nauvoo with Carthage. Check a map for current drive times.

Nauvoo Temple House Hotel

The Nauvoo Temple House Hotel stands at 1200 Mulholland Street, Nauvoo, IL 62354. Two booking sites agree on the address. They list check-in at 4:00 PM, check-out at 10:00 AM, and a front desk open from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM. They also list free breakfast from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM, free Wi-Fi, free parking, a gift shop, and 14 rooms.

One site describes the building as an 1840s historic building without an elevator. Guests who struggle with stairs should call before booking. One site lists pets as welcome for a fee, so ask about the current pet policy.

A booking site places the hotel within walking distance of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple, the Tomb of Joseph Museum, and the Martyrdom Museum. Choose this hotel if you want a historic setting.

Nauvoo Bed and Breakfasts

The local site Beautiful Nauvoo lists several bed and breakfasts. The Willard Richards Inn stands at 950 White Street and has five guest rooms. The Nauvoo Grand Bed and Breakfast stands at 2015 East Parley Street. Rufus Abbott Manor stands at 1910 Ripley Street. The White House Inn stands at 1475 Mulholland Street and offers a full kitchen and three bedrooms.

We took these details from one source, so treat each one as unconfirmed. Phone numbers are posted on the Beautiful Nauvoo site. Call before you plan around any of these stays.

Things to Do Near Carthage Hotels

The Carthage Jail Visitors Center stands at 310 Buchanan Street, Carthage, IL 62321. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lists the phone as 217-357-2989. The Church describes a short orientation and a video before the jail tour. Missionary guides lead the visit.

The Church lists hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Sunday. Enjoy Illinois lists different hours. Call before you go to confirm the schedule. Wikipedia says the jail is restored to close to its 1844 appearance and was the site where Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum died.

The Hancock County Courthouse also deserves a stop. Wikipedia says builders finished the courthouse in 1908 and the courthouse square joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. US Route 136 runs through downtown as Buchanan Street, so both sites lie along one main road.

Getting to Carthage

Carthage sits near the center of Hancock County in western Illinois. US Route 136 passes through downtown. Most visitors arrive by car. We did not source drive times from any airport or city, so check a map for your route.

Because lodging is thin, book before you set out. Small towns fill on weekends and during church history travel seasons. Confirm your reservation by phone a few days before arrival.

How to Choose Among Hotels in Carthage and Nearby Towns

Stay at Prairie Winds if you want a room inside the Carthage area and plan to see the jail and courthouse.

Stay in Keokuk if you want a pool and a chain brand. Hampton Inn, Baymont, and Quality Inn all list indoor pool or breakfast features, but confirm each one.

Stay in Macomb if you want breakfast or a front desk open all night, or if you plan a trip to Western Illinois University.

Stay in Nauvoo if you want a historic setting near the temple and the museums. Book early because rooms are few.

Travelers with pets should call each property. Sources disagree on several pet policies, and fees change.

Before you pay, confirm the property name on the building, the cancellation policy, parking, and the front desk hours for late arrivals. Ask for the total with taxes and fees. Compare the total on two booking sites and by phone.

Old Listings We Dropped

An older version of this guide listed five stays. We kept the Keokuk, Macomb, and Nauvoo properties we could verify. We dropped the claim stating the Nauvoo Temple House Hotel is a restored historic building with original architectural details, because the sources we read give only a basic description. We also dropped the Hampton Inn claim of a complimentary hot breakfast, because we could not confirm breakfast details. We replaced vague amenity lists with details from the sources above.

What We Checked and What We Could Not

We checked Prairie Winds Motel against Enjoy Illinois and a booking site. We checked the Keokuk hotels against Choice Hotels, a directory, and trade listings. We checked Macomb against a trade listing, a booking listing, and Choice Hotels. We checked the Nauvoo Temple House Hotel against two booking sites. We checked the jail details against the Church and Enjoy Illinois, and city history against Wikipedia.

We could not confirm current rates, the Prairie Winds street number, the Prairie Winds pet policy, the operator of the motel, drive times, or the jail hours. Phone numbers and policies change. Confirm each detail with the property before you travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Hotels in Carthage Illinois are few. Prairie Winds Motel gives you a simple room near the jail and courthouse. Keokuk, Macomb, and Nauvoo give you more choice with a drive. Call ahead, confirm the current property name and policies, and book early for your Carthage trip.

Looking further afield? Browse all Illinois guides.