Chester Hotels: Where to Stay in Illinois

Chester sits on a bluff above the Mississippi River in southern Illinois. The city is the county seat of Randolph County and the hometown of Popeye creator Elzie Segar. Chester hotels are few. We confirmed one hotel inside the city, one bed and breakfast in nearby Prairie du Rocher, one Illinois hotel in Sparta, and one Missouri hotel in Perryville. This guide shows where to stay in Chester, what to check before you book, and what to plan around once you arrive. Our old post listed hotels in Iowa, central Illinois, and Nauvoo. Those towns sit far from Chester, so we removed them. We do not quote room rates, because rates change daily.

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Where to Stay in Chester, Illinois

Baymont by Wyndham Chester IL

Baymont is the only hotel we could confirm inside Chester. The address is 2150 State Street, Chester, IL 62233. The Wyndham website lists the phone as 618-753-8677. An older listing from Travel Weekly shows 618-826-3034. Try the Wyndham number first, and use the second number if the first fails.

Several listings give check-in at 3:00 PM and check-out at 11:00 AM. Wyndham describes a free breakfast with waffles, fruit, and cereal. Wyndham also lists free Wi-Fi, free parking, a seasonal outdoor pool, a fitness center open at all hours, laundry facilities, a business center, and a picnic area.

Rooms include flat-screen TVs, microwaves, and mini-refrigerators according to Wyndham. Wyndham lists the property as non-smoking, and Travel Weekly lists wheelchair access. Ask the front desk about the exact accessible room you need.

Pets are welcome for an extra nightly fee, per Wyndham. Travel Weekly mentions a weight limit of 50 pounds. Call before you travel to confirm both rules.

Names matter here. The same address has carried the names Best Western Chester Hotel, Best Western Reid’s Inn, and Reids Inn on various sites. Today Wyndham sells the property as Baymont. Check the brand on the booking page and on the building before you pay.

Pick Baymont if you want a breakfast, a pool in season, and a base on State Street. Reid’s Harvest House restaurant sits at 2440 State Street, on the same road, according to the Downstate Illinois visitors guide.

The Conner House Bed and Breakfast in Prairie du Rocher

The Conner House is a Victorian bed and breakfast at 315 Main Street, Prairie du Rocher, IL 62277. The phone is 618-284-8752. The Downstate Illinois visitors guide says the owners opened the inn in 2014 inside a mansion built in 1906 by local businessman William H. Conner.

The inn offers four individually decorated suites. A homemade breakfast comes in the formal dining room and includes mimosas. We did not confirm check-in times, pet rules, or minimum stays, so ask when you call.

Prairie du Rocher is a separate town. We did not source a drive time from Chester, so check a map. Pick the Conner House if you want a historic inn and plan to visit Fort de Chartres.

Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Sparta, Illinois

Sparta lies in Randolph County, like Chester. The Holiday Inn Express and Suites stands at 1301 N Market Street, Sparta, IL 62286. A meetings directory lists the phone as 618-443-6020, the building year as 2008, and a renovation in 2018.

The same directory counts 74 rooms on three floors and lists check-in at 3:00 PM and check-out at 11:00 AM. Listed amenities include an indoor pool, a health club, laundry facilities, a business center, free parking, and wheelchair access to common areas.

We did not source a drive time from Chester to Sparta, so check your route on a map. Choose Sparta if Baymont is full and you want a larger hotel with an indoor pool.

Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Perryville, Missouri

Perryville sits across the Mississippi River in Missouri. The Chester Bridge links Chester to Perry County, Missouri, according to Wikipedia. The Holiday Inn Express and Suites stands at 2020 Jefferson Street, Perryville, MO 63775. The phone is 573-605-1385.

The Visit Missouri listing counts 75 rooms with refrigerators and microwaves. Listed amenities include free Wi-Fi, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a hot breakfast, a business center, and laundry facilities. The listing welcomes service animals and describes the hotel as wheelchair accessible.

This option adds a river crossing to your day. We did not source a drive time from Chester, so check a map before you book.

Motels, Cabins, and Camping Near Chester

We found no motels inside Chester. Travel sites also list a place called The Stone House at 509 W Harrison Street in Chester, with the phone 618-604-9106. We could not find a website, a booking page, or a second source for this listing. We do not recommend a booking until you reach the owner by phone and confirm the property takes guests.

Campers have a clear choice. Randolph County State Recreation Area sits at 4301 South Lake Drive in Chester. The phone is 618-826-2706. The park covers 1,101 acres and holds a 65-acre lake. Camping runs from primitive sites to sites with electric hookups, and equestrian campsites include horse stalls. Call to confirm season dates, fees, and reservations.

The lake holds channel catfish, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, and crappie. Trails cover 11.6 miles for hikers and riders. Hunting is also allowed for several species, so ask about the hunting season before you plan a quiet weekend.

What to Do Near Your Chester Hotel

Chester calls itself the Home of Popeye. Segar created the sailor, and the comic strip Thimble Theatre debuted on January 17, 1929, per the Mythic Mississippi project at the University of Illinois. A six-foot bronze Popeye statue stands in Elzie C. Segar Memorial Park near the Chester Bridge.

The Popeye and Friends Character Trail spreads statues across town. The city lists Wimpy at Gazebo Square, Olive Oyl, Swee Pea, and Jeep near the Randolph County Courthouse, Bluto at Swanwick and Holmes Streets, and Professor Watasnozzle at Chester High School. The city adds new characters each year at the Popeye Picnic, held the weekend after Labor Day.

The Popeye Museum sits inside Spinach Can Collectibles, a shop in an old opera house where Segar once worked. The shop displays more than 2,000 pieces of Popeye memorabilia. We could not confirm hours or admission, so call before you go. The trail page lists 10 Bridge Bypass Road and the phone 618-826-3171 for questions.

Plan a Popeye Picnic trip early. Chester has one confirmed hotel, so book the room first and confirm the festival dates with the city.

Historic Sites Within Reach of Chester

Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site lies near Chester. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says the site covers more than 275 acres and holds a 1759 French earthwork, scenic overlooks above the Mississippi River, and the Pierre Menard Home. The home shows French Creole architecture and offers seasonal tours. Call 618-859-3741 to confirm tour dates.

Fort de Chartres State Historic Site stands about four miles west of Prairie du Rocher, according to Wikipedia. The site has a partial reconstruction of the stone fort, a museum, a gift shop, and a powder magazine believed to be the oldest standing building in Illinois. Each June the site hosts a large frontier reenactment.

Kaskaskia Island holds the Liberty Bell of the West at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, per the Downstate Illinois visitors guide. The guide groups Fort de Chartres, Fort Kaskaskia, and Kaskaskia Island into a three-day road trip.

Mark Twain stayed in Chester between 1857 and the Civil War, according to the Mythic Mississippi project. A plaque marks the November 27, 1803 overnight camp of Lewis and Clark. The Chester public library holds the Morrison Ledger, which records purchases by expedition members.

Getting to Chester, Illinois

Chester stands about 61 miles south of St. Louis, Missouri, according to Wikipedia. Plan to drive, and read a current map for road conditions.

The Chester Bridge carries traffic over the Mississippi River to Perry County, Missouri. The bridge opened in 1942 as a toll bridge. Tolls ended on January 1, 1989.

Travel Weekly lists Scott Air Force Base and MidAmerica Airport at 42 miles from Baymont. A meetings directory lists St. Louis Lambert Airport about 54 miles from the Sparta hotel. Use those two figures as rough guides only, and check a map for your route.

How to Choose Among Chester Hotels

Most travelers should book Baymont. The hotel stands inside the city, offers breakfast, and sits close to the Popeye sites. A Travel Weekly listing places the Popeye Museum about one mile away.

History fans should call the Conner House. A historic inn suits a trip built around Fort de Chartres and the French colonial sites.

Families should compare Baymont and the Sparta hotel. Both list pools. Baymont offers a seasonal outdoor pool, and Sparta lists an indoor pool.

Pet owners should start with Baymont. Wyndham welcomes pets for a nightly fee. Confirm the fee and the size limit by phone.

Campers should call Randolph County State Recreation Area. Ask about hookups, fees, and reservations for your dates.

Festival visitors should book early. Chester has one confirmed hotel, so a festival weekend leaves little room for a late plan.

Before you pay, confirm the property name, the cancellation policy, the check-in hours for late arrivals, parking, and the total cost with taxes and fees. Compare the total on two booking sites and by phone.

What We Checked and What We Could Not

We checked Baymont against the Wyndham website, Travel Weekly, and a hotel directory. We checked the Conner House against the Downstate Illinois visitors guide. We checked the Sparta and Perryville hotels against meetings directories, Visit Missouri, and booking sites. We took attraction details from Wikipedia, the city of Chester, the Mythic Mississippi project, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the Great River Road Illinois site.

We could not confirm the current owner of The Stone House, or whether the property takes guests. We could not confirm hours for the Popeye Museum, tour dates at the Pierre Menard Home, or season dates at the state recreation area. We could not source drive times between towns. Phone numbers and policies change, so confirm each detail before you travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Chester hotels come down to one confirmed choice inside the city. Baymont by Wyndham gives you breakfast, parking, and a base near the Popeye sites. The Conner House, Sparta, Perryville, and the state recreation area cover other needs. Call ahead, confirm the current property name and policies, and book early if your trip falls on Popeye Picnic weekend.

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