Inwood Golf Club sits along the Des Plaines River Trail corridor in Shorewood, Illinois, just south of Joliet - a suburban golf destination drawing players from the Chicago metro area and beyond. The surrounding area is a highway-connected suburban zone dominated by I-80 and Route 59, making it practical for drivers but requiring a car for virtually every move. The hotels clustered near this corridor are business-friendly mid-range properties with ample parking, solid amenities, and straightforward access to the golf club and the wider Joliet area.
What It's Like Staying Near Inwood Golf Club
The area around Inwood Golf Club is a classic Illinois suburban corridor - wide roads, strip malls, and highway ramps rather than a walkable neighborhood. Everything requires a car, including the roughly 5-minute drive from most Joliet hotels to the club itself. Traffic on I-80 moves efficiently outside of morning and evening rush hours, so early tee times are genuinely reachable without stress. This zone attracts golfers, motorsport fans visiting Chicagoland Speedway, and business travelers - not leisure tourists looking for a city atmosphere.
Foot traffic around hotels is minimal, which means quieter nights and easy parking but zero walkability to dining or entertainment. Guests staying here are almost entirely drive-in visitors with a specific agenda, so the lodging options reflect that: functional, amenity-rich, and competitively priced for the Chicago metro region.
Pros:
- Free parking is standard across all nearby 3-star properties - no daily fees eating into your budget
- Low ambient noise at night compared to downtown Joliet hotels, which helps with early-morning golf starts
- Direct I-80 access puts Chicagoland Speedway, downtown Joliet, and Aurora all within a short drive
Cons:
- Zero walkability - dining, groceries, and entertainment all require driving
- The suburban corridor has little local character or evening atmosphere for non-golfers
- No public transit connection to Inwood Golf Club or the surrounding area
Why Choose 3-Star Hotels Near Inwood Golf Club
The 3-star tier near Inwood Golf Club hits a practical sweet spot for golf travelers: properties in this category consistently include free parking, complimentary breakfast, indoor pools, and fitness centers - amenities that matter when you're spending long days on the course. Indoor pools and hot tubs at several properties serve as genuine recovery tools after 18 holes, not just a marketing checkbox. Compared to budget motels on the same corridor, 3-star hotels here typically offer around 30% more interior space per room, with desks, proper seating areas, and reliable WiFi for those combining golf with remote work.
The trade-off is that none of these properties offer resort-style golf packages or on-site dining beyond breakfast bars and casual restaurants. Room rates in this zone are considerably lower than equivalent Chicago city hotels, making the suburban location a value proposition for anyone who planned around driving anyway. Business travelers using IHG or Wyndham loyalty programs will find multiple redemption options along this corridor.
Pros:
- Most properties include complimentary breakfast, cutting daily food costs meaningfully for multi-night stays
- Indoor pools and hot tubs available at several hotels - useful for post-round muscle recovery
- Chain loyalty programs (IHG, Wyndham, Hilton) all represented, enabling points accumulation
Cons:
- No on-site golf concierge, tee-time booking assistance, or golf-specific amenities at any property
- Restaurant options within hotels are limited to basic bars or snack bars - dinner requires driving out
- Peak summer weekends near Chicagoland Speedway events inflate rates significantly across all properties
Practical Booking & Area Strategy
Most 3-star hotels near Inwood Golf Club cluster along the I-80 corridor between Larkin Avenue and Essington Road in Joliet - a strip that puts guests within a 10-minute drive of the golf club via Route 59 South toward Shorewood. Hotels on the west side of Joliet along Black Road and Theodore Street offer slightly shorter routing to Inwood Golf Club and avoid the heavier Joliet downtown traffic entirely. For guests arriving from Chicago, the I-55 South to I-80 West combination is the standard approach, and most properties sit within 2 minutes of an I-80 interchange.
Beyond Inwood Golf Club, the same drive radius covers Chicagoland Speedway (major NASCAR and IndyCar events run May through July), the Joliet Area Historical Museum, and the Rialto Square Theatre in downtown Joliet. Book at least 6 weeks ahead for any stay overlapping a Chicagoland Speedway race weekend - hotels within 20 km routinely sell out and prices spike sharply. For golf-only trips without event conflicts, availability is generally strong and last-minute rates are competitive, especially Sunday through Thursday nights.
Best Value Stays
These properties deliver reliable 3-star amenities at the most accessible price points along the I-80 corridor, with straightforward access to Inwood Golf Club and free parking included.
-
1. Quality Inn Joliet
Show on map
Just a few rooms left at the best rate!
fromUS$ 85
-
2. Wingate By Wyndham Joliet
Show on map
Just a few rooms left at the best rate!
fromUS$ 132
-
3. Hampton Inn Joliet/I-80
Show on map
Hurry – almost gone at this price!
fromUS$ 116
Best Premium Stays
These IHG-branded properties offer expanded amenities including indoor pools, saunas, room service, and full restaurant access - a meaningful step up for extended stays or groups prioritizing on-site comfort near Inwood Golf Club.
-
4. Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites - Joliet Southwest By Ihg
Show on map
Hurry – almost gone at this price!
fromUS$ 143
-
5. Candlewood Suites - Joliet Southwest By Ihg
Show on map
Rooms filling fast – secure the best rate!
fromUS$ 111
Smart Travel & Timing Advice for Inwood Golf Club Area
The golf season at Inwood Golf Club runs actively from late April through October, with the most favorable playing conditions - and the highest hotel demand - concentrated in June and September. July and early August bring simultaneous pressure from Chicagoland Speedway events, which causes hotel availability near I-80 to tighten significantly across all price tiers. Booking during a Speedway race weekend without advance reservations is a genuine risk, as properties within 20 km routinely fill completely.
For golf-focused trips without event conflicts, May and September offer the best combination of good course conditions, moderate temperatures, and available hotel inventory. A stay of 2 to 3 nights is the practical minimum to make the drive from Chicago worthwhile - enough time for multiple rounds at Inwood and a visit to downtown Joliet's Rialto Square Theatre or the riverboat entertainment district. Sunday through Thursday stays consistently carry lower rates than weekend blocks, often by a meaningful margin at IHG and Wyndham properties on this corridor. Last-minute bookings are viable for weekday stays in shoulder season, but weekend summer availability disappears fast.
