Best Western Plus Lincoln Inn

Standard rooms come in king and double-queen configurations, with all rooms equipped with the usual mid-range hotel package: a flat-screen television, a small refrigerator and microwave, a Keurig-style single-cup coffee maker, an in-room safe, and a small work desk. Bathrooms are larger than entry-level Best Western category — full bathtub with shower combination, granite-look countertops, mid-range toiletries from a brand-name supplier. The bedding is the Plus-tier upgrade — heavier comforters and pillow-top mattresses rather than the lighter standard-tier package.

The indoor swimming pool is the hotel's primary amenity differentiator and is heated and open year-round. The pool deck is modest in size — perhaps 25 by 40 feet — but adequate for a family swim or a quick lap workout. A separate hot tub adjoins the pool. Pool hours are typically 6am to 11pm; the area is closed late evenings for daily maintenance. The fitness center is a small two-room facility with a treadmill, an elliptical, a stationary bike, and a small free-weight station — adequate for a maintenance workout but not a destination for serious gym users.

The free hot breakfast is one of the genuine value items at the Plus tier. Breakfast service runs 6am to 10am with a hot buffet that typically includes scrambled eggs, breakfast meats (sausage and bacon rotating daily), waffles made fresh on the breakfast-room waffle iron, cold cereal selections, fresh fruit, yogurt, pastries, juices, and coffee. The breakfast is included with every room rate at no additional charge and is one of the strongest practical reasons to book the Plus tier over an entry-level alternative.

The hotel's RV-friendly parking is one of its quiet practical advantages for Route 66 travelers. The main lot is large enough to accommodate motorhomes up to 40 feet (Class A and Class C alike) and pickup-trailer combinations with no special arrangement or additional fee. Overnight RV parking is permitted without separate registration. The lot is paved and well-lit, with the rear portion of the lot reserved during high-occupancy weekends for the larger vehicles. The hotel does not have RV electrical hookups or dump-station facilities; travelers needing those services should plan to stop at a dedicated RV park for those amenities, but the Best Western works well as an occasional motel-bed-and-shower break between RV-park stays.

Beyond the RV-friendly orientation, the hotel staff is genuinely experienced with Route 66 travelers. Front-desk staff can recommend Mother Road routing through Lincoln (the historic alignment runs through downtown Lincoln roughly along Kickapoo Street and Broadway Street; the hotel can mark the route on a Lincoln-area map), provide guidance on the standard Lincoln sites circuit, and assist with reservations at The Tropics for dinner. The hotel sells postcards of the World's Largest Covered Wagon at the front desk along with a small selection of Lincoln-themed and Route 66 souvenirs.

Pet-friendly accommodation is available for an additional fee (typically around $25 per stay, not per night, as of recent visits — but the policy is worth confirming directly with the hotel before booking). Pets are limited to dogs and cats and to certain rooms on the ground floor of the property. The hotel does not have on-site grooming, boarding, or kennel services.

The hotel sits at 1750 5th Street on the east edge of Lincoln, immediately off Interstate 55 exit 126 — making it convenient for travelers arriving from either direction on the Interstate but a short drive (about one mile) from the historic downtown Lincoln square and the in-town Lincoln-themed sites. The Postville Courthouse State Historic Site is two miles west; the Lincoln Heritage Museum at Lincoln College is approximately the same distance; the watermelon christening monument is on Broadway Street downtown. Driving between the hotel and the downtown sites takes 5-8 minutes depending on traffic.

For travelers continuing south on Route 66 toward Springfield, the hotel's east-edge location is the natural departure point — pull out of the parking lot onto 5th Street, follow the local Route 66 alignment south through Lincoln, and rejoin the interstate or continue on the parallel old-road alignment as preferred. The drive from the hotel to downtown Springfield is approximately 35-40 minutes via I-55 or roughly 60 minutes via the slower historic alignment.

For travelers continuing north toward Atlanta, Bloomington, Pontiac, and ultimately Chicago, the hotel is similarly well-positioned. Atlanta and its Paul Bunyan Statue are five miles north and make a natural first stop on a northbound morning. Bloomington-Normal is 30 miles north; Pontiac is 55 miles north; Chicago is roughly 160 miles north. The hotel's morning hot breakfast and the on-property wagon photo opportunity combine well as a structured Lincoln departure routine before the longer northbound drive.

Room rates run roughly $115 to $165 per night depending on season and day of week. Winter weekdays (December through February, Sunday through Thursday) tend to the lower end of that range; summer weekends (June through August, Friday and Saturday) and the peak Route 66 centennial-related travel windows of 2026 tend to the upper end. Booking through the Best Western direct website or the Best Western Rewards loyalty program often produces the best rates and includes the Plus-tier amenities at no additional cost.

Advance reservations are recommended for any travel during the 2026 Route 66 centennial year. The Illinois Mother Road corridor is expected to see substantially higher tourism volume in 2026 than in normal years, and Lincoln's limited overnight inventory (the Best Western, the Holiday Inn Express on the opposite side of town, and a handful of smaller properties) is likely to book out earlier than usual on peak weekends. Travelers planning summer 2026 visits should book at least 4-6 weeks in advance for weekend stays.

Cancellation policies follow Best Western standard terms — typically cancellation up to 24 hours before arrival is permitted without penalty, though specific room rates may have more restrictive non-refundable terms. The hotel does not require a minimum-stay commitment for any night of the year. Group bookings (for example, a car-club Route 66 caravan booking multiple rooms) can be arranged through the hotel's group sales contact.