5 Cheap Hotels Near East Lake Golf Club for Smart Stays

The area surrounding East Lake Golf Club sits in the eastern suburbs of Atlanta, straddling Decatur and East Atlanta - a residential corridor that is quieter and more spread out than downtown Atlanta. Most hotels cluster along I-20, which means car travel is the default; walkability to the course itself is limited to properties within a mile or two of Second Avenue SE. The neighborhood has undergone significant revitalization over the past two decades, and the area around the course feels stable and low-traffic outside of PGA Tour Championship week, when crowds and prices spike sharply.

Pros:

• Direct highway access via I-20 puts East Lake Golf Club within around 10 minutes by car from most listed hotels
• Far fewer tourists than Midtown or Downtown Atlanta, meaning easier parking and calmer mornings
• Budget hotels in this corridor cost significantly less than comparable rooms near Mercedes-Benz Stadium or Georgia Aquarium

Cons:

• No walkable restaurant or entertainment strip near the golf club itself - a car is essential for dining
• MARTA rail access is limited; the closest station (Indian Creek) requires a drive or rideshare to reach
• During the PGA Tour Championship (typically late August), availability drops fast and rates can double

Budget hotels in the Decatur and East Atlanta zone along I-20 offer practical overnight stays without the service layers - or price tags - of branded hotels closer to Downtown Atlanta. Rates at these properties typically run around 40% cheaper than comparable nights near the Atlanta stadium district, making them a smart base for golf spectators, Atlanta Expo Center visitors, or travelers simply passing through on I-20. Room sizes at 2-star motels in this corridor are functional rather than spacious, with standard queen or king layouts, but most include free parking, which alone saves around $25 per night compared to Downtown Atlanta garages.

Main advantages of this hotel category here:

• Free on-site parking at nearly every listed property - a genuine saving vs. central Atlanta
• Free WiFi is standard across all budget options in this corridor
• 24-hour front desks available at multiple properties, useful for late golf event arrivals

Main trade-offs in this specific zone:

• On-site dining is minimal - most properties offer only a snack bar or coffee setup
• Room décor and furnishings reflect 2-star standards; do not expect renovated interiors
• Noise from I-20 traffic can be noticeable in ground-floor or highway-facing rooms

East Lake Golf Club sits on Alston Drive SE in Atlanta, just east of the East Lake neighborhood and south of Decatur's main corridor. Hotels along Covington Highway and the I-20 East corridor offer the most direct car routes to the course, typically under 15 minutes without event-day traffic. For MARTA users, the Indian Creek Station on the Blue Line connects to Downtown Atlanta, though reaching the golf club from there still requires a rideshare. During PGA Tour Championship week in late August, book at least 8 weeks in advance - properties along this corridor sell out faster than central Atlanta hotels because they serve as the affordable overflow for golf spectators.

Beyond the golf club, the surrounding area includes Stone Mountain Park (around 13 km east), Zoo Atlanta and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site (both around 13-15 km west), and the Atlanta Expo Center in Conley to the south. For evening dining, Decatur Square - about 6 km north - offers a walkable cluster of restaurants that is accessible by a short drive. Travelers combining a golf visit with Atlanta sightseeing should position themselves on the Decatur side of the corridor rather than the Conley side for better all-around access.

The single most important timing factor for booking budget hotels near East Lake Golf Club is the PGA Tour Championship, held annually at East Lake in late August. During that week, rooms across the entire Decatur-I-20 corridor fill up fast, and rates at even 2-star motels can increase sharply - book at least 8 weeks out if your dates overlap with the tournament. Outside of that window, the area sees low tourist pressure and budget hotel rates remain stable and genuinely affordable year-round.

For general Atlanta visits using East Lake as a base, spring (March-May) offers the best balance of mild weather and moderate hotel pricing before summer humidity sets in. Summer months see higher occupancy across Atlanta broadly due to family travel, but the Decatur corridor remains less impacted than central Atlanta properties. A stay of 2 nights is typically sufficient for golf spectators attending the tournament; those combining East Lake with Stone Mountain, Zoo Atlanta, or the MLK Historic Site should plan for 3 nights to avoid rushed day logistics. Last-minute bookings outside of tournament week can yield discounts, but room quality at the cheapest properties varies by specific unit - early booking gives you better room selection at no extra cost.