Sheffield is built on hills, and the shape of the city decides where you should sleep. The centre sits in a bowl, the station is in a cutting below it, and the two universities sit on rising ground to the west. That gives you three sensible bases. Stay in the middle for the shops, the Crucible and dinner on your doorstep; stay by the station or Victoria Quays if you are arriving late or leaving early; stay out at Endcliffe if you are visiting the university or want the Peak District on the doorstep. Below are nine hotels in Sheffield, grouped by those three choices, with the star rating, guest score, address and nearest stop for each.

Where to stay in Sheffield: three different trips

Sheffield's centre is compact enough to cross on foot in twenty minutes, but the hills make the walk harder than the map suggests. The Supertram, the city's tram network, links the centre with the station, the arena and the suburbs to the east, and it is worth knowing which line you are near before you book.

The city centre

The centre holds everything you would want for a short trip: the Peace Gardens, the Winter Garden, the Crucible and the Lyceum, and the shopping streets between them. Rates in the centre cover the widest range in the city, from a budget room to a four-star business hotel, and the trade-off is parking and noise rather than location.

Ibis Sheffield City is the value pick of the whole page: a 9.0 score for £85, ten minutes from the station and close to the cathedral quarter. EasyHotel is the cheapest bed and priced accordingly, with small rooms and few extras. The Radisson Blu costs twice as much as anything else in the centre and buys the best address in the centre, directly opposite the Peace Gardens, which is worth it if you are in town for an event.

Station side and Victoria Quays

The eastern edge of the centre works for a different kind of trip: arriving by train, doing business near the station, or staying beside the canal basin at Victoria Quays. The hotels in Sheffield on this side are about arrivals and departures rather than sightseeing. It is quieter than the shopping streets and closer to the platform, and the walk into the middle is short but uphill.

The Sandman is the one to take if you want the canal and a quieter night without leaving the city, and it is the best value of the three on score for price. The Crowne Plaza is the more traditional choice for a business trip, with the largest rooms of the group. Hampton by Hilton sits on the other side of the ring road towards West Bar, which suits the courts and the offices up there more than the station itself.

Endcliffe and the universities

The western suburbs are where the University of Sheffield sits, with Weston Park and the Endcliffe student village alongside. It is a completely different stay: leafy streets, no nightlife, and the Peaks a short drive away. Halifax Hall is the reason to consider it, a converted hall in its own grounds on Endcliffe Vale Road, twelve minutes by car from the station.

Book it for an open day, a graduation, or a trip that is more about the countryside than the city. For anything centred on the shops or the theatres, the centre is the better base and this is a taxi ride away.

Before you book: five practical checks

1. Expect peak rates for graduation and the snooker. The World Snooker Championship at the Crucible and the university ceremonies fill the city at the same times every year, and the centre hotels move first.
2. Check the hill on the map, not just the distance. Sheffield's streets climb, and a ten-minute walk from the station to the Peace Gardens includes a stiff rise. If stairs and slopes are a problem, book on the flat or budget for a taxi.
3. Decide whether you need a car park before you pick an area. Central spaces are limited and charged for; the western and quays hotels are easier with a car.
4. Match the hotel to the university. Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam are on opposite sides of the centre, and a room that suits one is a walk across town from the other.
5. Look at what is on at the arena and the Lyceum. Big gigs and touring shows push central rates up for single nights, so check the listings before you fix your dates.

Arriving in Sheffield: trains, trams and the M1

One thing catches people out: Sheffield station is in a cutting, and the exits lead either up to the city or down to the tram stops, with a long flight of steps between the two. A hotel described as ten minutes from the station can mean ten minutes of climbing, so check the route before you arrive with luggage.