Don't worry about bringing too much with you. PNCL will supply the stuff you need in the beginning (manuals, etc., but you might want to bring your own notebook to take notes in though). You won't get your Jepp plates until after you pass your checkride and they give you some cheapo binders but I would recommend using your own if you want something nicer quality to hold your plates in. You will also need a flight case to hold all your stuff in when you go for your oral at the end of ground school but you'll have a couple of weeks to find one. Check out Office Max, I think I got mine for around 30-40 bucks.
Luggage is not really important until you start OE, so don't stress about that too much.
Good luck in training and just stay focused and study and you'll be fine. And don't let them scare you about the hotel- its not in a great area so I would be careful, but I never had any hookers banging on my door. If you do have a car there though, I would definitely lock the doors and just be sensible about security stuff.