Motel chains

Is anyone here above staying at a MOTEL 6 or SUPER 8 or DAYS INN, RED ROOF, BEST VALUE, HAMPTON INNS for instance? I've seen some of these chains with bigger rooms, great locations, better values than some higher end hotels. And of course, I've seen some that weren't so good. We stayed at a Motel 6 in Palm Springs, in a great location, walking distance to the main street where you want to be, easy and not expensive at all. Towels and pillows could have been better but otherwise, great view. Ideology was that we were saving our money for VEGAS for the higher end hotel stay but it was cheaper in Vegas at the Stratosphere than the Motel 6 in Palm Springs believe it or not.

Vegas is one of the cheapest places to stay, at least on a weekday.

The vast majority of my stays are at Super 8s and Days Inns, maybe a few Ramadas mixed in. They're really hit and miss. Some are very good, others I left and haven't looked back. But when I'm driving from DEN to MSP and need a place to crash at and I'm not going to be there when the sun is even out, those places work just fine. Having a nice room is nice, but if you're travelling and spending all your time in a hotel room, you're doing it wrong.

BINGO. Great comment Spongebue. I honestly prefer to get those type of rooms over luxurious rooms because I don't want to spend all day in the pool, or sauna or hotel lobbies. Don't get me wrong. They each have their place. I notice too that motels are built around local places to go out to eat and pretty much all over town whereas the HILTON or HYATT for instance is usually situated in downtown areas with more international travellers. Motels, obviously more for the MOTORIST versus someone flying in from somewhere and staying in fancier hotels to do business downtown or something. If I go to Cozumel, I don't want to stay in a motel, but if I drive to San Antonio, a Motel 6 suites me fine. Incidentally Sponebue, which of the chains do you prefer? I've staye in DAYS INN up in Minneapolis near the mall of America, when I went by myself a few years ago, and it was quite convenient and the price was right for airline people. Not the fanciest but it worked. I'd rather spend 50 bucks per night than 250 at the Hyatt.

Hell, I've even stayed at some decent (not amazing, but decent) chain hotels in the downtown area. There was a Days Inn in Toronto that was very conveniently located, and didn't have the typical Days Inn "feel." A Ramada around downtown St. Louis. Another Days Inn in downtown Indianapolis (I know that's changed to another chain, can't remember what, but it did have a really creepy elevator). Oh! And these kinds of chains are also nice when you want something with the airport shuttle. Yes, you may see the Hilton shuttle drive by 3 times before yours finally comes, but when you've got a 6AM flight, you're already halfway there.

Personally, I think Days Inn has a slight edge over Super 8 generally speaking. Price is generally the same, but there does seem to be a few more hits than misses. Especially the ones that have been remodeled recently, they can have some pretty comfortable bedding (which IS a main function of a hotel :) )

By the way, I looked up that hotel by MOA. I'm a Bloomington, MN native (where the mall is located) and have driven by that area many times (though I usually take a different exit and come up the other side) but don't remember seeing that hotel before. Looks like it's a Best Western now. For what it's worth, there has been a light rail for a few years now that runs from the airport to the Mall. It's frequent, cheap, and close. If anyone told me they were going to rent a car to see the Mall, I would laugh in their faces. Loudly.

I remember it was a Days Inn, in fact, there were two close by but I stayed in the one closer to MOA, so they changed now? Man, the price was cheap, was like 38 bucks for airline emloyees. Good time to stay out of MOA. It's what? -24 in MSP these days? Your'e right about airport shuttles. In fact, I was looking in the internet for haha's and noticed a Motel 6 hotel at the Las Vegas strip for 31 bucks airport shuttle INCLUDED. How can you beat that? That price probably doesn't add the 17 dollars per night resort fee Stratosphere adds on top of the 30 bucks per night they charge. And in Vegas, you know they spiff up the looks in those chains.

Oh man, don't get me started on those stupid resort fees! Just put them in the damn cost of the room, unless they're optional (here's a hint: they're not). Golden Nugget is one of my favorite hotels in LAS, and they are proud not to charge resort fees. Then at checkout, I had a "downtown destinations charge" which I later found out was disclosed at the VERY end of the priceline purchase. Right when you're exhausted from reading fine print and upsell offer after more fine print and upsell offer. Bleh.

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Originally Posted by 29palms

That price probably doesn't add the 17 dollars per night resort fee Stratosphere adds on top of the 30 bucks per night they charge.

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Originally Posted by spongebue

Oh man, don't get me started on those stupid resort fees! Just put them in the damn cost of the room, unless they're optional (here's a hint: they're not). Bleh.

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Of all the hotel-add-ons, I hate the “resort fee”. The first time I heard of a “resort fee” was at checkout Red Rock Hotel (2008/9) and trust me, an additional $$$ a day charge was quite the shock (my Vegas hotel bargain blown completely out of the water) After I reminded all concerned that the fee was not disclosed at booking it was decided that the fee would be reversed as “good customer relations“.
Now most of the hotels in Vegas do have the fee :(



The Dreaded Resort Fees

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Originally Posted by spongebue

Golden Nugget is one of my favorite hotels in LAS, and they are proud not to charge resort fees. Then at checkout, I had a "downtown destinations charge" which I later found out was disclosed at the VERY end of the priceline purchase. Right when you're exhausted from reading fine print and upsell offer after more fine print and upsell offer. Bleh.

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Oh yeah, the Golden Nugget’s “downtown destination fee“ - you get a coupon book. Bleh indeed.:(

I remember signing the agreement about the resort fee, some 16 bucks or so on top of the room charge, so something like a 30 dollar fee is something more like 50 when its all said and done, which is not bad, but they shouldn't be advertising it as 30 dollars. Rental cars did the same. They hit me for some 7.50 daily roadside assistance fee, like I really need this wih AAA and USAA? I don't believe I had an option to opt out on that one. They gotcha.