Personal Experience please -Clean -Lower cost motels during travel

[Anupam Routh]

Greetings! I am thinking of going to Denver and hope to visit Grand canyon. Normally I stay at Holiday Inn when I travel with my family. This time I shall travel alone. My requirements are very simple. Just a clean bed and a clean bathroom. An internet connection will be nice but necessary . I do not care about other amenities which I need when I travel with my family. I have seen the signs of Motel 6, Super 8 and Econolodge motels. What is your personal experience with these motels? With thanks.

 

[Larry Phillips]

Most of the Super 8s I've been to are pretty nice. If you travel through Salina KS, theirs is excellent (The one off of the 9th street exit on I-70 across from Boselmann's Travel center). No internet connection, though. They do have a nice indoor pool and hot tub.

 

[TRACket Paul]

I suggest not using anything with less than a 1 Star/Diamond rating. 2 S/D is my minimum and I have been uncomfortable in some of those. National chains can be better, but not necessarily a guarantee of standard quality. Sometimes trying to save a few dollars now does not pay off later.

 

[Dreman]

I don't know about 1 star diamond star whatever, but I do know that a room with clean sheets and clean towels is a definite warm fuzzy feeling on a snowy winter night. Even if it does have painted concrete block walls and everything in the room except the Gideons' Bible is bolted down!



Motel Six, Econolodge, Super Eight, Red Roof Inns, etc. are all decent places to stay. I used to travel all over the country in a previous job, and I haven't really had any problems with any of the major economy chains. Also, if you can't find a major chain nearby, if there are a lot of big trucks (i.e. semi trucks with trailers) parked outside they are usually at least clean.



All of them can have problems, but most of them are reasonable.

 

[Nelson Atwell]

I have had my issues with most of the economy motels. Dad used to work for Red Roof Inn, and I'm sorry to say they were the worst IMO. Evn places like La Quinta have been disappointing.



Lately, I have been staying at Drury Inn and Holiday Inn Express. I usually pay about 65 bucks a night there, and get an awesome breakfast to start my day. The main thing I like about them is that I can get a good nights sleep, knowing I am safe inside, and my truck is safe outside. I can't say that about a lot of the econo-lodges out there.

 

[Deleted deleted]

Try getting reservations at "Bright Angel Lodge" at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. I was surprised how inexpensive accomodations were there... only $55/night in October for a single.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Almost all of the lower end Hilton Properties gives you free internet and they generally have good clean rooms.



Hampton Inn.

Homewood Suites.



Embassy Suites will cost slightly more and is 50/50 on free internet. If not free. $9.95 for the most part for a 24 hour connection.



If you go to www.hilton.com you can select the internet rate which Will be the cheapest. With those rate you normally pay in advance but can still cancel up to 24 to 48 hours prior to arrival.



I travel all the time. IF you need or want assistance with Hilton, Sheraton or Marriott properties I can do some leg work for you as I am a Diamond and or Platinum Member with them all.

 

[JIM WOOLF 2]

You can't go wrong with Motel 6. I only ran into one in Toledo Ohio that was marginal, all others very good. $35- $45 depending on season or events.

 

[Glenn Lyle]

check out http://www.tripadvisor.com/



They have a forum of "reviews" of hotels in which people have stayed. Once you select your hotel (on their site or one of your own choosing) check out the reviews. Keep in mind that just about every hotel I checked out- some love it and others hate it- I just check how recently, how often, etc. the complaints are.

 

[Chris Taylor]

Super 8's are usually nice. Motel 6 can be a question mark any more. I agree that the one in Toledo is a dump(I live in Toledo...). Be carefull of Ramada LIMITED. They are usually some older motel that has got the Ramada name on it. The regular Ramadas are fine, but the limiteds are a lot of times a mess. Quality Inn can be a good deal also, depending on the motel. Some are kind of pricey and some are real reasonable, depending on the area.



I have not had much luck with Econolodges any more. They used to be ok, but the last time I have stayed in one...well...I didn't. Found a used syinge in the bed in an Econolodge in Blue Springs, Mo... :angry: Manager said he would remake the bed. I said he could refund my money! Went to a Days Inn and had a good nights' sleep... Days Inn can also be a good deal, depending on the area.

 

[TomT]

Holiday Inn Express isn't bad. Most have free breakfast.

 

[Taco Jackson]

We recently stayed at a Baymont Inn, and wow, that was nice for so cheap. Free Wi-Fi, very nice breakfast in the morning (like, all you can eat waffles, donuts, muffins, you name it.) I dont know if they're all like the one we were at, but it'll definately be what we look for wherever we go next.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Motel 6, Red Roof Inn, and most of the privatly owned motels are nasty. The only reason I would ever stay at a Red Roof is because they allow dogs. Red Roof by far have been the most filthy of all hotels I have ever stayed in. Stains on the chairs, stained tubs, broken tile, dirty ceilings, etc. No thank you.



I have stayed in a few Holiday Inn's that were nasty. I try to avoid those too. The Holiday Inn Express are nice, but if I had to choose one that I would recomend to anyone, it would be a Wingate. It is built for the buisness traveler. Two phone lines in the room. Internet, 25" TV, very nice. They have an office with mailing station, computer with printer, fax machine, etc. All free.



I spent 9 years on the road. I have stayed in everything you can imagine. Some hotels I have stayed at had Cigarette wrappers laying on the floor in the room, some you think they rent out by the hour. One time, I had a neighbor knock on my door to tell me if I needed a lady to service me, I could find her in a certain room and if I told her he sent me, she would do it for free.



I have seen more hotels/motels then I care to even think about.





Tom

 

[Bill V]

Go to Priceline--you can get nicer (2.5 and 3 star) hotels in nearly any part of the country there, for the price of a 1 star. Through them, I've normally stayed in Radissons, Hiltons, etc., when I've traveled, and have rarely paid over $45 a night. For more info on how to accomplish this, check www.biddingfortravel.com.

 

[Gypsy me]

or check out Expedia.com or Orbiz.com Hotel.com as well





any Comfort Inn I've ever stayed in or Best Western have been clean and and the people were always friendly and nice

 

[Dre L]

Sleep inns

Hampton inns

Westins (damn worth it, but will ruin every other hotel for you for life.)

Country inns and suites

Candlewood suites

Holiday inns

HOJO's



I have a standard when I travel, single entrance via lobby, room doors inside the hotel, security systems in place, visible and well lit parking area. For this reason I don't make reservations except for my destination hotel, which I usually research the hell out of. But on the way, I plan to stop early enough that I can check the place / area out before getting a room, and keep going if I don't feel right about it.



I swear I stayed at a cleaned up crime scene once, whole room was still damp from a complete shampooing, some lights didn't work, I was tired, all the rooms in the area were sold out, it was late... In the middle of the night I heard a noise, and a light was on in the room, I never locked, cocked and cleared a room so fast in my life.



Then I realize that the light I was messing with earlier decided to turn on 4 hours later.



I go take a shower in the morning, and the water stops mid rinse. I step out of the tub to go curse someone out, it turns back on.:blink: I step back in, off again :angry: Step out... On:angry::angry: This time it stayed on.



At check out, they ask "how was your night?" the two people ahead of me were reserved in their politeness with responses like "eh" or "have had better" I flat out told them it sucked. We were all returned a "Oh, that's too bad." So I said, go fork yourself, and will never stay at a days inn again.



Then there have been places that I finally understood what the use of "shower shoes" were for.



So I ALWAYS ask to see the room before I check in.



Oh and make sure you flush the toilet before you check in.

 

[Tom Schindler]

I was taking some training courses in Witchita, Ks a few years back for the SIRM inspection on Beechcraft aircraft. We were put in a hotel that was simply awesome. Each room had a TV and VCR with free VCR tapes to rent. The room had a desk, a kitchen with a dishwasher, stove, microwave, large fridge with an ice maker. (I guess all rooms were that way too) It was really nice to come back from the class and be able to unwind in a "house".



There have been others that I would not let a stray dog or a homeless person stay in.



One hotel was so nasty, I slept with my clothes on, including my shoes. My bags were locked in the back of the truck, so if I had to make a run for it, I could. I think I ended up sleeping about 3 hours in the room before I got up and went on my way. There was no hot water, no dead bolt lock, the TV only had one channel to watch. It was the only room I could find. It was one of those where I told the inn keeper I would give them $20.00 for the room. He said "no" I walked outside and he told me $20.00 was fine. I said, "not anymore, not it is $15.00". Again he said "no". I said "I am going to turn around and walk out. If I go outside of the door and you call me back, the price will then be $10.00." He said he would take $15.00. I was almost ready to drive to a truck stop and sleep in the back of the truck.





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

The worst are some of the older, Mom and Pop "Motor Court" type places I have stayed in. the 'burbs in Westchester County, NY has the WORST choice when it comes to overnight stay. Given the number of corp offices and the sprawl, and the limited choice, getting a room is often difficult. I had to stay in one place that sounds just like what Cayman was describing, but had to pay $70 for it. Indoor/outdoor carpeting on the floor with cig burns; gray towels; broken furniture; dirty sheets; FREEZING room (it was the middle of winter); rough area.



For some reason I get very phobic in hotels. I biggest fear is that someone will enter the room, while I am sleeping and take my wallet. It is somewhat irrational of a fear, what with a deadbolt and chain on the door, but it keeps me up at night.



TJR