SanFrancisco - NewYork

I generally go with whatever I can find that is cheapest, within reason. I agree with Buck that the best values can usually be found at the chains that are just a step up from the budget basement or in the mid-range tier. I will tend to stay away from motel 6 if I can find another property that is close in price (say $10), because I've found motel 6 can really nickel and dime you (extra charges for each extra person, no breakfast, etc). I will also often stay at independent mom/pop type places, if they look reasonably clean and well kept. You really can learn a lot about a motel just by looking at how the lobby is. Really the only place I personally stay away from is the Days Inn chain, for whatever reason, anytime I stay in one it seems like I get a filthy room, and it takes quite a bit for me to be unhappy about a messy room.

Motel 6 has been cleaning up their act considerably. The 2 I used on my trip from Joplin to San Diego a couple weeks ago were very decent. I'm switching from Super 8 to Motel 6 now that most 6's have wifi.

If I know what town I'll be stopping in beforehand, I look up hotel reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.com/. Typically I can find a one-star non-chain hotel that is cheap but nice & clean.

I've always stayed away from Motel 6s, but aside from one craphole in Crescent City, I've never had problems with Super 8s.

Hmmm

But even some of them have bad reviews on tripadviser.com

Holiday Inn looks nice... But would be expensive considering i'd be using it like 40 times over the trip.

So 40 x around $130 = $5200 / £3500

Has anyone heard of a frequent stayer offer or anything?

Thanks for the replies

Somethings to keep in mind. You need to take any internet review site with a grain of salt. They certainly provide useful information, and I use tripadvisor myself, but people are simply more likely to complain than to talk about how great a place is. I always make sure that I'm looking at the specific complaints and try to judge if its a real problem or just an unreaslistic expectation.

Also remember, for every chain prices are going to vary by location. A holiday inn that costs $130 in one town (pretty pricey for a HI, really), it might only cost $60-70 in another.

There are several rewards and discount programs offered by the various motel chain, and since many of them are owned by the same companies, you'll usually have a few different options to pick from. With the current economy, you can probably find some good deals and programs right now.

Days Inn and Super 8 are both Wyndham properties. I have had widely varying experiences with both, and in the past few years I've seen more and more of them in poor condition - and more and more Motel 6's in great shape.

If I'm looking for more than just a bed and a shower, my favorite is a Hampton Inn. However, I spent enough time in the military, traveling around to many different bases, where my tolerance for living in a "dump" is very high. I'm sure that the Motel 6's I mentioned in my last post would not be acceptable to some people, even though to my eye and nose, they were clean.

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Originally Posted by Si737

Hmmm

But even some of them have bad reviews on tripadviser.com

Holiday Inn looks nice... But would be expensive considering i'd be using it like 40 times over the trip.

So 40 x around $130 = $5200 / £3500

Has anyone heard of a frequent stayer offer or anything?

Thanks for the replies

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You really seem to be looking for a magic bullet that will allow you to pull into X hotel chain in every town you stay and be guaranteed a good stay. As you've noticed, that's not going to happen unless you pony up a lot of cash.

Hunker down, do some research. It will save you a lot of cash. Yes, some hotels get some poor reviews on tripadvisor, but don't discount a place because it got one bad review. Look for the ones with generally postive reviews. Half the motels I stayed in on my last trip were found through tripadvisor - I would not have even considered any of them if I simply been driving by as they were mostly independent, they all had very positive reviews and I was not disappointed in any of them. Plus I saved a bundle by doing so.

FWIW I've stayed in lot of Motel 6's over the last few years and never had a bad experience. Some are brand new. You can also try non-chain motels which are often cheap. I’ve found the Holiday Inn like places to be fine to be more then I need for a night. especially if you are going to be there for a night how much do you need?

my impression is that Motel 6's in big cities often have bad rep. however I have stayed at ones on highways or in tourist areas which have always been good.

i think there is a fair amount of snobbishness about motel/hotel chains based mostly on name recognition and such. YMMV of course.

My advice for the middle and lower tier motels is to forget the brand name, you simply can't use that as a guide to anything. My daily job deals with construction and evelopers and I know for a fact that a developer will plan on building a motel and the brand name isn't worked out till later. In other words, they are all individually owned and then an agreement is made to be a Super 8, Econolodge or Days Inn. Some chans have some quality control but not much. I've seen beautiful Super 8's and horrible ones, just like most of the other chains. I just was on a five night solo road trip from Chicago to New Mexico and back (crazy, I know) and I stayed at two Econolodges, a Best Western, a Super 8 and A Comfort Inn. The Comfort Inn is supposed to be the best but it was the worst...I discovered no hot water when I went to take a shower at 11 and the wi-fi connection worked for half an hour. I much perfer the motels where you conveniently pull your car right up to the door to the ones with the depressing interior corridors. Oh yeah, don't forget the motel coupon books they give away at many of the state welcome centers...I scored the best room of the trip, The Best Western in Santa Rosa, NM, for a great price with the coupon (I think it was $49) and I walked next door top Denny's for dinner when I didn't feel like getting back in the car.

Welcome to the RTA Forum, Rainman!

That is an interesting point about the different motel brand "available" to new construction. I guess I have seen some examples of that before, although I think the bigger thing is that some motels seem to change franchises more frequently than they change their sheets!

I too am a big fan of the roadside coupon books, although you have to watch them for restrictions. Often times the discounts are only available on weekdays and for a room with only one bed, and only if you walk up (no reservations). However, as long as you know what the restrictions for a coupon are, they can be great, and I've found some excellent deals with them.