PhillyMom

I am looking for opinions on the best budget hotel chains in the US. Typically, we stay at Hampton Inns, but are wondering if the cheaper chains like Sleep Inn, Motel 6, etc are generally clean/safe for families on a driving trip.

RedRock

We have found the quality of all motels can varry, cheap or otherwise. Safety, a cheap motel in a small town may be cleaner and safer than an expensive motel/hotel in a larger city. I always look at the neighborhood surrounding the place. We also like to look/inspect the room prior to staying. Some of the best we have found are the little mom and pop motels scattered accross the country in the small towns away from the major interstates and large cities.

GoTravel

PhillyMom, it is a crapshoot as most of those hotels are individually owned and fly the franchise flag.

While they have standards they must keep, there is no consistency between hotels in one brand.

I've stayed in Days Inns that were dumps (South Beach) and some that were very nice (downtown Charleston).

starrsville

The most consistent chains (moderate, not budget) IN MY EXPERIENCE are Holiday Inn EXPRESS (newer than the older structure that are usually Holiday Inns), Hampton Inn AND SUITES, and LaQuinta Inns AND SUITES. All offer good free breakfast buffets. The "plain" Hampton Inn and LaQuintas are often the original structures with outside room entrances. The newer versions (AND SUITES) are nicer, nice lobbys, and interior entrances to rooms.

I have found that the Choice group (Quality, Comfort, Sleep) and Days Inns are ALL over the map regarding cleanliness, quality, etc.) I rarely stay at any of those.

BeachBoi

The deal breaker for me: Interior Corridors.

ltt

i've been pleased with the super 8 chain.

Lori

Unless it was an absolute emergency I would never choose a motel with exterior corridors. It may cost more but interior corridors are safer and that's important.

laurieb_nyny

Can someone explain to me how safe a hotel with interior corridors is if/when you have to park you car in the back parking lot & walk all the way around to access the front entrance to the hotel? Just curious. Thanks.

ChristieP

I agree with Starrsville that the HI Express, Hampton and LaQuinta chains are the most consistent.

It's gotten to where I will not stay in a Motel 6 anymore. They used to be decent for a road trip, but the last two I stayed in were NOT clean.

Rachel

I have to laugh when i read this thread. Many years ago we were travelling to Baltimore and wanted to stop 1/2 way. I found a "Hampton Inn" in the AAA guide book (this was b4 i used the internet for travel arrangements) around Harrisburg, PA. Figuring it was a Hampton, how bad could it be, I made reservations for 2 rooms. My late and fussy MIL was travelling with us. This "Hampton Inn" was not part of the chain and was about the worst hotel I've ever stayed in. It appeared to be a residential hotel for seasonal construction and other workers. Lots of cheap grills ouside each of the exterior corridor rooms, my DH swears there was road kill grilling on those grills, the entire motel overlooked a sleazy bar with a hot-tub on it's rear patio, etc., etc. The rooms were pretty gross. I'm sure the staff laughed hysterically when making my reservation I asked if the motel had a pool and hot tub!
Unfortunately it was late at night, we were travelling with young kids and a Sr. citizen and there wern't any alternaitves.
The moral of the story...Watch those chain signs and make sure they are part of the chain!

eroz

I've had great success with Comfort Inns and Hilton Garden Inns. Fairfield is the low end Marriott and is also nice and usually very affordable.

tracys2cents

I think Best Western has good quality/cleanliness standards though in bigger cities the locations are often not-so-good.

I like the Choice Hotels "stay twice, get a free night" special that pops up from time to time for Comfort Inns, Quality Inns, Sleep Inns........they have an AAA discount or a senior (you only have to be 50!) rate and you still get the 3rd stay free night.

bookhall

Take a look at Microtel Inns. If memory serves, they're all new-construction. They're not as ubiquitous as many of the others, but do offer good, clean budget lodging.

RedRock

When we are traveling we always look for a motel room downstairs that you can park outside the door. Makes it easy to unload and load the next morning. To me a high rise with interior corridors is a hotel not a motel even if it is along side the highway.

ElendilPickle

We are Choice Privileges members; we like earning free nights, and so far we haven't had a bad experience at the Choice Hotel properties.

Motel 6 was OK when we had less money and two small kids who could share a bed. We stayed at the Motel 6 in Carlsbad in November; the room was clean, but the four of us just don't fit in the room anymore!

Lee Ann

happytrailstoyou

I think it all depends on what you expect and whether you're willing to give up something for a savings.

We have become dissatisfied with our recent Choice Hotel experiences. In February we booked into a Sleep Inn in Scottsdale with beds so hard that once awakened we couldn't get back to sleep. And, the room which should have been $79-$89 was $153 per night.

We checked out and moved to Homewood Suites, a more expensive Hilton property, but we were glad we did.

It seems that Hampton Inns, Homewood Suites, and other members of the Hilton family are more consistent in cleanliness and other essential factors that Choice Hotels, Best Western, La Quinta, and that ilk.

La Quinta, Days Inn, Motel 6, Super 8, Travelodge, and Econolodge are some chains we avoid because of miserable experiences we have had with some properties in these chains.

I can vouch that some Motel 6's are hangouts for a crowd to which you would not want to expose your family (one particulary slimy place in Topeka comes to mind).

On the other hand, I would say that most all motels in the Choice chain are safe and family friendly and that Motel 6 may be a good choice in a town that has few other options.

happytrailstoyou

I forgot to respond to the interior corridor controversy.

We prefer properties with interior corridors because we like to keep windows and curtains open, which is impossible in places with exterior corridors. I hate to be cooped up in a room because privacy is impossible with curtains open.

I travel several months a year, and I can't recall a parking problem.

J_Correa

In my experience, the location of the hotel/motel is much more important with regard to safety than whether it has exterior or interior hallways.

I have stayed in plenty of motels with exterior hallways and felt perfectly safe. For car trips, I rather like places with exterior hallways because luggage is easier and it is nice to be able to open the door and be outside.

Lori

Interior corridors do not make the walk from the parking lot safer, but they do eliminate people walking past your room on the walkway on their way to/from their room and looking in if you have your drapes/window open a bit for air. Interior corridors provide a a degree of privacy that outside walkways cannot.

trippinkpj

Super8 and Motel6 with interior coridors, as others have said, are the best budget. Less consistent but some of these have been good, Comfort inn, Rodeway Inn, Econolodge & Travelodge.