I stayed at the Essex House in New York years ago..hmmmm 1964 I think it was but I wasn't paying so have no idea what it cost. Also stayed at the Royal Hawiian in Honolulu but again, sorry don't know the price, I wish I did, now I'm really curious.

We always took road trips when I was a kid, family of five, and we never paid more than 16.00 per night for a motel room. I remember is Las Vegas, drooling over all those hotels..the Aladdin, the Sands and such but my dad couldn't afford for us to stay there.

<i>Is my memory playing tricks on me or were there guidebooks that said &quot;Europe on $5 a Day&quot;?</i>

There sure were, and I managed to do it for less (in 1972), but neither were upscale hotels (a clean pensione in Madrid and Barcelona was $1.00 a night, a decent meal could be had for 50 cents, but the Ritz? They wouldn't even let us in the front door in those days)

i think this is my favorite fodor's thread ever. especially the person whose parents had the details from their ancient roadtrip. nothing to add as i have only been a paying customer since the 90$$$.

but hope people will share more!

kerikeri :)

I remember staying in one of the NYC Hiltons in 1973 and it was about $110 a night..we thought that was &quot;expensive.&quot;

But I remember back in the 1950s when gasoline was a little less than 20 cents a gallon, too.

In 1969 it was $22 at the Sands in Las Vegas, $12 for a Best Western in Kentucky and $15 for a Days Inn (I think) in Salt Lake City. In crossing from Michigan to CA and back that summer I never spent more than $15 a night outside the night at the Sands for Best Western-type places.