How much do you spend on hotels?
 

Hotels are getting so expensive. I have never spent more than $200 for a room. Most of the time we are with family and on the run, don't spend a lot of time in the room. If we go on business or awards trips, we have stayed in very expensive rooms.

Reading posts here, many of you seem to spend big bucks. How do you budget what you will spend? Sky is the limit when on vacation? Some are budget, some are extravagant? Just curious. We often stay at very nice hotels off season and get good rates, like in Palm Desert or Scottsdale, and San Diego.

Seems like it is getting harder and harder to get bargains any more. So, feel like I need to bite the bullet and spend more. How do you determine what to spend, how much?

I have never spent more than $130 a night for a room and that was a Priceline room!

I find hotels getting totally out of hand for the average consumer when you travel to resort or touristy destinations! Even Las Vegas (which used to be very cheap!) runs around $150-300 a night on weekends, so now we only go during the week and get the Venetian for $99.

We tend to travel offseason to places so that does help to reduce cost. I like doing that because crowds are much less and you get better attention from the service workers when you aren't surrounded by mobs of people.

I like to be comfortable on vacation. I don't get luxury hotels much but it's usually Concierge level at the Hilton or Westin or similar. Suites if they are available. It's not worth it to me (or my husband, so he says!) to be uncomfortable and crabby. So, yeah, we routinely pay over $200 a night here and Europe.

The most we've spent was $190 a night in DC, which included parking and taxes. But it had a full kitchen which allowed us to make all breakfasts and half the suppers in the room.

We don't spend enough time in hotel rooms to justify higher rates. Usually in at 6pm and out by 8am.

Well, we spend a good bit of time in our hotel room. Call us lazy, but on vacation, we don't get up especially early, we often pop back to the room for a late afternoon nap, and we stay up late lounging and watching TV or reading. So we're willing to pay for a quiet, clean and comfy hotel with efficient service and a good location.

Secondly, I find that the value has gone out of the budget motels: they provide lousy accomodations, but are nowhere near as cheap as they used to be, or should be. $85 plus tax for a Red Roof Inn or similar is, IMO, outrageous for what you get. When I have paid over $200 for a room, I have always been satisfied that I got my money's worth.

Btw, hotels are getting pricier b/c they've been selling all their rooms and can command top dollar. Are Americans traveling and spending more b/c we're all just loading up on credit card debt?

Obviously it depends on the circumstances. If you're staying in Podunk you may get a great hotel for $75. In NYC you would be sleeping on a park bench.

So - you need to suit the budget to the circumstances. Obviously you can make compromises to hold the price down up to a certain point - but only to a certain point (IMHO).

We always go for the best price we can get for a hotel we know we will be happy with - unless it's just one night at an airport hotel before an early flight - then simply take anything functional.

We've paid at little as $50 a night (a gasthaus in the Black Forest - we loved it) and as much as $850 - for a VERY special anniversary celebration in London (we loved it even more).

However, we have been extravagent on our own dollar ($500+) only a few times - I would be uncomfortable doing it on a regular basis - there's too much more important to do with the money.

Overall - in a major US city - I would consider $200 to be basic business hotel (not budget chain - they can be less) - unless you can get a Priceline or other deal - which seems to be becoming quite scarce.

$69-500, depending on supply & demand (both individually and in the aggregate)

For me it depends on the trip and why I need the room. If it is just for overnight while on a road trip, the cheaper the better. If I'm planning a long weekend, then I would probably do around $100.00. If I'm on a vacation where I plan to spend some time and make use of the services offered, then I would creep up to $200.00, but never over that.

We don't have much money for travel, so we stay in less expensive places so that we can travel more. If our situation were different and it probably will be in the future, we would definitely spend more on hotel rooms. For now, clean and reasonably comfortable is all we need. I do like to use Priceline to get a nicer place for the same money and have had fun staying in nicer places.

I had this dilemma about getting a room in Santa Monica. The hotel we like is 250. It is very nice, but not fancy. Big rooms though, and queen beds, which we like. But did not go that route. Got the Best Western in Venice, 10 minutes away, and saved $90. I figured for two nights, the almost $200. that we saved on hotel expenses, can be applied to meals and extras. Maybe a spa treatment or something.

I would love to stay anywhere anytime. We have some friends going to Cabo next week for a wedding. Not only are they staying at the very pricy Palmilla, but they are leaving a few days early to enjoy the shore. OK, I am a little jealous...

But I would have to win the lottery to live like that. Maybe, someday...

I usually travel on budget, but sometimes "catch" a great internet rate.

I don't think I'd be happy to pay full price thinking I could've stayed another night in a cheaper place instead. I don't feel it's justified FOR ME to (over) for a fire place or 2 sinks in the bathroom.

But this is how it is for me. I don't want to count money in your pocket, you decide.

OMG, the price of gas doesn't look so bad anymore!

Even with the price of gas what it is now, I could drive 600 miles with $200 and see so many great places and then sleep in my motorhome.

Utahtea

Ahhh, but for the price of many motorhomes, a $200/night hotel room is inexpensive by comparison.

Yeah, I don't really understand the logic with the RV either.
Not to start a debate here but I really don't understand.
On many road trips we easily cover 600 miles in a day and spend way less for the night's lodging when we arrive.

We try to keep in around 100, between using priceline (the best!) and moderates (Hamptons are our favorite) when its just a place to lay our head.

Even in a national park a cabin (not campground)is less than 200.

So I really don't get it, but realize everyone is different.

I realize people cook in the RV which helps but it still doesn't seem to be less expensive, especially these days.
(plus no one in our family likes to cook or clean on vaction)

Heavens, I'm glad you brought this up. I keep reading about people who say that $300 a night is a bargain, and I realize that I am so very out of my league. I have never used Priceline, but am certainly willing to explore it in future. I have found that by traveling outside of high season to various places, I can often get a nice place for two for less than $100 a night, which is about where I am comfortable. If the destination is the goal, I don't like to "waste" time hanging around my room when I could be out looking around and getting the feel of wherever I am; I can watch TV (or rather movies) at home. But to each his own.

I prefer small, not fancy hotels so:
Mexico $45
Hawaii $95
Paris or Venice $150

As much as it takes! every destination has its own unique requirements.

$)
<i>&quot;Hello...my name is Kal and I'm a Priceline/Hotwireaholic&quot;</i>

I can't see spending more than $150/night at a hotel unless it is for a very special occasion and I can't get one thru P'line/Wire.

If I save about $50/night, think of the Kielbassa dinners I can buy in Chicago this Oct?!?!?! \:D/

Kal, you sleigh me!!!!!!!!!!!

Good thing it wasn't &quot;Slay you&quot; because you KNOW I'd be the one person who actually <i>gets</i> convicted in California!!!! %%-

OK Suze, gotta know, where in HI do you get a hotel room for $95???

Yes, and I don't get the RV thing either. Where I live, they travel through here by the dozens on the weekend. They get bigger every year. Huge. And some are very fancy. People have to spend some big dollars on those things, not to mention the gas it must guzzle for a weekend getaway. Just don't get that.

Usually $200-250/night in Vegas, Priceline for random American cities when just passing through or spending a night (PIT, BAL, etc) more into inns/B&amp;B type places in Europe for about 100 euros, most ever was $750/nt in Bora Bora.

When I was single, I spent up to a max of about $125 for a hotel and I had a very hard time going that high. Just a personal quirk. My father was Mr. Frugal and it rubbed off on me.

Now I'm married and my husband is finishing his second degree. Our budget is tight and we're having to stick to around $75 a night for our upcoming Savannah anniversary trip. It may mean having to drive rather than walk to some places, but that's no big deal to me.

Even when he starts working in September, I'll STILL have a hard time going over $125 a night. ;-)

I usually stay at cheap places to have more money to spend at the destination. I have had really descent accommodations at Motel 6s and Motel 8s. I really can't see the point in spending alot of money for a room you sleep in. I usually go on vacation to tour the sites not to spend time in my room.

I don't think I could sleep if I had to spend $200. for a room. Probably the most I have spent was about L80 (pounds) in London a few years ago. I purposely didn't figure out exactly what that was in dollars--didn't want to know. In the U.S. we spent $120. in Saranac Lake last year, just a one-night stopover. On the rest of our trip around new England we never reached $100. dollars a night.

Also last year my sister and I went to Yellowstone where we stayed in a Signal Mountain Lodge cabin for $124., and for three nights--a splurge for us for sure.
Whether I'm travelling with my husband or my sister, we never spend much time in the room. Even in London, we'd usually leave our room around 10 a.m. and return 12-13 hours later after seeing a play.

I use Priceline whenever possible, so
I usually spend $30 a night for 3 star hotels in AZ and $110 a night for 3 star hotels in NYC and somewhere in between for everything else.

RVing isn't for everyone, but DH and prefer this mode of travel. For those of you who don't understand it, let me throw a few figures your way.

Purchased a used 1985 Winnebago 23 1/2 foot class A motorhome with less than 30,000 miles on it in 1993 for $17,000.

Have taken 18 trips of between 4 &amp; 34 nights for a total of 277 nights and 295 days since 1993.

Gas: $11,369.82
Campground fees: $ 11,369.82
Motorhome: $17,000

Total: $31, 965.04 divided by the 277 nights = $115.40 per night.

Many will say you can get a room for cheaper than that...OK, but lets also throw in the food costs!

Dining out $375.98
Groceries: $2,612.24

Total: $2988.22 divided by the 295 days = $10.12.

Now how many of you that travel and stay in motels can average $10.12 <b>per day </b>for food for two people.

We've also done dozens and dozens of weekend overnight trips along with nearby day trips. I just don't have the figures on those. Some of the overnighters were to a nearby park that's only 10 miles away and only cost $16.00 per night to stay.

Oh, and I forgot....the motorhome still has a very good resale value!

Utahtea

aaaahhh ... back in the early days of marriage we used to find great rooms for under $25/night. (I think the pension in Quebec City with the shared bath was $15/night. I didn't think we would ever be able to afford a place like the Chateau Frontenac.) Now about half my travel is business at convention rates. It's hard to believe that some people pay much more if they walk in off the street. We're still frugal and enjoy using our camper. We also camped in St John at Maho Bay rather than stay in a hotel. Maho has to be one of the best bargains in the Caribbean. When my husband and son drove across country, I urged them to carry a box of Kleenex because I doubted their choice of cheap accomodations would provide any. When I'm not traveling with him, Mr Frugal chooses places where the free breakfast consists of a box of donuts from the grocery store and a questionable orange liquid. There doesn't seem to be any consistency among budget motels anymore. The Econolodge in one place will be a great deal, someplace else it's a trashy mess. I hate to spend over $150 but if I spend less than $75 the pillows are usually horrible. The places I've liked the best are usually not chains and I've felt I've gotten very good value.

I agree that hotels are getting expensive. We used to always do $100/night or under, but I realized that was because we were going west, and doing a lot of driving and mostly staying in smaller towns. In cities or touristy areas it's gonna be higher.

We are basically Holiday Inn people. I can't stomach paying too much for a room, b/c all those days at a much higher rate really add up. But I won't do Motel 6 or even Best Western anymore, b/c we've had too many dreary, dark rooms.

This year we've stayed in some really nice places (mostly for business travel), the Westin in St. John and in Cancun and the Four Seasons Maui. Boy, it sure is harder to look at a Holiday Inn the same way after these experiences!

DH and I spend a lot on hotels; for us that is one luxury we indulge in and find it worth it.
The room, the location, the service, those are of prime importance for us.

We don't give each other gifts on anniversaries, xmas, etc... but when we travel, we spend a lot and have a pampered feeling that is worth it for us...

As little as possible. Usually I/We are just sleeping in the room and as long as it's clean, we're happpy.

We're going to Belgium and Netherlands this summer and we're not spending more than $85 per night for a room. We'll also be camping for three nights.

That said, when I travel for work - three or four conferences each year in US and up to two international - I'll pay conference rate at the hotel.

I also use discount brokers, and not just Priceline, or Hotwire. But to tell you the truth, I am traveling less for a number of reasons and hotel cost is probably the second biggest reason after health of parents.

utahtea, because of resale- the entire RV experience is usually a $$$ winner. Like the summer vacation home, people love to list all the negatives because most are just not into the work involved or do it yourself thing. They prefer to be waited on and not have responsibility for more than a reservation contract. In my case and especially with a large extended family use, both are very profitable. I've made $50,000 equity profit on a vacation home in 2 years.

Splurging on fancy hotel rooms is fine as long as it makes you happy, but I just don't have the income for that extravagence and I doubt if I ever will. And if I did, I would not enjoy it that much, as I would think about what I'd rather have the money applied to. But saying that, I still would splurge up to $160 for a special location, but not for more than 1 night.

And I have routinely gotten good NYC and Chicago rooms for under $100 without any difficulty. Not junk either, good quality- at least 3 star or above.

I can definitely see the appeal of a motorhome. DH and I are considering buying a camping trailer in the future. I love the airstreams and are thinking that fixing up an older one would be a great project.

We like to camp, but I can see the time coming when sleeping in a tent might lose some of it's appeal and a camping trailer would sound that much nicer. I can't see us ever losing our love of the outdoors though.

I view a hotel as nothing more than a place to sleep at night, UNLESS I'm going somewhere where the whole allure if to spend time inside and &quot;veg&quot;. I do a lot of research on hotels, locations and prices before I book and try never to pay more than $100 per night unless the hotel itself is the draw.

http://everythingtravel.blogspot.com/

My husband and I love to travel, and we spend a lot of money on a hotel room. Except for the Bellagio, which is inexpensive, we pay 700-1000 per night, depending on the location. I know lots os people say they do n ot spend a lot of time in their room, but we do. When you are in a ground floor room steps from the beach, we enjoy breakfast on our own verndah, enjoy the jacuzzi and champagne and an amazing wiew and having someone pack and unpack for you...It's enjoyable. The personal touches like fresh flowers, fruit, personal; butler or concierge etc..are worth it for us. We don't budget for our trips, we just go...BUT We do not have any children and we have our won business, which makes a huge difference.

I think the $90/night we're paying for a 4* in San Antonio this month is the most I've ever paid for a hotel room.

Whenever possible, I use Priceline to get my rooms. Stayed at 3* or 4* hotels in places like New York, Portland, Seattle, Austin, Columbus, Chicago, Tucson, Scottsdale, Sacramento, and Vancouver (BC) for prices ranging from $10/night (oh, for the days of Priceline bonus money) to $75/night, with most of them $50 or less. Even though Priceline prices have been rising steadily, especially in the last 12 months, I still can't see paying more than about $100/night unless circumstances make it impossible to avoid.

I'm willing to stay in 2* or 2.5* hotels (Priceline ratings) when I'm traveling alone, but when my wife travels with me 3* is pretty much the minimum we'll look for.

With the money we aren't spending on hotels, we prefer to dine out more often when we travel.

Heavens,

It is unrealistic to expect hotel prices in a neighborhood where a 1 BR condo sells for $750,000 to compare to hotel prices in an area where you can get a 3 BR house (with yard!) for under $250,000. Really now.

A camper or RV are probably a great value, as long as you don't mind cooking &amp; cleaning while on vacation - and let's add in driving to your destination.

I'm in the hotel business &amp; get great rates &amp; comps on beautiful hotels, but I would still splurge. There's nothing like leaving an unmade bed to go out for the day &amp; returning to fresh sheets &amp; towels. Or dialing Room Service when you don't want to go out. It's really all about the service level and what you can afford.

I can honestly say that I don't pay much attention to price. I do pay a lot of attention to amenities, with price a secondary issue. That said, I have found that many hotels and motels are well under the $100 mark for a decent double room with breakfast, but many times they are not in the best locations. That's one of the amenities that I look at. I never travel with family other than wife, so I can't comment on your costs for &quot;with family.&quot; Unless you are unwilling to patronize the average chain hotels/motels, you should easily find better bargains than $200 for a double. I hope you will.

Leona,

Driving is the major reason for the motorhome. We love road trips and driving is as much a part of the trip as the destination. Being away from home and being on the road is what vacation is for us. We don't need to eat out. We enjoy preparing and eatting our meals and eatting in scenic locations that most people never get a chance to enjoy. It's no biggy throwing out a paper plate and washing a pot or pan. I know it's not for everyone.

Utahtea