Kathie Gordon

we have stopped at a lot of motels while seeing the USA. Give your opinion which are consistently good.

Owen O'Neill

Motel 6: Consistently clean but just a bit too skimpy on essentials. The sheets are so thin as to feel almost gauzy - same thing with towels. I no longer expect a drinking glass made of real glass but a 6oz foam cup instead of plastic? There's a low end not worth going below unless you're on the road and it's strictly a quick sleep and run.

Super 8: Get 'em while they're new. I used to have good luck wiht this chain at a few dollars more than Motel 6 but now find them to be inconsistent. Once they're more than a few years old the maintenance seems to be spotty.

Red Roof Inn: Better than Motel 6. Same level of consistency. Not a bad deal.

Marriot Courtyard: The rooms are generally just as nice a "regular" Marriot plus they offer free coffe in the lobby (and it's darn good coffee). IMHO, the absence of a full service restaurant, bar, nightclub etc. is no real loss.

Cross-Country Inn: this chain is in Ohio and possibly a few neighboring states. Excellent value for the money. Clean, well appointed, usuallty has a pool and feels like a $75 room (typically for $50-55)

Extended Stay America: My new favorite. These are almost all very new facilities and include a kitchenette, queen bed and recliner. Well run and a quality operation. Probably the best value available (dollar for dollar). Most that I've stayed in were in the $45-55 range and offered 10% AAA discount.

Paul Rabe

Have done extensive travel around the US and agree with a lot of what was said above. Days Inn is another good budget chain. Also, when I stay at a place noted in either AAA and/or Mobil, I have never stayed at a dump.

Donna

Our favorite is Fairfield Inns by Marriott. Continental breakfast is included in the rates. The rooms are always much nicer than one would expect for the rates and they are meticulously maintained. Agree with advice above to check AAA. Their tour guides are reliable. If an establishment is not included, there's a very good reason.

kam

I think Ramada is probably the best and most consistent quality. Embassy Suites is good if you are more than 2. I have stayed at a dump--actually worse than a dump and we didn't stay--the Days Inn in South Bend, Indiana. It was terrible and then they refused to give us back our visa slip when we left. Not just dirty, but unsafe, bug infested, broken bed, broken door lock, truckers all over in the company of "ladies" and the trucks with motors running and exhaust in the air. Probably the rudest woman at the desk I've ever encountered anywhere. AAA helped us to receive our money back and wrote that they were reconsidering this one--I hope they've dropped it.

Julie

My husband and I have traveled a great deal upon retiring and have found the Hampton Inns to be quite nice usually you can get a room within the $55-$70 range. They offer a continental breakfast. Upon a recent trip we stayed in several new Holiday Inn Expresses which had decent rates and offer continental breakfast and a free USA Today paper. I agree the Fairfield Inns are okay, but they do have thin mattresses on the beds and the sheets are thin. They do have great rates (ask for the lowest rate and for any discounts available). We got a single rate on the first floor with two double beds.

The Professor

I've stayed at a few different Days Inns, and have generally been disappointed. The chain does not appear to enforce quality.

Travelodge used to be dependable. Haven't stayed there in years, though. Anyone have recent experience with them?

Tricia

I'm on the road about once a month during "show season" and I always stay at Best Western. Depends on the city you stay in but can range from high $40's to mid $60's for two Queen beds. Very clean and nice! Also in the AAA books!

Owen O'Neill

A note of caution for those pre-selecting a "chain" hotel/motel based on their expeience at one or two locations: Some chains - e.g. Fairfield, Marriot Courtyard, Hampton Inn, Motel 6 and others are owned and operated by the parent corporation. These facilities have a greater tendency to be consistent and predictable from one locale to the next. Many other "chains", including Ramada, Best Western, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn and others are "flags" purchased by independent groups or operators. They receive the benefits of shared national advertising, name recognition and the reservation system but may vary widely in quality as they are owned and operated individually (or in small groups). The conditions of their contracts dictate adherence to certain quality standards but enforcement is not consistent. Thus, a Days Inn (or other chain) in a given place may be an exceptional value and quite acceptable whereas others (see above post) are the pits.

Glen

Hello

I've stayed at heaps of motels in the States and I liked La Quinta the best. They seemed to be in good locations and the rooms were always very clean and well appointed. Best Western would come a close second. Holiday Inn Select are also worth a mention, they carry a name that you can usually trust for good value and a consistent standard of quality. Hope this helps.

Glen

Me Again!

That should have been Holiday Inn Express, sorry!

HotelHarry

My choices are as follows:

1. Embassy Suites

2. Hilton

3. Marriott

The original posting was hotels based on value received which does not necessarily mean cheap. The above three give me what I want. I do have selected favorites in certain locations.

harris

I've stayed at a variety of Marriotts (Fairfield Inn to their flagship hotels) and have always been satisfied. I'll say the opposite for Best Western - they get my vote for the WORST run hotel chain, not worth the aggravation.

Lynn

I've had bad luck Days Inn and Quality Inns. And, what Owen stated above is true--many of these properties are independently owned--they just carry the property name, so there is no consistency with the product, service and what the response to a problem will be. We had a particular problem with both of these chains, wrote letters to the corporate offices AND the hotel managers and never got a resolution to our satisfaction. So , they are definitely off our list.

I agree, that MOST times, a AAA property is a good bet, but we won't stay at one lower than 3***. Every time we've gone lower than that, we've been dissatisfied.

But to answer the question directly, about which offers the best quality for the price--quality is an individual preference, but we have always found the service, atmosphere, room and food to be above average at Hyatt.

sandra engley

Have had the most consistancy with the Marriot. Comfort, solid bed, thick towels, real glasses, good housekeeping, & security. Rooms, food, and service were the same in Cambridge Ma. as in Chicago Il. Prefer Marriot's Residience Inn with full kitchen when you stay a whole week, even cooked Thanksgiving dinner for relatives at the one in Clearwater Fl. also syayed at Residence Inn at Flagstaff Az., Dallas Tx, Kansas City Mo. and Portland Me. Have not been disappointed yet.
Must agree with above comments about franchise locations not up to expectations of national advertising. Also have found anything less then 3*** in AAA book to be older, not well kept, or really out of the way.

Don

I have to chip in and agree with the AAA 3 diamond-minimum. Good bets are Microtel Inns (the most comfortable mattresses I've ever slept on!) and Shoneys Inn (in the Southeast). Microtels are all-new, have rigid quality standards, and range from $35-60/night. Hampton, Courtyard, and Fairfield are also excellent. Days Inns are not consistent, but they're everywhere. If you go with Days, look for one that has at least a 4 or 5 "Sunburst" rating in addition to the AAA 3 diamonds.

Marcia

I'm going to add another dig on Days Inn. I will never ever stay in one again. They are consistently either filthy dirty or in bad neighborhoods (a nasty surprise at 11 at night) or both. Service is zilch. I don't know which was the lowest low: the domestic fight next door accompanied by the lady of the night at our door in Stockton, CA, or the 20 year old, no-stuffing left, mattress with the shower flower that was black with scum mold (unusable) in Sonora, CA. Take your pick.
I want to stick up for Best Western here. I believe they are all independently owned and operated. I've stayed in more Best Westerns than antyhing else - and while they vary alot (age, location, price, amenities), you never get stuck with yucky. The AAA 3-diamond rule is a good one - and there are only 2 times I break it. One is for a Best Western, if know the area or can see it ahead of time - and the other is for tiny towns in the middle of nowhere. Then you can use 2 diamonds (and Best Westerns area always great in this situation), and sometimes even a one-diamond, which will be clean but spare.

pgary

EconoLodge and other Choice Hotels International properties often offer better prices than Motel 6 for same quality if you are a AAA member (20% discount) or over 50 (30% discount).

Marilyn

I also vote for Best Western. I know they are independently owned, but I've gotten dependable cleanliness at every one I've stayed at. They are especially good in small towns where you don't get the Fairfields, etc.

How are those Country Inns? They look so cute, but I have never stayed in one.