Economy priced motels

[Guest zipperzone]

Am contemplating a cross-country driving trip (both U.S. and Canada) this summer/autum. I would prefer to stay in cheaper priced motels as all I will need the room for is to crash and don't see the point of paying huge $$$ just to sleep.

 

Does anyone know of a web site that would list such accomodation nation wide? Thanks.

[OneFinger]

I routinely use Hooboy's Discount Travel link (located in the banner section above). The only down side to this is that you pay in advance (at time of reservation) and that limits your flexibility and keeps you to a schedule.

 

I'll probably catch some grief for this cheap recommendation, but I suggest joining the Trip Rewards program.

 

http://www.triprewards.com/ip-tr/

 

This is a free membership program for budget motels including AmeriHost Inn, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Ramada, Super 8, Travelodge, and WinGate Inn. I have found many internet specials on their site and it's easy to search for available locations. In addition, you earn points good for free stays. If you're spending a lot of time on the road, I'd suggest you stay with Trip Reward facilities so you can quickly earn points.

 

On a recent trip I was staying in a small town and, like you, just needed a place to lay my head and take a shower. I stayed at Days Inn for $40/night. The room was very large with a table/sitting area, queen size bed, tub/shower, and a 19" TV w/cable. It looked like the last time the room was decorated was in the 60's but it was clean, safe, quiet, and I slept very well.

 

A couple years ago, while temporarily living in another state, my company cut a long-term deal with the local Super 8 Motel for my housing. Again, the room was clean (not the latest fashion) and very comfortable.

 

One chain I'd suggest you avoid is Motel 6. These are very inexpensive places and don't always have the best guests. I've noticed that a lot of drug deals, shootings, and stabings take place the Motel 6 in my area.

 

Good luck and be sure to post your itinerary if you're interested in meeting other Hoovillians on your journey.

[Guest timgetrum]

Have not done this in a while, because I have not traveled much. I used to get the AAA travel book and stay in their least expensive motels. They were always very clean and usually owner-operated, literally mom and pop. Many of these motels have been purchased by immigrants, but if they are AAA approved you can depend on cleanliness and safety. The proprietors usually had good recommendations about local, inexpensive, non-chain food.

[Bilbo]

I do not recommend La Quinta. I know of at least one escort bust which happened at that chain and would suspect that cooperating in full with undercover policemen is commonplace at least at the La Quintas with a lower turnover of rooms.

[+ Charlie]

I also use the AAA travel guides, which are free if you are an AAA member, and you also get decent discounts on the published price if you are a member. While driving, I usually call ahead on the same day and rarely have any difficulty getting a room when I say that I got the number through the AAA.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

AAA

 

>I also use the AAA travel guides, which are free if you are

>an AAA member, and you also get decent discounts on the

>published price if you are a member.

 

When I moved to Los Angeles from the east coast, I drove. The other nice thing about being a AAA member is that they provided me with maps for the entire trip and great guidance because there was construction on several freeways so the maps they gave me included planned detours to take. All the hotels I stayed in were AAA travel guide approved places. With the discount, I believe the most I ever paid was also about $40 a night and I had no complaints.

 

Now, finding decent, non-greasy, low fat meals that tasted well was another issue!!!

 

 

http://www.gaydar.co.uk/francodisantis

 

http://hometown.aol.com/francodisantis/myhomepage/profile.html

[nate_sf]

I agree with the others that AAA guide can be useful, particularly if you're wanting to be flexible with your itinerary. Years ago when I was just a pup, I drove cross-country with my sister and we wouldn't decide where we'd stay until around lunchtime each day, then we'd flip through the AAA book and choose a place. We had good luck with LaQunita's at the time, but then we weren't bringing escorts to our room!

 

Personally I'd recommend Motel 6. I've stayed at a lot of these while on the road, mainly for the price but also because they let me bring my dog and they tend to be located in random roadside locations where you're just wanting to sleep anyway. No glamour, and usually no bathtub -- just a standup shower -- and my only complaint are the towels are sort of thin. But they are very clean and many appear to be owner-operated. I've not had experience with unsavory characters, though some might be described as a bit "trashy" (but who am I to talk, as an escort!). I'd expect the crowd varies by location, though. Motel 6 has its own website and you get a few bucks off if you book through the web.

 

I'd also suggest good ol' Priceline with a visit to biddingfortravel.com. I've found if you're flexible on location, such as suburban locations or areas near the airports, you can get a really nice room for next to nothing. I've stayed at a Hyatt near an airport for $35 and a Hilton in a suburb for $40, and both were really well-appointed rooms in somewhat empty hotels. I usually try priceline first and then resort to Motel 6 and AAA as backups.

 

Good luck and have fun!

[BigK]

Use Priceline. Just stayed at a 2 star Homestead Suites in Sacramento for $30 per night. Go to BiddingForTravel.com to check successful bids. Also has hotel list by rating so you have an idea what you are going to get.

 

Search for 2 & 2 1/2 hotels for the type you mentioned. I have also had good luck with 3* (out of 4*) in $40-50 per night range.

 

BigK

[Guest ChgoBoy]

Another option, albeit not your traditional accomodation are hostels. Depending where you are travelling, hostels can be a very fun and cheap way to go. It's also a great way to meet people that are travelling such as yourself. Not all hostels are created equal, some can be great but you really have to do your research. Here's a link.

 

http://www.hostels.com/en/hostel.menu.html

[Guest]

>

>Use Priceline. Just stayed at a 2 star Homestead Suites in

>Sacramento for $30 per night. Go to BiddingForTravel.com to

>check successful bids. Also has hotel list by rating so you

>have an idea what you are going to get.

>

>Search for 2 & 2 1/2 hotels for the type you mentioned. I

>have also had good luck with 3* (out of 4*) in $40-50 per

>night range.

>

>BigK

 

I'll second that advice, although I prefer http://www.betterbidding.com which is a kinder, gentler version of the bidding for travel site (and also discusses Hotwire). I find that Priceline, if anything tends to under-rate their hotels. I recently won a Courtyard by Marriott for $50 a night. The price on Marriott's website and expedia was $120/night. Priceline ranks the hotel 2 1/2*, but Mobil gives it 3* and AAA gives it 3-Diamonds.

About 20% of the time, Hotwire will have a better deal. Although Hotwire is more likely to over-rate rather than under-rate their hotels, I recently got a Ramada that ranked AAA 3-Diamonds/Mobil 3* with Hotwire (which also ranked it 3*) for about 40% of the going rate. Also, there's a $15 off coupon for Hotwire in the Entertainment books, if you have one (reusable).