Finding your heart's desire—the perfect hotel (chain)

Like you, I enjoy the comfort and convenience of certain chains. I like the Motel One chain - and found one in Amsterdam in a really useful location - Waterlooplein. I was very happy staying there a few years ago. It was well-priced and very walkable to a lot of the city. And no narrow steep staircases or weird tiny rooms.

Mardee, thanks for this very helpful info. We will be staying in a Motel One in Rotterdam soon, so I'll be sure to report back.
I'm jealous of a Xmas market trip. I haven't been since 2019. I'm waiting for my only grandchild to grow up! (She's two years old!)

My chain surprise was the Best Western Esplanade on the waterfront in Stockholm. The Art Nouveau style property looks nothing like a US style Best Western, inside or out - so it's somewhat different than your scenario. But I was able to use my Best Western points to pay for 3 of my nights, just like I would have at home. So that was a surprisingly unchainlike stay for a surprising price.

Mardee, nice price score for the Christmas Markets!

I do strive for the small boutique hotel experience, but occasionally I do stay in a chain hotel. The H10 Hotels in a couple of Spanish cities were very beautiful & nice - did a repeat at the Cordoba one. I see they have locations in other countries.

We stayed at a Roommate (fill in the name) chain hotel in Granada. I haven’t stayed in a second one, although I’ve seen them as options in other countries.

The Mercure Hotel chain is predictably good with an excellent breakfast buffet. I have stayed in one in Rouen, France and Munich. Both times I chose them as arrival night+ hotels - the time when I want a very good first night’s sleep.

I do like to stay at the smaller, locally owned places, when they fit my budget. It is always great to know of the chains, especially the ones that tend to be reasonably reliable. Hence, we stayed at a Premier Inn in London, and a Motel One in Switzerland and Ibis in a few places.

We used to seek out U.S. Best Westerns for our family. However, I feel like they've gone down hill in the last 10-15 years. Thus, I was surprised to see them well reviewed and priced in a few European cities--Paris and Budapest to name a couple. I think there are nice ones in London as well.

We prefer mom-and-pop places, but for us, location is everything, so we're pretty eclectic as far as accommodations are concerned.

We stayed at the Bastion Hotel in Bussum (NL) a couple years back and came away with a favorable impression. It met our mostly simple requirements and was located where we wanted to be - not too far from AMS and Amsterdam, near Naarden, near a suburban rail station, and in a natural area that invited walking/biking. Things went smoothly there, we slept well, and the price/satisfaction ratio was high, so I made a mental note to look at Bastion on future trips. Bastion has 34 locations in the Netherlands.

Best Western in Europe is more about getting on their booking engine for independent hotels. My favorite hotel in Venice is a Best Western, and the one in Beaune next to the train station has an excellent restaurant.

We srayed at the Motel One chain in Glasgow and were surprised at how nice it was for the cost. We haven't stayed in it yet in other locations so I don't know if it is consistent like I'm told Premier Inns are.

Golden Girl, I never would have thought to look for a Motel One in Amsterdam, so that's very good to know. Good info!

Oh my gosh, Pat, you've got a while then. Well, my sister has been wanting to go for a while, and I was thinking about it, so the two of us are heading out together. My granddaughter is 12 and would love it but she will have to wait. 😊

CW, oh, that does sound nice! Ironically, the place that I have booked in Stockholm is a very old historic hotel built back in the 1600s, with, from what I understand, very narrow and winding stairs. So we'll see how that goes! They did promise me they would give me a lower floor, hopefully ground level. Someone here recommended it highly, so I'm trying it out. My daughter thinks it's very cool, so This trip is for her anyway.

Jean, I'll have to remember those names. I did look at a Mercure hotel in Strasbourg, but I think they were fully booked for the dates we were there.

Jules, I found a Best Western in Strasbourg and booked it, and it looked really nice, but then my sister found another hotel that she really wanted to stay at, so I decided to go with her choice. There was a Best Western in the neighborhood in Cincinnati where I used to live that was really nice. It was quite upscale, and I was always surprised to see that it was owned by Best Western because I do tend to think of them as a chain hotel.

Russ, I've never heard of Bastion Hotels before, but I will definitely add that to my list of hotels to check out. That looks really nice. Thanks!

Sam, good to know about Best Westerns!

Allan, the Motel One in Berlin was really nice, and a great location, right by the train station. Berlin is also where I stayed at an Adina Apartment hotel, but I was in Berlin twice during my four-week trip to Germany. I really did like the Adina apartment hotel, but it was definitely pricier than Motel One. I think Ms. Jo on the forum, who lives in Frankfurt and posts frequently, has stayed at Motel Ones a lot and always likes the ones she has been at. They are fairly consistent from everything I've read. And if I went back to Glasgow, I'm sure I would stay there, especially since the Grasshopper Hotel is no longer in operation, sigh...

I like the Holiday Inn Express as well. I have stayed at two, both of them at airports, and was very impressed by them. And the price was pretty good, too.

Outside of the UK I’ll look for Ibis chain hotels. They’re a little more basic than Premier Inns, but perfectly fine. I’ll also look for an Accor of Mercure chain hotel. They vary widely between cities and even in the same city. In Spain I stay at Paradors if there’s one where I’m visiting.

I am not tied to a chain and usually look for good value/location/comfort.
But I was happily surprised by the Ibis in Beijing not too far from Tiananmen Square. Fantastic price and breakfast (few months before COVID hit).
I was disappointed with Best Western in Copenhagen near Central Train station.

Loved the Thon Hotel chain in Norway.

For airport hotels, I usually end up at Hilton because of points/better price. The one at Madrid Barajas was out of this world. Super modern style and the most incredible breakfast (too bad I had an early flight and had to eat in a rush).

Most of my travels within the US are with family including child under 13, so Best Western and Hampton Inn are our go-to.

I have zero problems staying in a chain hotel. In the US, I have no idea how many Hampton Inn properties I have stayed in. In the UK, I have stayed at several Premier Inn properties and have noted their presence in Germany.

But this is a quick note that in London I have at least three times stayed at Hilton hotels (Hilton Hyde Park, the Curio Westminster and the Hampton Waterloo). You have to check, but there are times when a rate can be found that is lower than the rates at the smaller, quaint hotels RS recommends (including the Aster House, which I have stated at).

Best Western has a large portfolio including BW Plus, Premier, BW resorts, etc. Many very nice properties in the mid-to-higher end of the portfolio.

We tend to use Best Western in the US because we find that they have been reliably clean, reasonably price and have a pretty good rewards system. In 2019 we were looking for lodging in Pickering and came across a Best Western! We booked it with points. Unfortunately, lately the domestic Best Westerns are a little more hit or miss. We stopped using the one in Portland. But we are staying at the Forest and Vale Best Western in Pickering again this trip. (WE LEAVE IN 8 DAYS!). At least hopefully we do. We are flying Virgin Atlantic out of SF. They have one flight a day at the same time. Twice this week that flight was cancelled.

I've got a domestic trip coming up in May. I'm staying 6 nights at a Best Western, two nights at a Travelodge and two nights at a Wetherspoons.

The Best Western I know well, that one is about being kind to myself, and got it for £60 a night bed and breakfast (member's rate)- a killer deal. Even if Premier Inn could have matched the price (they were way off) an incomparably better deal.
I'm actually due out most mornings before breakfast (commuting, mainly to London- having a free Avanti, TPE or LNER breakfast), but for the price added the breakfast (which is a very good one) just in case.

The Travelodge (in Newcastle) is purely for convenience and price (under £30 per night- hard to complain at that). Again I have a n LNER or TPE breakfast both days.

The Wetherspoons was the best deal in the area, by a country mile. Cheaper, again, than any local Premier Inn (half the price), and an old traditional building not bland corporate. If it's anything like other Wetherspoons I've stayed at it's also a couple of quality notches above Premier Inn. I'm also in a town centre, not on the edge of town where the PI is.

isn31c,
What are LNER and TPE breakfasts, please?

On stressy travel mornings I prefer c&c breakfast: croissant and coffee, also known as petit dejeuner.

I have seen a few hundreds hotels during business travels. One impressed me with its welcome culture and that was a Jumeirah in Abu Dhabi. It felt like arriving at friends, not at a hotel. I was really "through" from a day exploring UAE in a car on a - for me - hot day. I just needed to get out of my car (no batch, no explanaton, ...) and was first offered a tea, warm refreshing face towels and a very comfortable seat on a wide sofa before getting to the reception. It felt great not to be handled as a mass tourist - which I actually was.

For travels through Scandinavia I liked staying at some Scandic hotels but their houses' qualities are very different. What is always pretty good is the breakfast which is often enough for nearly the whole day until early evening. Best breakfast with a great view offered the Scandic Seilet in Molde.

I believe that Best Western are a franchise rather than a chain, which accounts for the wide range of styles and standards. Whereas Motel One and Premier Inns, for example, are pretty much exactly the same everywhere - same decor, same beds, same breakfast.

I’ve tried staying in small hotels a few times but I realised they don’t suit the way my brain works: I don’t like to be chatted to or asked about my plans for the day by the hotel owners over a home cooked breakfast. And I also don’t like the stress of not being sure what the room will be like - will it be clean? Will the bed be comfortable? And so I minimise the anxiety of those things - and free up my brain for the exploration.

We’re all so different, aren’t we?

I love your strategy of checking “hotels” on Google Maps. It works really well for me for several of the mentioned chains that never show up on booking.com, etc.

That being said, I tend to think that I am not normally a “chain” person as such when in Europe (but I definitely am in the U.S.) However I also feel like I probably stay at more small chains (or franchises) than I realize, simply because I don’t know they are chains. For example, I stayed one night at a hotel in Baarle this trip, picked off Google Maps, only to get there and find it was a small chain I just had never heard of.

But I don’t go looking for a reliable chain - I use it as part of my search options. I am still at the point that I will put up with a few acceptable (for me) inconveniences for the sake of character or charm. With the exception of overnight layovers or final night before flights home after a long trip - I am beginning to use airport Hiltons more often (but that ties in to finding flights that work for me in other ways that require an overnight somewhere). I have used the Hilton in Helsinki several times, as well as the Madrid airport Hilton - and will be trying out the Frankfurt airport Hilton later this year.

I don’t always remember to check the Accor chain; but if I’m not finding what I want, it is part of my search. Stayed at an Ibis in Brussels this trip also.

Mark, those Dubai resorts have pampering down to an art, don’t they? But it was funny to be driving down the road and see a Premiere inn there, as well. Lol.

my favourite chain is Dorint, a mostly German chain. A little higher priced although deals on certain days are possible. Some have interesting decor, all I have used - quite a few - are comfortable with great staff, the breakfast is beyond excellent.

I used to live at Holiday Inn Express, we have decided to raise the game a notch or two.

Mercure is in the middle, just edging the upper part of the middle, of the Accor universe. Novotel and Sofitel are well worth a look too. And Novotel Suites if any remain, the remnants of Accor's old Suitehotel range have huge rooms and high speed internet, separate toilets and bathrooms.

What are LNER and TPE breakfasts, please?

They are train companies. If you "turn left" on boarding a train in the UK a number of companies have restaurant car service in first class- Avanti West Coast, LNER, TPE East Coast (Newcastle to Liverpool route only), TPE West Coast (different menu to East Coast), East Midlands (London trains only, not full meal), Transport for Wales (Premier trains) and GWR Pullman (Lunch and Dinner only- also open for standard class), also Greater Anglia (London trains, snack style menu).
All except Transport for Wales are complimentary.

On Avanti you often get two meals if you want- north and south of Preston. On LNER likewise- north and south of Newcastle, and a 3rd service for services north of Edinburgh.

In many cases, the chain hotels are not owned by the chain but are franchised. This is true of all Best Westerns and most Hiltons, Marriotts, IHG properties, Hyatts and Accor. (With Best Western, in most cases, you are actually staying in a locally owned hotel. They just use the Best Western brand for advertising and the reservation system. In return, the hotel must offer the standards set by Best Western.)

Premier Inn hotels are wholly owned by the parent company, Whitbread. That's why they rarely differ and can be consistent.

I'm also a fan of Adina hotels and have stayed in a few of them. All are good, some are better. I can tell you the Berlin property is not one of the better ones so, Mardee, you might be surprised with Stuttgart. (I have not stayed at that one.) There is also an Adina in Nuremberg. (I've been their three times.) There is also one in Munich but it is not near the center of town. Vienna is still my favorite and I'll be back for a sixth time later this month.

I will suggest that if people are staying at chain hotels, and the chain has a frequent stay or discount program, that they join. . There is no extra cost and even one or two stays might get you some extras if you book direct. You will also get notices of sales that may only be available to members of that chain's program. And... being a "member" sometimes automatically gets you a 10-15% discount.

As an example, at the Adina Hackesher Market, the first time I stayed, I was upgraded to a one bedroom suite simply because I was a member of their discount program and booked direct.

I'm not usually a tied to brand sorts, but in the last several years Locke aparthotels have become my go-to brand, and then ideally aparthotels in general. Each time I go to London I'm going to stay at Locke-at-Broken-Wharf and have used Locke’s properties in Edinburgh and Manchester.

The big multi-national brands, whether corporate or franchised locations, don’t usually interest me. I would rather stay at a locally owned boutique hotel, inns with rooms, or small regional brand. There should be architectural soul. A rough ideal – small enough to be local while large enough to have their act together or enough back-office structure to ensure the shower works and the booking is secure, without the "cookie-cutter" feel of a Premier Inn.

That would be something like 4 Canon Lane, one of several accommodations that is operated by the Chichester Cathedral, or the Malthouse, an inn with rooms in Ironbridge - owned by a hospitality company that owns 5 or 6 properties across Shropshire.

Going to someplace new, I start my search on Google Maps. There I can at least see and place a hotel in relation to attractions and transportation hubs and then street view, plus it links to Google’s reviews and photographs. A discovery engine is you will.

Thing is, I am not wedded to hard set in stone rules and when I am selecting hotels, where I choose to stay is as much influenced by nature and vibe of the location. I’m not going to staying at an aparthotel just because it's an aparthotel if it's 3 miles away from the city center where the train station and attractions are located and I am not turning my nose up at the chain out of hand.

I really like Motel One and they are expanding and buying up other companies. Though the rooms may look the same, their common spaces may reflect where they are located. The one we stayed at in Hamburg had a fun, nautical theme to it, looking very different from the one in Frankfurt, Berlin or Munich. They have great AC for summer visits.

A new chain, called The Cloud, is snapping up properties too. (edit, it is called The Cloud One and is part of Motel One)

We stayed at an Ibis in Paris and were so happy to have great AC during a very hot July.

Mark, Frankfurt had the 1st Jumeirah hotel in Europe, but they sold it to Marriott and now it is a JW Marriott and is still very pricey. Not in my budget.

Having stayed in some not chain hotels, I prefer the chains. They have better beds, showers, and pillows. I spend no time in my room when traveling except to sleep. Breakfast in the hotel is preferred, as I do want to go brush my teeth afterwards and having a cup of coffee at 06:00 suits me.

I don't mind a chain hotel for some trips, or part of trips. I tend to like a mix of that along with small mom and pop type of places.

Out by the Munich Airport, the Ibis in Erding was perfect for us. The location left a lot to be desired, not scary/bad, but just nothing nearby. The hotel itself though was great. Probably the cleanest hotel I have seen, and the rates were crazy cheap, about $50 per room. We had two rooms and it came to $108 total, and that was during the Christmas Market time.

In Norway, the Thon hotels have worked well for us. We used them back in 2015 and then again in 2024 and they were just as solid.

I will not stay at a Travelodge here in the US, but in London we snagged a room at the Covent Garden location for 3 people for $43/night back in 2012. It was as bare bones as they get, but for that price it was perfect as we were only there to sleep.

In Iceland, the Center Hotel chain is really good! There are a number of locations around Reykjavik and we have stayed at 3 of them, multiple times each. Some of them are not as nice as others, but we have not had a bad room yet. On our trip last month, I snagged our room for $136/night where we normally pay about $225-250/night, more during the high season. It included breakfast, early check in, and a welcome drink. Two of their other locations have free parking, which we have used and that is a real bonus for in the city. They also now have an apartment hotel as well.

Ms.Jo I'm intrigued by your mention of The Cloud hotels. I've come up empty after asking Mr Google. Do you have a link for one or the chain? thanks

Great thread Mardee. Premier inn are certainly a reliable choice in the UK and I’d never have known they were elsewhere.

In the UK I used to travel a lot for work and we were often booked into Best Western by our travel team. We gave them the nickname Worst Eastern as they were almost always dreadful. I realised they were a franchise and I think it would be kind to describe them as ‘hit and miss’.

My go to chains in the UK now that I’m paying myself tend to be Premier Inn, Marriott Courtyard, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express, with the occasional splurge for a special occasion. I do like some of the other IHG offerings too such as Indigo (especially the one in Bath) and Staybridge Suites (the Dundee one is great). I normally need parking so a hotel with free parking is a plus.

In Scandinavia and Finland we often use Scandic.

jaimeelsabio, I've stayed at one Ibis, and it was at the airport in Budapest on my last night there. It was fine, but the room was very small, and I have heard from others that this is common. I was good with it for one night, but I don't know that I would have wanted to stay there longer.

Joy, I'm booked at several Thon hotels on my upcoming Iceland/Stockholm/Norway trip with my daughter. I've got one booked in Oslo, Allison, and Bergen, and all were based on recommendations from this forum.

RJ, good to know about Hiltons, and definitely something to keep in mind for my next trip there.

Katiecem, yikes, I'm sorry about your flight prognosis, but I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you that yours gets through!

Stuart, I've heard a lot about Travelodges, but have not yet stayed at one. But I'm glad to know they work for you! Wetherspoons sounds interesting. I haven't seen those anywhere, but I'll keep that in mind for my next trip. The way, your use of the word "Wetherspoons" for some reason brought the song "The Wellerman" into my brain, and now I have a Wellerman earworm going strong. Good thing I like the song. 😊

Mark, your hotel in Abu Dhabi sounds wonderful. I doubt I will get there but I did notice they had a location in London; however, I don't think I could ever bring myself to pay $1,017 for one night (and that was the lowest price). 😊 It was interesting to see a prayer rug listed as a hotel amenity, but of course that makes a whole lot of sense.

Golden Girl, that makes sense about Best Western. And I get what you're saying. Sometimes I feel like that, but then sometimes I don't. For me it's nice to have a mix. And yes, I agree that we're all different. Potato, potahto... 😂

TexasTravelMom, I have found some really good hotels using Google over the years, and not all were chains. I still remember my wonderful bed and breakfast in Seahouses in Northumberland, which I found using Google Maps. And that's how I found my Portree B&B. Honestly, it's my go-to when I'm stuck for a hotel, especially since I can see at a glance where it's located. I do agree with you about using it as part of a search option, and I'm certainly never averse to finding a small mom-and-pop place. Options are always good. 😊

Nigel, I have never heard of Dorint before, but will definitely keep that in the back of my head and in my notes. That sounds like a really interesting place.

I will suggest that if people are staying at chain hotels, and the chain has a frequent stay or discount program, that they join.

Frank, I wholeheartedly agree with that! I have so many hotel memberships that I keep them in a separate spreadsheet just so I don't lose track, but it is the best way to get benefits and discounts. I know The Resident hotels in the UK For a 15% discount if you were a member and loads of other benefits as well. That's interesting about the Adina in Berlin. I'll look forward to seeing how the Stuttgart one compares.

VAP, I'm with you on location. That is important to me, and I definitely won't stay anywhere outside of my comfort zone when it comes to walking and getting there easily. One of the reasons why I like searching on Google Maps, because I can immediately see where the hotel is and whether that location works for me.

Ms. Joe, I first heard about Motel One from you when I went on my Germany trip in 2022. It is a nice place and consistently good. I'll have to look for the The Cloud and add that to my list..

Mardee, once again you picked an original topic that is drawing extended interest. What a talent you have! I'm bookmarking this thread. Thanks

Mr. E, I totally get that about wanting to find places on an individual basis. In my case, I don't like surprises generally. I like to know what's going to happen and what to expect, and I've always been like that. So for me, it's nice to be able to look at a chain hotel when I'm dealing with potential incertainties. Again, it's not for everyone, and obviously you like to live on the edge. 😉

Skyegirl, I forgot about Hilton Garden Inn. I recently stayed at one of those when I was leaving Bucharest and needed an airport hotel for the night. I don't remember a lot about it, but it must have been fine, or I'm sure I would have remembered. I do stay at Marriotts a lot in the states, as I have a Marriott Bonvoy credit card and some points, but I've also stayed at them in Europe. I have one booked in Iceland for our last night at the airport, as the flight leaves early. In fact, both times in Europe, I used my "one free night a year" perk which I get with the credit card. That doesn't include the really upscale ones, but I was able to use it in Oxford and then this upcoming one in Keflavik.

Pat, well, thank you! I just figure if it's something that I would like to know, there's probably other people out there that want that info as well. But believe me, I have a few duds out there as well. 😂

I used to travel a lot for business and racked up a lot of points with Marriott. I still use them due to the permanent status I've got with the chain. But here in the EU I've come to really like the Steigenberger hotels.

Yes, Best Western has a whole series of hotels. There used to be a Best Western Plus about 1.5 miles from where we live. It always seemed busy, but now its a Comfort Inn. In the U.S., it was always the BW Pluses we stayed in , and then we started to get better pricing and accommodation at Country Inns, Fairfield and Hampton. I do have a bunch of Best Western points that I haven't been able to use because of all the exclusions. The only BW we've stayed at in recent years is the Nexus in Northgate area of Seattle. Its a "boutique" hotel, that doesn't seem any different than pluses we used to stay at. They won't take the points. We tend to stay there when we are visiting my son who lives in the Greenwood neighborhood. It's typically the best priced and best located for our visits. Still, we find it quite expensive for what it is, and then the taxes, wow! We bought a small camper that we use for cross country travel and my husband jokes that its worth it just to avoid the expense of the Nexus.

One thing I've appreciated about hotels in many of the European countries is that the price you see is the price. Generally, taxes and everything else is already included.

I really like to stay in historic old towns or at least places that have easy access to town center. I will look to the chains when I've depleted the smaller, family owned places, and I very much appreciate the availability of the chains when I need to turn to them. I can't say I care much about where we stay. We are out and about so much. I do like cleanliness and comfortable beds. And my husband loves an included breakfast (yep, we know there is no such thing as a free "lunch")

@MikLiz, Yes, do not sleep on Travelodge. There used to be one in the Minnesota metro that looked disgusting and had a reputation. NOT a good one. When we needed a hotel somewhere in Iowa to see my daughter in a college golf tournament, we stayed at a Travelodge. It was fine for a night, but I wouldn't have called it pleasant. Then, when I struggled to find a place in Auckland, NZ, that I felt like paying for, I came up with a well located, well reviewed Travelodge. I almost dreaded going there thru our whole vacation. But, wow. Huge room with a great view, updated, well appointed hotel. So, when I noted there was a Travelodge in Galway, Ireland, I took a look. It looked great for our needs, but sold out.

There are definitely some issues with safety at Travelodge in the UK. Several reports in recent days on the BBC including this one

Travelodge UK is nothing to do with similar named chains in other countries round the world.

I don't think Skygirl is saying it is. But the fact remains that Travelodge UK runs around 600 or more hotels, mostly in the UK but also Ireland and Spain. It's definitely something people should be aware of before they book there.

Mardee - I think Stuart was referring to other posts mentioning Travelodge hotels in countries outside the UK. Here they are associated as being very cheap, no frills hotels. And recently for some stories in the media about safety concerns.

I’ve tried staying in small hotels a few times but I realised they don’t suit the way my brain works: I don’t like to be chatted to or asked about my plans for the day by the hotel owners over a home cooked breakfast.

I relate to this. I like the anonymity of a bigger hotel. I just want a clean room and a good location/price. That's about it.

I liked the Catalonia hotel chain in Seville and Madrid and will likely default to them when returning to Spain.

I've only stayed in one Motel One so far (Edinburgh) but have them bookmarked for future trips.

Do I use hotel chains? I do stay in chains in Europe, They are Motel One, Ibis, Austria Trend, Intercity, Mercure and Campanile . These are the only ones, French, Austrian and German , I use in Austria, Germany and France.

All around, luxury, comfort, value for the money spent, facilities, etc, etc, I probably like Mercure the best. Campanile is vey pleasant if you basically want a nice place to sleep. Austria Trend only in certain cities there if you want more luxury.

I discover the Radisson Blu chain last year in Zurich and had high hopes we'd found a reliable upper midrange hotel for some locations, but then last Fall we tried it in Bruges and it was adequate at best for higher cost than what we paid in Zurich.

I'm not loyal to any brand though and we start are search based on location and a balcony with a view. In a perfect world we find both at a reasonable price. For a few nights we don't mind $300-400/night but that wouldn't be sustainable for a 3-4 week trip. Luckily we've had some amazing stays at a very low cost to even the average cost out on a long trip. I think about an overnight stay at Barcaldine castle near Oban in Scotland that cost about £350, but then the next 3 nights we were in a B&B on the Isle of Mull for 3 nights that cost less than £100/ night so the average for the four nights worked out to about £160.

I’ve tried staying in small hotels a few times but I realised they don’t suit the way my brain works: I don’t like to be chatted to or asked about my plans for the day by the hotel owners over a home cooked breakfast.

I relate to this comment as well, and it reminds me of the Eurostars hotels. I've only stayed once, in Sofia. I like that they have a 24/7 staffed front desk who get to recognize you as you come and go, and will gladly help (and chat) if you approach the desk, and otherwise will let you be on your way with a pleasant greeting. For this very reason, I have booked them again for 2 upcoming trips.

@goldengirl

I’ve tried staying in small hotels a few times but I realised they don’t suit the way my brain works: I don’t like to be chatted to or asked about my plans for the day by the hotel owners over a home cooked breakfast.

This is me! Especially as I travel alone. B&B are just not for me.

Mardee - I think Stuart was referring to other posts mentioning Travelodge hotels in countries outside the UK.

Oh, got it. Sorry, Stuart!

I made a mistake in my post about hotels. It is The Cloud One, not the Cloud, and seems to be a variant of Motel One.
Sorry for the confusion.

https://www.the-cloud-one.com/en/hotels/frankfurt/hotel-frankfurt-metropolitan/

thanks for that Ms.Jo

The same company that owns Adina Hotels also owns....wait for it.....Travelodge Australia/NZ.

VAP, I am very similar to you. Each selection is dependent on the individual trip, the location, why I am going, who I am going with, state of mind for the trip and how many goats I am willing to sacrifice. I am not so impressed with any chain that the chain would be part of the determination.

VAP, I'm with you on location. That is important to me, and I definitely won't stay anywhere outside of my comfort zone when it comes to walking and getting there easily.

Right. As much as I'm a fan of Locke, if I were to ever visit Cambridge, at 3.2 miles from the train station and about 2 miles (?) from the center of the city, I don't see myself staying at Turing Locke.

I’ve tried staying in small hotels a few times but I realised they don’t suit the way my brain works: I don’t like to be chatted to or asked about my plans for the day by the hotel owners over a home cooked breakfast.

This is me! Especially as I travel alone. B&B are just not for me.

I can relate to this as well. I'm ok with pleasantries, I don't necessarily want to get into deep conversations over breakfast. But I also remind myself not to dismiss options out of hand. To use my hometown of Williamsburg as an example - the big chain hotels are out on the periphery of the city core, in the late-20th century commercial districts. Cookie cutter commercial, blah. Within the core and with the train station near - Colonial Williamsburg does operate hotels, but less known are their historic house accommodations in the restored area (awesome). There are two boutique 6 room hotels and while they'll give B&B vibes, they're not. And then there are about 6 classic B&Bs. Owner on site and 4-6 rooms. Visting this sort of town I do have to keep and open mind.

Locke: My one stay was at the new (2023) Berlin location, and it was a decidedly odd experience. Intense air perfume in public areas, every morning they were making promo photo shoots in the lobby/breakfast area and acted so put out if we wandered into the frame (strange haired people acting like world peace depended upon their pics being perfect). Then the room bath had a glass door and the motion sensor to turn on the bathroom light could pick up a person in bed rolling over at night, so the room lit up every 20 minutes, all night.

Radisson: This was an old Minneapolis company before 2021, with a strong following in Nordic countries. It was split in 2 in 2021, the eastern hemisphere hotels were bought by a Chinese company, and the hotels in the “Americas” (I hate that term) were bought by the typically crappy Choice Hotels chain.

I got caught in this because I’d snared a points stay at the Radisson Blu Reykjavik before the split but assumed the Chinese company would honor the points reservation— they didn’t, had to pay in full with no warning. Then had to beg the Choice people to redeposit the points, a struggle.

Marriott: These are a business favorite, and unlike Hilton, have a pretty good rewards program. Mr. Marriott was a Mormon and one their franchise requirements is a Book of Morman in every hotel nightstand. I was lambasted on Fodors.com for suggesting this might also be true in Europe (certainly only in Jesus-y USA), but discovered at the Marriott Edinburgh the nightstands did indeed have a Book of Mormon, an unusual franchise requirement to say the least. I recall the nightstands at the Courtyard Munich East also had a Book of Mormon.

Ms. Jo, Thanks for the update! I'm adding that to my spreadsheet I've started from this.

Frank, ha ha! Interesting!

Wray, I remember that about Williamsburg. I would imagine that has a lot to do with zoning laws, doesn't it?

Toby, I agree with you about Choice Hotels. I stayed at one outside of Chicago and after that experience, I don't think I will ever stay at another one. I didn't realize that Radisson Blu was owned by Choice Hotels. I haven't stayed at a Radisson Blue, though. I booked one in Bucharest but wound up canceling it and going to an apartment.

Wray, I remember that about Williamsburg. I would imagine that has a lot to do with zoning laws, doesn't it?

He he he 🙃
Forgive me, I don't mean to hijack the thread. Yeah, zoning regulations will always be in the background, but the process can be moved along here. Williamsburg is a small city with limited space for redevelopment. James City and York, surrounding the city have more land ripe for development. Over the last 26 years - a lot of our accommodation stock were old mid-20th century usually motels (schools groupsare not allowed to use these). York & James City permitted new big chain hotels, resorts or timeshares on the periphery. In the city, a couple hotels were converted to W&M dorms, a couple converted to apartments, one became a distillery and the blighted were torn down.

As a car culture it works. Visitors never notice the change in jurisdiction and the hotels in York are only a mile or so from the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center. But if one wants to stay in the historic core it's B&Bs, boutique, or CW properties.

Traveling in Europe by train, local transit, and walking, it's taught me to keep an open mind and consider all options.

Very interesting to get the explanation on what happened to Radisson. It kind of explains why there is still one Radisson in Mpls, too. I wonder who owns that one?

I think I kind of fit in this group, too. Since my husband's back surgery there's no carrying luggage up a bunch of stairs, so an elevator and a good bed is a must. I also like being able to use points- gives me refundable rooms and lets me stretch the budget by leaving more funds for the fun parts of the trip, like all of our activities and/or trains, or premium economy seats on our flights.

I have been at Choice hotels in the past. Pretty sure Comfort Inn and Suites is in that group and we liked them.

Does anyone think that, in general, lodging is cleaner, nicer and more reliable in Europe than in the U.S? I mean, we often stay at budget or moderate properties and never been disgusted, rarely disappointed. I mean, I know if I don't book a Four Seasons that I'm not going to get a Four Seasons.

My daughter in law loves the Marriotts, but she travels for business and accumulates lots of points.

Pretty sure Comfort Inn and Suites is in that group and we liked them.

There are many, many Choice chains, including the rather dreadful Rodeway Inn. Quality Inn is usually run down (but big thumbs up for the one NW side of Sioux Falls, a gem), Sleep Inn will do in a pinch, Comfort Inn and Clarion and Country Inn and Suites are OK. They have some good brands like Comfort Suites (one can count on putting 6 in every room, try that in Europe), Cambria, Ascend, then the Radisson Blu and Radisson Red. There's a chain in Scandinavia called Clarion Collection that includes a free fabulous breakfast buffet AND a free fabulous dinner buffet-- that's best possible use of hotel points anywhere.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice_Hotels

The original Radisson hotel brand was affiliated with SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) decades ago and has gone through a few brand changes since. I remember them from visits to Scandinavia in the 1990s.

Radisson hotel brand was affiliated with SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) decades ago

The affiliation is SAS sold its SAS hotel chain to Radisson about 35 years ago.

Jules and Toby, I'm 99% sure that Comfort Inn was the one that was just a disaster. I still have photos I took of it showing holes in the wall, stains on the ceiling and walls, grubby carpet and no hair dryer. That is the first hotel I think I've been in in 30 years that has not had a blow dryer available. And of course I didn't find out until after I took a shower and washed my hair. When I went out to talk to the clerk (the phone didn't work), she informed me that there was not a single hair dryer in the hotel, even though I showed her the amenities where it was listed. She basically blew me off about the other problems I found as well. I wrote a letter to the company and never heard back, so I just wrote a review outlining all the problems on Google and left it at that.

Correction" Sorry, I was wrong. I just went through my emails to double check, and it was not a Comfort Inn. It was a Clarion Inn in Merrillville, IN, although it was a Choice Hotel member.

Clarion is a dodgy brand (but not Clarion Collection, like Comfort Suites > Comfort Inn, the second part of the brand name matters). Clarion doesn’t include breakfast either, although a lot of those free chain breakfasts are pretty awful anyway.

A person has to be pretty careful with hotels in NW Indiana and the south/SW suburbs of Chicago.

Choice has one of the best hotel points programs for free stays, Hilton the worst.

I care mostly about a hotel’s location and some basic amenities like a comfortable bed and decent shower. I also care about the price. While I don’t seek out chain hotels, sometimes a chain hotel fits the bill. I also have an IHG (Intercontinental Hotel Group) credit card that I originally got years ago when I was traveling for business. It includes a free annual hotel night and I’ve used my free night and/or hotel points in various cities in Europe. This year I am using my free night in Montreal. For IHG, I really like their Hotel Indigo brand although I often find that the price is more than I am willing to spend.

It is worth noting that there are some hotel chains based in European countries that have good options if you are looking for comfortable and consistent options. For example, Thon in Norway, Scandic in Sweden, Premier Inn in the U.K., Motel One in Germany, etc.).

I also usually do laundry during my trip. Usually this involves going to a laundromat but sometimes I find a hotel that has laundry facilities. For example, I stayed at a Wilde Aparthotel in Manchester a couple of years ago with self-service machines. A number of hotels in Japan and New Zealand had coin-operated machines on the premises; I wish more hotels offered this as an amenity.

I typically check Premier Inn prices when traveling in the UK and use that as a basis to compare to other options. I know the PI will be a fair value.

Aside from my comments on hotel chains above, in England I don't / didn't use any hotel chains, only local B&Bs, stayed in six different B&Bs depending on which was available or the price charged for my dates in London Kings Cross.

Laura, when I was in Bucharest, I stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn near the airport on my last night before heading to Budapest, and they had some automated washing machines there for hotel guests. I didn't use it because I just came from an apartment, so I did all my laundry before I left, but I thought it was nice. I wish more hotels had something like that.

And that's nice about the IHG card. I have a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, and I also get a free night every year. I'm using it this year at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel at the airport in Keflavik, Iceland, which will definitely save me some money. Two years ago I used it at a Marriott in Oxford, and it was very nice also. I love being able to use it that way.

Staybridge Suites also offer laundry facilities. These are free of charge in my experience.

That's good to know, Jacqui. I've never stayed at a Staybridge Suite, but I might have to try one.

Thank you to Mardee and all who have posted for this helpful information. I’ve bookmarked this one!

Staybridge Suites also offer laundry facilities. These are free of charge in my experience.

Yes true at all locations, it’s a brand feature. I have even brought clothes on work trips just to wash and that are not worn on the trip! Things that take more than one cycle, like trying to get a stain out of a shirt or break in rigid blue jeans.

Mardee there’s one in Bloomington @ Hwy 100.

I can confirm that some Hilton Garden Inns do seem to have laundry facilities as well. I did laundry "early" when I found it was an option.

I think the longer-stay hotels are most likely to have this.
Staybridges can be really very nice. Very much nicer than Candlewood.

There are a lot of chains I like, and some that I use not because I specially like them but because they are convenient or meet my needs.
In Germany I really like the Flair Hotels, which are small family-owned hotels generally in regional areas and not in cities. Always beautiful turned wood fittings, very comfortable, good meals representative of the region they are in. You need a car to get to these. In France I like Logis de France for a similar reason (their in-house restaurants). However, the properties are generally of a lower standard and you have to go up a notch to get a decent property in terms of cleanliness and comfort, so minus points for that. They have properties with restaurants that specialise in regional food and we have had some memorable meals picking those hotels. For luxe I like the Van der Valk hotel chain - I remember one hotel I stayed in, in Hildesheim, Germany, had a grand piano in the foyer and was located in a Fachwerk building on the main square. I remember the mini bar was completely free, a first and last time. Of course none of this is a patch on hotels I have stayed in in Asia and the Middle East, but I have different expectations in Europe. The Crowne Plaza Yas Island in Abu Dhabi would be up there with the nicest hotels I have stayed in, likewise the Hyatt Regency in Incheon. But I stay regularly in the Citadines chain, not because they are luxury - they aren't - but they are always well located, conditions of a good standard and I like having a kitchenette. I have stayed with them in Asia, Australia and Europe, and I like that you rack up points and can use them to get a modest discount next time you stay. And I also like the Adina hotels but they are a bit nicer than the Citadines. Would stay in them any time.

Lavandula

We like Ibis - stayed in Ibis in Milan, St Malo, Rennes, Budapest. Decent prices, good breakfast. They probably charge for the breakfast now.

We stayed in a new chain, the Originals, in Albi. Places all over France. Quite reasonable in March.