Best Cinque Terre town to use as a base

We chose Vernazza, as is is very picturesque (it is the one that you often see in photos of the Cinque Terre) and seems to be the most popular choice, and we enjoyed it a lot. I hear it can get crazy when there are cruise ships, but this wasn't an issue during our stay. We were on a budget, so we chose to rent a basic room through "Vernazza Rooms" which worked out fine, as we were only looking for a clean place to sleep. We almost chose Monterosso al Mare, as we liked the idea of having a "beach resort" feel, but then somebody explained to us that Monterosso doesn't have the same picturesque Cinque Terre look or feel as the other towns (it is mostly good if you want to rent a spot on a sandy beach for the day), so we changed plans. Are you looking to hike? Swim? Lay on the beach? That will probably drive where you stay. If you're hiking all 5, it probably makes the most sense to stay at one end or the other (though getting between the towns really isn't a huge hassle). If you're looking for beach, maybe Monterosso is the best bet. If you are looking to swim, Manarola has a great place to swim (though not with a beach). If you are looking for a classic Cinque Terre view, then perhaps Vernazza. Corniglia is the one that is up on the hill above the water, so be aware that it is a little different in that sense.

They are so close together there is no Best option to base in. It all comes down to personal preference.
Each town is a little different, some more similar than others.

Also in 4 of the 5 towns there are really not many if any true "hotels" ; the options in these towns are more B&B type places and many in fact do not serve breakfast, so I guess rooms or apartments for rent in some cases may be a better description in these small towns.
Monterosso is an exception for the hotels, and also the only town with a true beach. Being the largest town many people stay here, it lacks the picturesque quality of the other 4 towns that have the typical colored stacked houses built into the rocks though. I like Manarola for this reason, as I mentioned it is going to come down to personal preference but also wise to look for lodging in multiple towns ; selecting one because you like the place to sleep better makes perfect sense as well.
Corniglia is the only one with no water access so it is more remote than the others. Still easily in route via the train and it is the "Middle town" of the 5

Cost wise I found Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosso were all similarly priced for lodging.

Corniglia and Riomaggiore tend to cost a little less for similar lodging options in my findings.

rh,

Each of us here has a favourite of the five towns, and my preference is Monterosso. It's the largest of the five so has the greatest number of hotels, restaurants and other tourist amenities, and also the best beaches. Would you prefer a small B&B (which typically has limited services and no breakfast) or a "proper" hotel?

When is this trip taking place? If you don't have a room booked yet, you may have to take whatever you can find in any of the towns.

My favorite is Vernazza, but all the towns are about 5 minutes apart by train, so you can visit all of them very easily. As mentioned, book ASAP. It is a very popular destination and fills up quickly.

Our fave: a sea-view room with balcony at La Spiaggia in Monterosso, a very easy walk from the train station; breakfast included; elevator. As with Ken, we like that particular town as it's the largest and has the most restaurants and other services.