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Trusted motels?

Erik Timmerman

So much better than a pro
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Nov 12, 2015
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6,304
You are driving on the Interstate and ready to sleep, you see a ________ ahead and pull in trusting that you will have a clean experience. You see a ________ ahead and keep right on going.
 

bbbradley

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East Coast
I can't think of a single time in my life where I was in need of a hotel and just drove up to one at random and hoped for the best.
 

S.H.

USSA Coach
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Nov 14, 2015
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New England --> CO
I can't think of a single time in my life where I was in need of a hotel and just drove up to one at random and hoped for the best.
Nearly every cross-country road trip I've been on I basically drive until I've decided it's a good time to stop and just find the nearest place. Is it the best way? Probably not. But it works.

If I've done no research I've found Hampton Inn, Courtyard Mariott, or Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express to be a good bet.

Anything with a number in it (Super 8, Motel 6) gets a no. Travelodge is a no. There are good ones for sure, but I wouldn't make a detour off the main route for one if I haven't seen it.

Best Westerns, Ramada, La Quinta are a bit more hit-or-miss IME. Not immediate nos, but would probably take a look or a drive by at a minimum before committing to stay there.
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
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Reno, eNVy
Bates Motel, what could go wrong.
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Check out the first night, stay forever for free? What a deal.
 

crgildart

Gravity Slave
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Nov 12, 2015
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The Bull City
La Quinta, so long as I don't have to heave luggage up 3+ flights of exterior steps.

When you make a reservation on Expedia and provide your credit card info weeks in advance then you get a call from them while en route that day or upon arrival they are demanding a $100 cash deposit per room (2 rooms) before you can check in. Happened with a La Quinta in Nashville. We had no choice as we were almost there and it was getting late..

Place was a crime scene. There were people smoking meth/crack on the steps outside of our room that night.

They did give us our cash back with no issues.

It's happened at least twice to me. A sure sign that the place is in a bad part of town.. But Expedia never tells you about that up front when booking it. It looks all paid for and ready to go.. until suddenly after it's too late to find an alternative..
 

socalgal

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Apr 24, 2017
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Nearly every cross-country road trip I've been on I basically drive until I've decided it's a good time to stop and just find the nearest place. Is it the best way? Probably not. But it works.

If I've done no research I've found Hampton Inn, Courtyard Mariott, or Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express to be a good bet.

Anything with a number in it (Super 8, Motel 6) gets a no. Travelodge is a no. There are good ones for sure, but I wouldn't make a detour off the main route for one if I haven't seen it.

Best Westerns, Ramada, La Quinta are a bit more hit-or-miss IME. Not immediate nos, but would probably take a look or a drive by at a minimum before committing to stay there.
Agree with just about all here.

A hard NO to Super 8's.
 

skiki

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Massachusetts
We had really good luck with BW on our winter road-trip. Especially further west they tend to be pet friendly with low pet fees. DH leans towards only BW plus, but my fav I think was labeled BW Classic, I think in Indiana. We booked a “poolside “ room . Would have been a huge disappointment for a family in the summer with kids, but early spring with two dogs it was perfect. The pool had been filled in and the enclosure relabeled as a dog park. (New pool in a different location though.)
 

crosscountry

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all over the place
If I'm only staying a night and will be gone first thing in the morning, I only need clean bathroom & a comfy bed. And it'd better be in a safe neighborhood.

First thing, I check on google map. If I see a cluster of Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, or even Marriott or Hilton, that's an indication it's a safe location.

In that cluster of hotels, I look for Best Western, La Quinta, Comfort Inn. Even Ramada and Quality Inn, whichever is the cheapest. Sure, I could just check into a Holiday Inn or Hampton Inn. But I don't really need the extra amenity for just a quick nap.

If I see a cluster of Motel 6, Econolodge etc, with no mid-range or higher hotels in the area, I move on.

(Super 8 used to be clean some 20 years back when the brand first pop up. But lately, I've been disappointed multiple times. So I cross that off my list)
 
Last edited:

fatbob

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Super 8s can be sketchy because it all depends on the effort/reinvestment made by the franchisee.

Motel 6s ime are at least consistent and the refurb while basic means they are pretty easy to keep clean. Don't know if they are actually owned by Accor.

But does anyone actually walk in anymore? Even if I'm parked outside I'll be cruising booking.com for discount and trip advisor for recent Intel.
 

crosscountry

Out on the slopes
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all over the place
But does anyone actually walk in anymore? Even if I'm parked outside I'll be cruising booking.com for discount and trip advisor for recent Intel.
Even when you've driven 10 hours and it's getting late, you still want to cruise booking.com???

But even if you do, the "trusted" part is exactly to skip the tripadvisor.com part!
 

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