I’ve traveled a lot recently and had the chance to spend alternate nights in two different classes of hotels — a 4 star and a 2 star. The experience left me wondering, “Why am I so impressed with nice hotel rooms?”
A luxury hotel room might have nice linens and furniture, marble tile in the bathroom, and perhaps even a phone or a TV near the toilet. Yet, in most cases the room is still that — just a room. In most cases a standard hotel room is about the size of a decent sized bedroom with a little extra room to move.
Yet so often, I found myself oohing and ahhing over a hotel room that was smaller than my usual place of residence, had less things in it, and was costing me extra for everything — internet, breakfast, parking, etc.
I found that the 2 to 3 star hotels were much the same as the upper-level hotels and cost a whole lot less. Sure the decor might not be as spectacular and the sheet thread count might be a little bit less — but in the end, who cares. It’s a place to sleep. And often the 2 star hotels will have free parking, free internet, and free breakfast, which saves you anywhere from $20-30 a night in extra fees you might spend at a 4 star hotel.
The only thing that would make me pay more for a hotel room is the view or the location. If there’s nothing nearby that is a fair substitute, I’ll spend the money. But other than that, it’s just a waste.