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The 10 Worst Hotel Chains in America

I have found that standards within hotel chains vary widely between properties, and would not categorically rule out an entire chain. I look at reviews of individual properties at Trip Advisor and booking.com .

How many of these chains belong to Wyndham, I wonder?
 
Clarion and Ramada had a very good reputation a while ago (~20 years ago), but it seems they've let things slip since then.
 
Hmmm. Clarion, Quality Inn and Econo lodge.... All of 'em in the Choice Hotels 'family'. Coincidence? Having 30% of the 'Worst 10 chains' in one company is telling.

We usually use Choice brands when just passing through driving. At many, if not most of them, for $10 you can have your pet with you. It's not always easy to find pet-friendly accommodations on short notice and with a large network of properties.
 
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I stayed at the Del Mar Inn in Del Mar, CA back in 2010 before I was baptized into timeshares, and it was pretty decent. Continental breakfast and slight ocean view too. So at least that Clarion hotel is ok.
 
When we travel and need hotel accomodations, we almost exclusively use Choice brand hotels. Sleep Inn is the newest brand, and their properties are always decent. We also like Comfort Inns.

One chain we avoid is Days Inn. Many of the properties are older, and there doesn't seem ot be any consistency in the calibre of their hotels.

Dori
 
puppymommo said:
I've stayed at an "America's Best Value" in and it was my worst motel experience in the United States. For one thing, we did not shower as the towels were tiny and didn't look very clean.

We've stayed a many budget type hotels, but this was the worst!
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We stayed at an America's Best Value in Winslow, AZ. While it wasn't the best place I've ever stayed, it wasn't the worst either. And it was cheap. I had checked hotel reviews for Winslow on tripadvisor and reviews for this particular hotel were pretty good.
 
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I refuse to stay at Howard Johnson's and Days Inn. Anything else is game, especially if it is 3 1/2 stars or greater on hotwire, since that is my minimum. If I'm paying cash, Holiday Inn Express are usually new, Hampton Inn and Staybridge are nice (all with free breakfast). I have so many hotel cards that they mean nothing anymore, which is why the best price is always key - Hooray Hotwire!!!! :cheer:

On that list, the only one I would stay at is Motel 6, specifically in Saskatoon. New, right off the highway and they take pets!!! Outside that location, chances are pretty slim.
 
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Unlike many of you, I actually prefer to stay at a hotel that prohibits pets. That's at least one less item for me to worry about when renting a room and a bed for a night...
 
Ken555 said:
Unlike many of you, I actually prefer to stay at a hotel that prohibits pets. That's at least one less item for me to worry about when renting a room and a bed for a night...
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I'm with you. I really don't want the possibility that a cat or dog did their "business" in my room the night before. Or had fleas. Or left a bunch of hair in the carpet. Thanks, but no thanks.

Kurt
 
Ken555 said:
Unlike many of you, I actually prefer to stay at a hotel that prohibits pets. That's at least one less item for me to worry about when renting a room and a bed for a night...
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Amen, brother. A to the men.
 
Hotels

I have worked for Radisson, Holiday Inn, Howard Johnson and Choice Hotels. So I am rather familiar with hotels. One thing is certain. Anyone can have a bad stay at ANY hotel. Also just because a hotel is in a chain doesn't mean that every hotel in that chain is alike. What the survey is talking about of course are generalities. I would pretty much agree with their assessments of hotels. Having said that, I would stay at certain hotels in those chains mentioned if Trip Advisor gave that particular hotel a very favorable opinion. I also would stay at a hotel in one of the mentioned chains if it is on their Platinum list of hotels because those are their better hotels. Another factor is the length of stay and the nature of the visit. If I am looking for a roadside rest, I would consider a better hotel in the chain. If i am looking for a resort for several days, then it is problematic.

I guess the key thing to take away from the survey is that while some chains have their problems, you still have to judge the individual hotel.
 
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Ken555 said:
Unlike many of you, I actually prefer to stay at a hotel that prohibits pets. That's at least one less item for me to worry about when renting a room and a bed for a night...
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We prefer hotels that both prohibit pets, and are all smoke-free rooms.
 
Luanne said:
We prefer hotels that both prohibit pets, and are all smoke-free rooms.
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Good point. I actually assume all rooms are smoke-free unless I hear otherwise when making a reservation. This is obviously a concern when traveling overseas, but of late I haven't even had to worry about it in North America (it helps staying primarily with Starwood hotels, which are all (?) smoke-free).
 
Ken555 said:
Good point. I actually assume all rooms are smoke-free unless I hear otherwise when making a reservation. This is obviously a concern when traveling overseas, but of late I haven't even had to worry about it in North America (it helps staying primarily with Starwood hotels, which are all (?) smoke-free).
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I had thought all hotels were smoke free as well, until we stayed at one in Albuquerque (a Best Western) that wasn't.
 
Back when I was on the road a lot I tried to stay at Motel6 primarily for price. I found that many of the newer ones were actually pretty good and tried to stay away from the older ones that often were run down and sometimes in bad neighborhoods.

George
 
Some of my/our worst experiences in lodging have been with Day's Inn.

Personally, I really do not mind Super 8's and have had decent experiences with them. Just last week I was at the Super 8 in Shipshewana, IN ($42 for the night) and it was very good.

I have stayed at a couple of the America's Best Value Inns (Anchorage and somewhere near Yosemite) and both were OK. Good value for the location I wanted.

Red Roof Inn, Ramada Inn, La Quintas and Motel 6 have all been a 50/50 proposition.
 
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Four are Wyndham brands

Baymont, Ramada, Days Inn and Super 8
 
Stayed at many different hotels

In our travels we have stayed in many different hotels and have run across the same problem we find at some timeshares. The problems for us usually have to do with the bathrooms.
#1 problem is showers that aren't worth two cents. Usually bad pressure or flow that is so restricted you feel like it is a bad squirt gun. Sometimes the height of the shower is also a problem.

#2 problem is the lighting. We want enough light to be able to (put on make-up for my wife) and (shave for me). Pretty rough when the light is so bad you have a hard time seeing your face. We have also run into this at some of the timeshares.
Bart
 
In case there happens to be any hotel architects reading this thread, how about a night light in the bathroom? I can't be the only one who makes a midnight visit there and HATE having to turn on the overhead light to find the T.P!

Jim
 
I am a bit picky and I have a pet. I don't always travel with my pet, but perhaps I would more often if there were decent options for hotels that take pets, without it costing an arm and a leg.

I rarely stay at the 10 most wanted list, and likely won't again after this. I do often stay at W, Ren or Mar, as well as LQ with my pet. Some Mar are too expensive for the pet charge as it is a fixed $$ amount regardless if you are staying a week or a single night. For a single night it is cost prohibitive.

While I do agree some people do not have good manner or behaved pets (for that matter some people do not have good mannered or behaved Children either). My pet is well behaved and trained. He does not use the indoors as a bathroom, does not chew or scratch, does not have fleas, ticks or other gross stuff, does not really bark much, and love to drive in the car. The perfect roadtrip companion.

But I am sure that are others whos pets are less then well mannered or cared for.

I would have to assume that people who travel with their pets are more likely to care for them as they bring them along with them and see their behavior. I think there are more flea and tick infested dogs that live in backyards and never see the inside of a house. I can't imagine living in a flea infested house (or any infestion actually) and not notice. But I am sure there are people who live that way. But do those people travel with their dogs. Who knows. Maybe I am assuming these things because I hope that to be true.

p.s. Jim, I just pack my own nightlight. Does not take up much room, but it on your packing list. Goes in there with febreze.
 
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Sandy VDH said:
I am sure that are others whose pets (or children) are less then well mannered or cared for (than ours).
p.s. Jim, I just pack my own nightlight. Does not take up much room, but it on your packing list. Goes in there with febreze.
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I carry a night light too, but few bathrooms have outlets where the toilet/tub are. It's a code thing so would have to be built-in/hardwired.
 
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