# Vacation Accommodations: how low will you go? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 6, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048 "2014-01-06T18:04:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/21 "2014-01-07T08:53:03Z")
Oh yeah, I’ve stayed at the Cecil Hotel in downtown L.A. in a room with a communal bathroom. The Cecil is infamous for finding a gone missing Japanese tourist stuffed into the water supply tank! ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/22 "2014-01-07T11:13:10Z")
As long as it’s clean, I don’t really care about anything else. But bug infestations tend to increase as you go cheaper, so it’s worth it to spend a little extra. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/23 "2014-01-07T11:43:05Z")
Not counting stuff done as part of large groups, summer camps and so forth, I’m a 2-star, family-owned hotel kind of gal. [http://www.iabiti.com/](http://www.iabiti.com/) like that ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/24 "2014-01-07T12:01:54Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > The roaches in St. Martin / Saint-Martin / Sint Maarten are not palm-sized, but maybe half that (about 3 inches / 8 cm long, I’d say). I was staying in a nice villa on the coast and the one I saw in my room was, thankfully, smaller than the ones just outside my screen door. Just saying. I don’t remember ever seeing a roach in St Martin. Now, Hilton Head, South Carolina was a different story. I shared a condo with a group. Very nice place, but roaches were a common finding. The owner had a note taped to the inside of a closet door explaining that although a bug company treated the premises regularly, “you are in the south so of course you will see roaches”, and we did. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/25 "2014-01-07T12:05:17Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > I’ll go cheap as long as (i) it’s clean, (ii) it doesn’t require me to pack up my shit and drive 40 minutes away from where I’m spending my time, and (iii) it’s safe. That’s my mentality as well. I feel ridiculous paying hundreds a night for a place I only plan on showering and sleeping in. I read reviews, ask for recommendations, pick a cheaper place, and hope for the best. While I don’t think I’d do it again, I got through Europe by staying in youth hostels for ~$15 a night. I couldn’t have done the trip otherwise. It’s also why we go for the cheapest possible shoebox of a cabin on our cruises. We’re only there 6 hours a night, so who cares about the view or the space? I draw the line at camping, though. I don’t do bugs. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/26 "2014-01-07T12:05:45Z")
The budget chains here in the UK are pretty decent and taking advantage of the airline-style pricing means you can end up paying £35 for a family room in the centre of Windsor if you book in good enough time (travelodge). They aren’t luxurious but they are clean and quiet enough. I’m not going to be spending much time in them anyway. I confess that, though I can comfortably afford to spend big on hotels, I don’t like to. I feel I’m getting ripped off if I’m having to spend over £100 a night. I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in an expensive hotel and felt it was worth the money. Abroad we always choose apartments and you get far, far better bang for your buck, e.g. A 3 bedroom apartment in Austria will cost us about £480 for 7 nights this August, full kitchen, mountain views, Wifi, centre of the village etc… So less than £70 a night. Even over Christmas and New Year I’m able to find similar apartments with pool and spa for around £150 a night. I can’t see any hotel coming near that for value. Once you get down to paying that sort of figure you really aren’t gaining too much by trying to go much cheaper. The facilities and space that you lose aren’t worth saving the money for, certainly not with a young family. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/27 "2014-01-07T12:25:58Z")
I’m a hostel person- I actually sleep _better_ in shared rooms, so long as there’s no bad snorers, and if you don’t stay in the central ‘party’ hostels, they’re not as common as people think. I think it’s because if I’m trying to be quiet for everyone else, I fidget less. I’ve slept in my car, a Kenyan brothel, tents, random people’s houses… They’ve been the interesting bits of my trips, and I wouldn’t cut that out just to have a cleaner place to poop and fuzzy towels. I know where my own towel is, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/28 "2014-01-07T14:35:11Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > It’s also why we go for the cheapest possible shoebox of a cabin on our cruises. We’re only there 6 hours a night, so who cares about the view or the space? Agreed. On a cruise ship, all rooms are equally clean, safe and nearby, so my rules are satisfied with a cheaper, smaller interior cabin. However, I’ll pay more to get one located near the middle of the ship. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/29 "2014-01-07T15:12:31Z")
I’m a middle of the road gal with dreams of splurges. I need a comfortable bed because if I’m not sleeping well I can’t enjoy all the sights and experiences of my destination. Also sleep is really important to me on vacation. I’m a big fan of vacation naps. Location is pretty key too. There is no sense saving $50/night on a hotel if you’re then spending an extra $20 per cab ride to and from the areas you’re visiting. However I do a ton of research and am always looking for a good deal if I can manage it without sacrificing these points. When we’re moving around a bit and we’ve got a single night in an interesting location I’ll sometimes use that as an excuse to splurge. Since we only had 2 nights in Rome last year we stayed in an amazing old hotel with tiny but gorgeous rooms with little balconies that overlooked the city. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/30 "2014-01-07T15:19:26Z")
It depends on what I’m aiming for on that particular vacation- If it’s camping, then the primitive is part of the fun. We’ve rented tiny, cramped beach bungalows with few amenities to be right on the water. I love a fancy, luxurious hotel, if it’s that kind of vacation, too. So, basically I’m easy. I like it fancy but am happy to get along when it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/31 "2014-01-07T16:23:16Z")
I’m the same way, I like roughing it and my job requires me to stay in some pretty weird places like Siberian truck stops and mud houses, but I also like high end hotels with door men and high thread count sheets. Mostly, I hate the middle ground that’s only ok, but not at all interesting. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/32 "2014-01-07T17:20:35Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#): > > Oh yeah, I’ve stayed at the Cecil Hotel in downtown L.A. in a room with a communal bathroom. The Cecil is infamous for finding a gone missing Japanese tourist stuffed into the water supply tank! Actually Elisa Lam was Canadian. She **may** have been of Japanese ancestry, but she was from British Columbia. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/33 "2014-01-07T17:24:38Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > Agreed. On a cruise ship, all rooms are equally clean, safe and nearby, so my rules are satisfied with a cheaper, smaller interior cabin. However, I’ll pay more to get one located near the middle of the ship. I am there for the relaxation and sea air - last cruise I did we had the balcony room because rather than going up on deck and dealing with people, we hung out on our balcony and watched stuff from there. We typically had a large pitcher of coffee and fixings, and the cheese and fruit plate and listened to music and caught up with our reading. We emerged for meals, and mrAru hit the shore for shopping and picture taking, and I hit the beach at Labadee for swimming and the BBQ with him. We also like to do a spa day the first day out to kick off the relaxation, and do some of the things like the cheesy art auction and the merchanting speeches just before hitting port. [They pass out certificates for free or uber cheap jewelry, I picked up Christmas presents for all 6 of my goddaughters in one cruise and spent all of $10US for the whole batch.:p] If we got an inside room, it would totally kill what we like to do but if oyu like sitting on deck with kids screaming, go for it =) We are willing to spend a bit more money and have a balcony and privacy 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/34 "2014-01-07T17:36:59Z")
When traveling alone I will go cheap, I just don’t care. But my wife has a 4 star rule, anything less and she doesn’t want to go. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/35 "2014-01-07T17:52:11Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > Agreed. On a cruise ship, all rooms are equally clean, safe and nearby, so my rules are satisfied with a cheaper, smaller interior cabin. However, I’ll pay more to get one located near the middle of the ship. I’m the opposite. If the balconies are affordable I’ll always splurge for a balcony just for the private outdoor space. And I pay attention to the cabin details…on the larger Princess ships for example, the C deck balconies are twice the size of the balconies of the decks above yet they carry no extra charge ( on the decks below C the outside cabins are mini-suites.) But I don’t like the middle of the ship. It’s advertised as being close to everything but I find it’s not particularly close to anything…it’s just not “far” from anything. I much prefer a forward cabin because I don’t get seasick and I like to feel like I’m on a boat. Also the forward (bow) cabins tend to be away from the food and close to the gym/spa… on most ships the kitchens and by extension, most of the dining rooms and restaurants are located towards the back of the ship and for some reason the gym/spa is always on the bow. This helps my self-discipline a little bit. After I booked my forward C deck balcony for my last cruise they offered to keep me on a list for “upgrades” and I said “No Thanks”…if you want to give me a suite upgrade I’ll take it but please don’t upgrade me from my D class balcony to an A class balcony…my cabin is EXACTLY the one I want and the fact that it’s one of the cheaper ones is just icing on my cake. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/36 "2014-01-07T18:04:08Z")
I don’t like spending more than about $100/night for accommodations. Generally, I’m happy with Motel 6/Super 8 level of accommodation. My wife is the same. We can afford more, but don’t see the point as there’s better stuff to spend vacation money on, and as long as it’s a reasonable, clean room, one roof over out heads with a bed is as good as any other. I also like the idea of short term apartment rentals. We did [homeaway.com](http://homeaway.com) when we went to Progresso, Mexico, a few years ago, and got a great deal from a Canadian couple. Plus it included a full kitchen, access to a grill, bikes, swimming pool, and had AC. And yes, I used the grill three times during our six-day stay. But I love the opportunity to cook with local ingredients when I travel if I have the the chance. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/37 "2014-01-08T03:45:05Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I don’t like spending more than about $100/night for accommodations. Generally, I’m happy with Motel 6/Super 8 level of accommodation. My wife is the same. We can afford more, but don’t see the point as there’s better stuff to spend vacation money on, and as long as it’s a reasonable, clean room, one roof over out heads with a bed is as good as any other. That’s pretty much us. If we go somewhere, all we need is a place to flop when we’re not out and about. I introduced my future wife to Motel 6 the first time I took her to the mainland US during a school break in Hawaii, and she was much impressed. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/38 "2014-01-08T04:01:50Z")
I will go Best Western level, generally no lower. No Motel 6 or Econo Lodge. I’m not really one for roughing it. However, I generally stay in that mid-level range. We stayed at the Westin Montreal on Rue St. Antoine a few years ago and that was a big splurge, the kind where we were a bit embarrassed to pull up to the valet parking stand in our 10-year-old Toyota Camry. We used the concierge twice to make dinner reservations and I felt very bourgeois. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/39 "2014-01-08T04:41:43Z")
I should add, if I “splurge” I like the Residence Inn by Marriott, and you can find them in that $100-$130 level, depending on when and where you’re looking. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048/40 "2014-01-08T05:17:09Z")
We _can_ go higher. We were lucky to find good and well-located accommodation in Manhattan and DC for about $200. Japan can be pricy. We even went a little over $100 a night for a week on an island in the Gulf of Thailand not too long ago, although in that case hanging out at the place was a large part of that trip. But we’re certainly no strangers to Motel 6. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vacation-accommodations-how-low-will-you-go/678048.md?page=3)