Comments on: Rant about fancy hotels http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/ Technology, flights, and me. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:33:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: mattress http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-385 mattress Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:11:27 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-385 It really depends. I have been to some really nice motels that were cheap, and I have been to some that were disgusting. Also the comfort of the bed is key to your decision. It really depends. I have been to some really nice motels that were cheap, and I have been to some that were disgusting. Also the comfort of the bed is key to your decision.

]]> By: math4origami http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-255 math4origami Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:20:30 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-255 They pay for the convenience of having everything close by, within the same building. It's just like how Stanford charges so much for parking, food, and other amenities, or how movie theaters and sports stadiums charge so much for their food. They own or are paying for the location and want their money's worth. They pay for the convenience of having everything close by, within the same building. It’s just like how Stanford charges so much for parking, food, and other amenities, or how movie theaters and sports stadiums charge so much for their food. They own or are paying for the location and want their money’s worth.

]]> By: epsalon http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-254 epsalon Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:33:41 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-254 Thank you all for the interesting discussion. I would like to reply to several important points: 1. Amenities - even the cheapest of motels have someone at the reception office 24/7. Even in the cheapest of motels, they'll call a cab for you. Usually, it's easier to get reliable information on the Internet than from a concierge anyway. Regarding things like spa, fitness, and business centers, in most fancy hotels these cost (a lot) extra. For the same price, you could usually find similar third party nearby the cheap motel, and the price will still be cheaper if you include cab fare. 2. Location - Cheap motels can be found in extremely convenient locations, e.g. the airport shuttle I mentioned above, or within short walking distance of Stanford University. Moreover, the daily price of a rental car is significantly lower than the difference in price between hotel and motel. 3. Room size -- I've seen crowded fancy hotels and spacious motels. Not to mention that for the price of the fancy hotel you could get three motel rooms... 4. Ironing and cleaning service - These are usually extremely expensive. For a lesser price you could call a third-party cleaning service to your motel room that will provide the same service. Your comments confirmed my suspicion that these hotels cater to people who don't pay their own bill, or have so much extra money that a $500/day hotel bill is negligible to them. Thank you all for the interesting discussion. I would like to reply to several important points:
1. Amenities – even the cheapest of motels have someone at the reception office 24/7. Even in the cheapest of motels, they’ll call a cab for you. Usually, it’s easier to get reliable information on the Internet than from a concierge anyway. Regarding things like spa, fitness, and business centers, in most fancy hotels these cost (a lot) extra. For the same price, you could usually find similar third party nearby the cheap motel, and the price will still be cheaper if you include cab fare.
2. Location – Cheap motels can be found in extremely convenient locations, e.g. the airport shuttle I mentioned above, or within short walking distance of Stanford University. Moreover, the daily price of a rental car is significantly lower than the difference in price between hotel and motel.
3. Room size — I’ve seen crowded fancy hotels and spacious motels. Not to mention that for the price of the fancy hotel you could get three motel rooms…
4. Ironing and cleaning service – These are usually extremely expensive. For a lesser price you could call a third-party cleaning service to your motel room that will provide the same service.

Your comments confirmed my suspicion that these hotels cater to people who don’t pay their own bill, or have so much extra money that a $500/day hotel bill is negligible to them.

]]> By: yuvaler http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-253 yuvaler Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:09:44 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-253 By the way, the best sex by far is at home when the girls are deposited at their grandparents. By the way, the best sex by far is at home when the girls are deposited at their grandparents.

]]> By: yuvaler http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-252 yuvaler Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:08:35 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-252 I never use fancy hotels when traveling on a vacation. I just don't think that the nice bed is worth the extra money. When traveling to a city, the location is very important and being at the center of town is really useful, so I usually choose smaller, usually privately owned 3 star hotels in the center of the a city. Fancy hotels are almost always geared for the rich and for people on business. When you are hopping between cities, sleeping every night in a different hotel, the following is important: 1. Somebody who is around at 3am in the morning when you arrive, and the area of the hotel well illuminated. 2. Somebody who will call you a trustworthy taxi, and will tell you how much time it will take to get to the airport at 7am, with traffic. 3. Iron for your shirts, as well as a dry cleaning service in case you require to clean a dirty suit, or have no time to iron your shirts. 4. Parking is never a problem because business people usually don't rent cars. Yuvaler I never use fancy hotels when traveling on a vacation. I just don’t think that the nice bed is worth the extra money.
When traveling to a city, the location is very important and being at the center of town is really useful, so I usually choose smaller, usually privately owned 3 star hotels in the center of the a city.
Fancy hotels are almost always geared for the rich and for people on business. When you are hopping between cities, sleeping every night in a different hotel, the following is important:
1. Somebody who is around at 3am in the morning when you arrive, and the area of the hotel well illuminated.
2. Somebody who will call you a trustworthy taxi, and will tell you how much time it will take to get to the airport at 7am, with traffic.
3. Iron for your shirts, as well as a dry cleaning service in case you require to clean a dirty suit, or have no time to iron your shirts.
4. Parking is never a problem because business people usually don’t rent cars.
Yuvaler

]]> By: RAK http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-251 RAK Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:30:41 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-251 As someone who translates travel guides, including listings for fancy hotels, I have also often wondered about this. What fancy hotels have and motels lack is usually refered to by two code-words - 'amenities' and 'style'. 'Amenities' are things like a spa, fitness center, business center, a concierge that calls cabs for you/helps you plan a night on the town, etc. - usually things that are not very important to you (or me) but are to others. 'style' is even more fickle, as it has to do with nothing functional and only with the design (usually in the lobby, sometimes in the rooms too). However, the three advantages that I really enjoy in high-class hotels (the few I've slept in) are: 1. The comfy beds (already mentioned) 2. The room size (motels can be very cramped, especially for two people) 3. The location - a midtown hotel saves time, money and hassles. As someone who translates travel guides, including listings for fancy hotels, I have also often wondered about this. What fancy hotels have and motels lack is usually refered to by two code-words – ‘amenities’ and ‘style’. ‘Amenities’ are things like a spa, fitness center, business center, a concierge that calls cabs for you/helps you plan a night on the town, etc. – usually things that are not very important to you (or me) but are to others. ‘style’ is even more fickle, as it has to do with nothing functional and only with the design (usually in the lobby, sometimes in the rooms too). However, the three advantages that I really enjoy in high-class hotels (the few I’ve slept in) are:
1. The comfy beds (already mentioned)
2. The room size (motels can be very cramped, especially for two people)
3. The location – a midtown hotel saves time, money and hassles.

]]> By: Blake http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-250 Blake Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:48:36 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-250 I think it has to do with what a person is used to... for example, I grew up in a home full of firm beds. It's what my parents always bought and I even got to choose a new bed sometime in high school and I chose a firm bed, so looking back, I know I used to like firm beds. When I started sleeping at Jason's, I thought he was insane for having an "ultra plush" pillow top mattress and had trouble sleeping. Now I love it. Just this week I spent a night at my parents and had a horrible time falling asleep because the bed was too hard! I have also trained myself into needing very high quality bed sheets. Anything "standard" feels rough to me, including basic Best Western level hotel sheets and I don't sleep with much clothes on so it makes it that much worse. So I think what it comes down to is that I am spoiled when it comes to beds. I can't sleep well on a bad bed and it's worth the extra $75 dollars or so to Jason and I to ensure I have a good night's sleep, not to mention that the better hotels are pretty much guaranteed to be up to our cleanliness standards. I am DEATHY afraid of bringing fleas or bedbugs home because they are so hard to get rid of! I think it has to do with what a person is used to… for example, I grew up in a home full of firm beds. It’s what my parents always bought and I even got to choose a new bed sometime in high school and I chose a firm bed, so looking back, I know I used to like firm beds.

When I started sleeping at Jason’s, I thought he was insane for having an “ultra plush” pillow top mattress and had trouble sleeping. Now I love it. Just this week I spent a night at my parents and had a horrible time falling asleep because the bed was too hard!

I have also trained myself into needing very high quality bed sheets. Anything “standard” feels rough to me, including basic Best Western level hotel sheets and I don’t sleep with much clothes on so it makes it that much worse.

So I think what it comes down to is that I am spoiled when it comes to beds. I can’t sleep well on a bad bed and it’s worth the extra $75 dollars or so to Jason and I to ensure I have a good night’s sleep, not to mention that the better hotels are pretty much guaranteed to be up to our cleanliness standards. I am DEATHY afraid of bringing fleas or bedbugs home because they are so hard to get rid of!

]]> By: epsalon http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-249 epsalon Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:42:38 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-249 I guess I can't really feel the difference between a Motel 6 bed and a Hilton bed. Not to mention that even the Motel 6 bed is much much comfier than what I have at home. Why do people spend so much extra for beds specifically while traveling? I guess I can’t really feel the difference between a Motel 6 bed and a Hilton bed. Not to mention that even the Motel 6 bed is much much comfier than what I have at home. Why do people spend so much extra for beds specifically while traveling?

]]> By: Blake http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/comment-page-1/#comment-248 Blake Mon, 10 Aug 2009 02:38:02 +0000 http://blog.8ln.org/2009/08/rant-about-fancy-hotels/#comment-248 I have found that the quality of the beds and sheets (and pillows, but I always bring my own anyway) are substantially superior in the nicer hotels and are worth the cost to upgrade to at least a Marriott level hotel. The only hotels I've ever stayed in that were around $50 per night were Days Inns, Motel 6s, and similar motels when I was driving across the country before I met Jason. While we had some "nice" ones (the beds and sheets were never what I consider to be nice,) we had just as many dirty disgusting bug-infested hell holes. I have found that the quality of the beds and sheets (and pillows, but I always bring my own anyway) are substantially superior in the nicer hotels and are worth the cost to upgrade to at least a Marriott level hotel.

The only hotels I’ve ever stayed in that were around $50 per night were Days Inns, Motel 6s, and similar motels when I was driving across the country before I met Jason. While we had some “nice” ones (the beds and sheets were never what I consider to be nice,) we had just as many dirty disgusting bug-infested hell holes.

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