UPTOURIST

This is a short list of some of the cheaper hotel/motel chains you can stay at while on the road. Most are global chains, while I simply had to toss a couple of old North American standbys in at the end for those of you who do a lot of traveling in the US and Canada.

If you haven’t done much traveling, you might be surprised at how cheaply you can stay at the following locations.

Best Western

Best Western are among the more luxurious among budget accommodation providers. Near all of them have on-site swimming pool, weight/fitness room, on-site restaurant, daily maid service, free continental breakfast, WiFi (of course), and a modern style to their decor. They have partnerships with affiliate hotels all over the world who use the Best Western name and share their ideals to bring 4-star service at a budget price to their customers. Room cost is generally under $60 per night.

Howard Johnson

HoJo’s might just be the best discount hotel chain on the planet. If you can find one where you’re vacationing or planning a business trip, don’t hesitate to choose them over others in the area — if there’s a room available. Where to start: they have super clean rooms with modern decor, 32″ and up widescreens in each room, video game room for kids, weight room, pool, sauna, shuttle, continental breakfast, etc. Their locations are always perfect and close to where you want to be. They knock 20% off your stay if you spend more than 3 nights. They don’t have the global reach of Best Western, but you can find them in 16 countries and the rates generally reflect the area you’re visiting (ie., expect to pay $100 or more if you’re in Orlando; $59 and up most other places.)

Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn is right on par with Best Western when it comes to luxury-level accommodations that don’t require hundreds of dollars a night for a stay. They have hotels on every major continent, featuring on-site restaurants at most locations, continental breakfast, free WiFi, daily maid service, big screen televisions, workout areas, and super comfy beds. Rooms can often be found for under $50 a night. If you’re only looking to spend $30 for your stay, consider the Holiday Inn Express which gives you just the essentials like a bed, WiFi, and free continental breakfast.

Days Inn

Days Inn doesn’t have all the fancy digs that you’ll find at the first two. The trouble is they’re a budget hotel that doesn’t put very much money into updating their decor and amenities. Days Inn rooms are clean, though you’ll find that at most locations, there are obvious little nooks and crannies that are missed like baseboards and air conditioning/heating vents that are dirty. They offer WiFi, a free shuttle service to the airports and bus stations, continental breakfast, television (though don’t expect HD quality at every location), and a pillow to lay your head down on. They are a tad expensive for the price (~$40).

Honorable Mentions:

 

Accor

Accor are an excellent budget chain of hotels that are scattered throughout North America, Europe and Brazil. They own a number of hotel and motel chains that they’ve absorbed over the years including Etap, Formule 1, Ibbis, and Hotel F1. Think of them as Europe’s version of the Holiday Inn. Many of the hotels in Europe are historical. Each location offers fresh rooms, a pool at many locations, WiFi, in-room televisions, shuttle service, comfy beds, daily cleaning service… basically what you should expect for $50 USD per night. Accor also owns 4-star hotels in locations like Manhattan, Miami, and other select cities. Expect to pay luxury rates if staying at one of these hotels. Keep your Internet eyes peeled for for deals — Accor will price match any stay at an Accor hotel in the same area you’re staying, plus they’ll knock off an additional %10 off that discounted price.

Travel Lodge

Now we’re getting down to the nitty gritty of barebones accommodations. While travel lodge offers nothing more than a clean room, bed to lay on, and some mediocre WiFi, that’s all you really need when rates start at $36 a night for a double room ($50 in the UK). They aren’t global, but you’ll find a Travel Lodge in most cities and large towns throughout North America and the UK.

Motel 6

Everyone’s stayed at a thrifty Motel 6 at some point in their life. Expectations should be kept rather low if you’re going to stay here. Think of them as a step up from sleeping in the backseat of your car on the side of the freeway. Why? The walls are paper thin, so if the couple in the room next to you are “enjoying” some time together, or a tourbus landed at the motel on the same day you did, sleep can be harder to come by. They offer a clean bed, in-room television and WiFi, “continental” breakfast (muffins, donuts, bagels) — all for around $36 a night.

 

*Don’t forget to check out our hotel deal finder for the best and most current deals on these and many other discount hotel accommodations around the world.