how much is too much for a hotel

[Goldy1]

I know this is a highly subjective variable question, but do you have a limit?

I like to stick it around 120 a night as my highest.

However, I don't stay in hotels really ever. I have a 5 and 11 year old. Vacation means entertain the kids, not unwind much but we have fun. I tend to stay at waterpark hotels, ,and with advanced planning have gotten them for years at 100 a night after all fees and taxes. The same hotel easily goes for 250 but I take the early booking deals and check in on sundays. I"ve paid a bit more a couple times due to birthday trips for the kids instead of a party. We aren't going this year due to covid.

[bjl584]

I'd say anything over $100 a night.
More than that and we shop around.

[disneysteve]

We currently have a reservation at Disney's Contemporary Hotel for 4 nights in October 2021 to be there for the 50th anniversary celebration. The booking was made at rack rate of $700/night. I'm 99% sure some discount offer will come out to lower that but there is always a slim chance that that will be the rate we pay.

[kork13]

I travel frequently for my job, and personal travel as well. It's literally impossible to compare one city to another. It's all dependent on location. Often, I can get nice rooms for $80-$100. But I've also been places where $150 is the bare minimum you'll pay for a room that's not a roach motel. I've paid as much as $400/night, though when it's that expensive, I'm generally there for work & it's reimbursed to me... Yes, a room rate above ~$120-$130 starts to sting, but it's all driven by location & the going rate.

So to answer your question, I just try to get the lowest available option that is with a hotel within a reasonable distance of where I need/want to be, and that I can trust to be of decent quality. Super non-specific, but that's the truth of the matter.

That said.... Especially for personal travel, I'll typically check out AirBnB, VRBO, or similar for some cheaper options, and often will find something half (or less) of a hotel's cost.

[ua_guy]

Location and events are a huge factor. You can probably stay downtown in a major city for $100/night but I'm not sure I'd recommend it. Not uncommon for a major city high-rise hotel to be in the realm of $200-$300/night...and that can go way, way up. Then throw another $50/night++ on parking and sometimes the garages are valet-only.

When we're traveling long distance for pleasure and just need a place to stay on the road, I usually try to find a newer/nice hotel (Holiday Inn Express, for example) and $100-$150 night isn't uncommon. The expectation is that parking is free (and safe) and that it should come with a decent continental breakfast.

[Goldy1]

I think travel and vacation are different categories.

What prompted me to ask if I am in Michigan. We get some nasty long cold months, but it's currently quite hot and sunny. We have a lot of wonderful lakes big and small and too many beach towns and state parks near water to count. My friend pays over 300 to rent hotels near some of our touristy beach towns.

Three years ago, I discovered glamping. (camping with comforts) We have county run and owned parks with campsites and state run and owned parks with campsites. I do not own a camper or enjoy tent camping. (If the weather was perfect and I didn't have kids, sure I'll sleep in a tent) Many of these parks have rustic cabin rental. I pay about 90 to 110 a night. I own a lot of camping gear( screenshade tents, grills, propane stove, blow up kayaks, porta potty, firewood, a box for starting a fire camp chairs, tables etc etc) We haul our family of four for long weekends(precovid) to some of these places, and have fun. One has AC but no bathroom. One has a bathroom but no AC. They aren't perfect. I even have to bring my own bedding to put over the vinyl mattresses. We have fun. The parks would offer crafts, and magic shows and I get up and take a walk in the forest while drinking my tea. We haven't wanted to rent this summer yet due to covid, and the entertainment was stopped due to social distancing which I understand.

A local state park is installing ten cottages at $160 a night which will be available to rent next month. The state partnered with a private company and gets part of the fee. They do have bathrooms, and sleep 7. They are on the water. I don't really think I want to pay that much. It had me thinking.

[disneysteve]

I think your question really doesn't really relate to the explanation you've given. You can't compare a hotel to a cottage in a state park. Those are very different types of accommodations.

[Goldy1]

Well that is true. Quite different. however, it is related to travel/entertainment expenses/get aways. If I rent a cabin in the state park or rent a hotel at Great Wold lodge, it's how much money do I want to spend for an overnight getaway.
I realized some local state parks can be visited easily as a day tip. We go there, grill, fish, swim, and drive home. I realized I can drive farther to a more exotic state park and it's more worth it because I won't have a 2 or 4 hour drive home.

That said, I don't decided I'm bored on spring break and book a same day trip for $300 a night to a waterpark hotel to bask in crowds. I'm not sure $160 is worth it for this cabin because I can drive home from it in an hour and I won't have less fun on the beach b/c I am not sleeping there. It would be nice if you had napping kids.

That said, I don't want to be too cheap on travel. I don't want to to not have memories. I want to take my kids to see a big city like Chicago one day, Niagara Falls,
I realized as a family of four airfare would be expensive but we can drive to these places one day after covid.
My son traveled with his class to our state capital, and he remarked how he liked the architecture, and it reminded him of some lego builds. I think travel can be cool for us all.

[disneysteve]

I'm not sure $160 is worth it for this cabin because I can drive home from it in an hour and I won't have less fun on the beach b/c I am not sleeping there.

I think that's entirely reasonable, and it's also a personal decision. I'm sure plenty of others will be happy to rent those cabins for $160 because they're looking for more of a getaway and might be traveling from a greater distance so doing it as a day trip isn't an option.

That said, I don't want to be too cheap on travel. I don't want to to not have memories. I want to take my kids to see a big city like Chicago one day, Niagara Falls

I'm a huge fan of traveling. One thing we learned early on is ways to economize. The single best piece of advice I can give you is to stay on the outskirts of where you are visiting rather than right in the center of the action. Hotels are cheaper. You may need to take public transit or rent a car but the savings can be significant. For example, last year we went to Dallas, except we didn't actually go to Dallas. We stayed in Plano and just drove back and forth into the city each day to do the touristy stuff. Or the year before we went to Phoenix, except we actually stayed in Glendale. Or when we went to Boston, we stayed in Dedham, I think.

As we've gotten older and our financial situation has improved, we find ourselves staying more in the heart of things. It costs more but it also comes with a lot of advantages. No need for a rental car. Attractions and shops and restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. But we definitely spend more for that access.

[Goldy1]

probably good advice. I don't have a lot of memories doing things with my dad but he took me to new York city for a few nights for a trip in my twenties when my mom could not go. Can you believe we stayed at a nice new jersey hotel and my most memorable and favorite memory was taking a bus into the city each morning. I got to see the city from a Distance coming in and I got to feel what it must be like to be a local commuter.

[disneysteve]

probably good advice. I don't have a lot of memories doing things with my dad but he took me to new York city for a few nights for a trip in my twenties when my mom could not go. Can you believe we stayed at a nice new jersey hotel and my most memorable and favorite memory was taking a bus into the city each morning. I got to see the city from a Distance coming in and I got to feel what it must be like to be a local commuter.

When we go to NYC, we often stay at a hotel in Secaucus, NJ. There is a NJ Transit bus that stops right across the street that makes either one stop at the Park and Ride lot or no stops (depends on time of day) and goes straight to the Port Authority. We've also stayed in Weehawkin and taken the bus from there. There's also a ferry that you can take from there.

[QuarterMillionMan]

New York has to be the most cost prohibitive. I wanted to visit and stay a few nights but I couldn’t find anything under $500 a night so put it off.

[disneysteve]

New York has to be the most cost prohibitive. I wanted to visit and stay a few nights but I couldn’t find anything under $500 a night so put it off.

It's really not so bad anymore. I just did a search on the Marriott app. I picked the weekend after Labor Day. The TownePlace Suites on 44th Street in the heart of the theater district is $124/night. That's actually where we stayed back in December so I know it's a nice place in a great location. I would happily stay there again.

[Fishindude77]

Hotels are a very competitive business and they price their rooms based on the market around them, they get as much as they can get.
Prices vary wildly for very similar hotels from one location to the next.

I've had some good success using Priceline to save a few bucks, but generally you pretty much just have to pay whatever the going rate in the area is.
Most I've paid is around $300 per night in Chicago. Probably average around $100 per night in my travels.

[disneysteve]

Hotels are a very competitive business and they price their rooms based on the market around them, they get as much as they can get.

Also, you can sometimes get a deal by booking a weekend at a hotel that caters mainly to business travelers during the week. On the other hand, you can save a bunch booking a mid-week stay at a hotel that mainly gets a weekend crowd. For example, the Atlantic City casino hotels are dirt cheap Sunday-Thursday nights, typically under $50/night. But the same rooms can be $250 on Friday and $300 or more on Saturday.