 Getting the best deal on motels can be key for a great vacation. Not only do you get an enjoyable stay, it frees up money for other things as well.
Mrs. Funmeister and I have been traveling Florida and the southeast for a couple of years now. During that time we have honed our skills in staying at the motel or hotel that give us the biggest bang for our buck.
As my father used to say, “the expensive ones are jewelry and the cheap ones are junk. Find yourself a mid-range model that does the job.” As I have gotten older, I have come to see the wisdom in this observation.
The Cheapies
Because I am married, we have not stayed in many so-called “budget” motels. There have been a number of those occasions. Mostly due to conditions beyond our control. The adage “you get what you pay for” more than applies here.
Getting the best deal on motels is more than price. Low budget motels are indeed cheap – and scrimp on the necessitates. The toiletries usually are barely sufficient. One really does not want to use the plumbing facilities unless absolutely necessary and the beds – and bedding – can be suspect to say the least.
We don’t participate in the “breakfasts” offered by budget motels. For the most part they come from a plastic bag or pouch. More often than not with the cheapest coffee, tea or other beverage they can find.
Any chain restaurant would be better.
It only took a couple of these experiences to teach us to book early, make sure we tour the rooms to see if there are any questions. Most importantly is to develop a relationship with an accommodations flag. That gives us confidence that a room unseen will at least be suitable.
The High Dollar Places
At other times, we have treated ourselves to a five star hotel – “uppity” as my wife would say. These places go out of their way to “help” you. And by “help” I mean upsell…or should I say “upgrade our experience.”
That being said, none of these upgrades are complimentary and when it comes to breakfast in the morning, they are more than willing to seat you for their gourmet and overpriced breakfast buffet.
It caused me to coin a phrase “ymbatpfi” – pronounced Youm-BATT-fie – which means (if you can afford to stay here) “you must be able to pay for it.”
The Sweet Spot
 However, somewhere in the middle, there are a number of mid-range flags which can put you in a comfortable room, with amenities, at a reasonable price. When all is said and done, getting the best deal on motels is a matter of judgement.
In the morning, there generally is a breakfast that you actually can eat, a fair array of options from waffles to fruit and many times with an attendant who keeps the facility clean and well stocked.
We have had great luck with many in the Wyndham chain – especially Microtel. We also have done well with the Baymont hotels and more recently with another chain, the Best Western.
There are some other flags, but they have been rather stiff necked about allowing my wife and me to combine our pre-marriage points under a single account. So we are taking advantage of those which are more user friendly.
In any case. we recommend you look to TripAdvisor and scour the reviews. This will help you to find a motel at your pricepoint and an enjoyable stay.
