My company lets me stay wherever I like but the max they will reimburse me is equal to the maximum government lodging rate for the area where I'm working. Thus, I have to get as many amenities in the room rate as possible. I get more benefits or incentives automatically with Hilton than anybody else (of the places where I've stayed so far). Note that I haven't had an opportunity to try hotels in the Hyatt, Wyndam, or Starwood group yet because they haven't had hotels in the areas where I've been working so far. I'm going to try some of them out with weekend stays where being close to the office where I'm working is not important.

Getting high speed internet and breakfast included in the room rate or as a benefit of the hotel rewards program is the primary determinant of where I stay. I can't get what I want via online reservations with the top tier hotels (the full service Holiday Inns, Marriotts and Hiltons). I have to negotiate with the hotel sales office to see if I can get internet and free breakfast included in the room rate. I get what I want at the suites type hotels (and the low service hotels with suites like Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn) , but I'm SO TIRED of the standard buffet breakfasts served at these hotels that these hotels have become my last resort (having the extra room is nice, but it's becoming less of a factor in my hotel decision making process). Only Homewood Suites has an evening meal worth eating (usually 2 out of 4 nights). And while 1 out of the 3 evening meals at Staybridge Suites is usually edible and the washer/dryers are free, I just can't stand the same old, same old breakfast buffet that you get there.

At Hilton Garden Inn (HGI) I get a cook to order breakfast for free because there's a full service restaurant in the hotel and free high speed internet without having to call hotel sales office and negotiate for it. I tried a Marriott Courtyard this weekend and got a room rate including breakfast, but found the same breakfast buffet as I can get at the low service hotels. HDTV is becoming the third most important factor for me and so far I find that the newer hotels (HGI and SpringHill Suites) and can be counted on to have high definition TV. The 4th. factor for me is getting a walk-in shower, which I've only seen at HGI, StayBridge and SpringHill Suites. Points or rewards is the 5th. factor for me because I earn so many points and work so much that I don't know if I'll ever cash all of them in anyway.

I think Embassy Suites (ES) would rank high for me, but I have not yet been able to get a room rate there within my company's limitation of staying at or below the maximum government per diem lodging rate.

Conclusion: My personal comfort and enjoyment of the room/hotel is more important than the points. Two Hilton properties (HGI and ES) are still a cut above the low service suite room alternatives for me. Full service (FS) hotels haven't worked for me so far, but the FS Hilton comes closest to giving me most of what I want.