Re why say in an American hotel...

I am very uncomfortable if any of the following occur:
1) small or uncomfortable bed or pillows
2) no ability to dial Internet from room
3) bad shower
4) noisy

I have frequently encountered these conditions even in fine hotels---the Gellert in Budapest is one example.

No Starwood or Marriott property will have this kind of problem. In addition, I don't get much out of sleeping in a foreign room just for its own sake. There's plenty of stuff to explore when I'm awake. I don't travel to "rough it," although I realize may people do. I travel to explore, meet friends, eat, drink, have a great time, and feel like I have expanded the set of places I can call home.