It's fascinating to me how many of us (we?) frequent travelers agree, and how it appears that those who own and/or run hotels don't appear to survey their customers.

I will prefer a hotel with a lounge over one without. When a lounge isn't available such as weekends in US cities then I'll go to the least expensive hotel in the chain (CY, RI, etc.).

When I'm spending my own money I'm willing to spend far more for the convenience and the comfort of a lounge - just spent two weeks in Asia and we paid up in order to be in FS Marriotts and in JWs with lounge access. Same for trips to Europe, although Europe seems to be going the way of the US hotels with the lounge closed on weekends.

When I travel for work I feel that the (sometimes) higher cost of a hotel with a lounge is offset by the complimentary breakfast and evening hors d'ouvres, along with the convenience of working in the lounge rather than my room. I'm not going to sit in the hotel lobby or bar and work on my laptop, but have frequently done so in the CL.

I'll still spend plenty in food and beverage at these hotels, thank you very much, including bar charges, restaurant, and room service meals, all revenue that the hotels are losing if I stay at a less expensive brand in the chain.