I pointed out the Motel 6 to the matronly manager. Her response was, "They don't serve breakfast." In all fairness, the Motel 6 is almost always a dump. I don't remember what the Choice properties were charging, but a quick check on the app shows that Hilton is still its own worst enemy with pricing at the moment. Tonight the Tru is still $108. The HGI is $98. The other nearby locations are a very new Hampton at $116, an Embassy at $141, and a recently converted all-suite Doubletree at $103. Somehow all these other properties have an expectation that they will be able to cover their expenses at those prices.

I am glad I am not the only one who recoiled at the toiletry dispensers. Much of this seems to be designed to offer low cost of construction and operation to franchisees. Rooms are narrower, so you get more in a building. Floors have no carpets, so housekeeping can take less time in the room and stains don't ruin anything. The soap dispensers. Unfortunately none of these savings seems to be included in the price.

There is no desk or work space. This is the function of the lobby, at least that is the philosophy Hilton has after meeting with their millennial focus groups. There is a chair in the corner, but it is small and has no foot rest. The suitcase presumably goes on the shelf above the HVAC unit or underneath the shelf along the wall. There is no business center, but wireless printing is available throughout the building. There is no pool either. I specifically asked about that and the manager told me guests would be able to use the pool at the La Quinta after it opened, if that was something they absolutely needed. There is an exercise room though.

The manager asked me what I thought was a fair price. I suggested $75 would be my price point relative to the amenities. She seemed taken aback by that; perhaps it was below what they considered to be reasonable. I told her that they really needed to try to position themselves just above the Choice properties.

In all fairness, I did stay at a Choice location in Tulsa earlier this year, and it was a brand new dump that cost $80 per night. The furniture was falling apart, the walls had cracks and sloppy drywall work, the carpets were coming up at the edges, the plumbing was loose and leaking, the HVAC wall controls were decorative-only and didn't even have batteries, the toilet paper dispenser was broken, etc. The entire place had an air of cheapness. It was like someone tried to copy a Hampton without understanding what actually made a Hampton a Hampton. It looked good only in pictures; the on-site reality was far different. Hilton is not having that problem with the Tru. Everything is up to the usual high build standards, and that may be why they feel they need to charge accordingly. This may also be part of a move to try to drag Hampton prices up a notch now that they have something lower-end.

The market will decide these questions. If you are near one, you should at least give Tru one try. I believe the next will open in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Hilton probably needs the feedback, and in another year or two there will be 300+ of these out there as potential options for travelers.