I've stayed in perfectly nice Hampton Inns in Manhattan for $100/night. This one was in Brooklyn, and I lucked out on the prepaid rate, but I do know the non-prepaid rates and "suites" (one wonders what they look like) go for close to $200.

But my point is that this hotel markets itself as, well, not a budget hotel. Comfort Inn and most of Choice Hotels' other properties are budget properties, but their Ascend Collection is trying to be a cheaper equivalent to SPG's Luxury/Design Hotels. This is quite obviously what they're going for, and my point is that they're failing so spectacularly that they're making a Super 8 look more appealing.