Originally Posted by tbatty
I don't know if this belongs here but...
Soon, my girlfriend and I will be driving across the country to explore the US. So we'll be needing to stay a LOT in hotels at the Days Inn/Comfort Inn/Hampton Inn sort of level. I assume it is the best to focus on what chain?
So would would be the best chain? Do any have any particularly good airline linkups?
I am a Gold VIP in Hilton, but that doesn't get you much in Hampton Inns.
On the contrary, Gold can get you a lot at many Hamptons.
I wouldn't put Days Inn in the same level as Hamptons; not too sure of the Comfort Inn chain.
I just did a three-day drive from Buffalo to Minneapolis. It's relativele easy to lay out the route and pick your favorite chain. In my case, since I was working the Marriott Megabonus promo, I looked at everything Marriott from Fairfield Inns on up, and played with the booking engine and the various promo codes until I got what I wanted at a price I was willing to pay.
Very many Hamptons provide a nice breakfast, some provide "manager's receptions" (light dinner) at night, and with your status you might very well get a bigger room, jacuzzi suite, etc. Something the other chains don't even have.
And if you stay enough times on this odyssey (check your account for the new "rolling tier" level), you might wind up the trip as a back-door Diamond!