Friday, June 10, 2011

Super 8s and Motel 6s Not Always The Cheapest

I'm driving an elderly relative from Cheyenne, WY to Warroad, MN. She gets tired easily (not bored, although that, too, but physically tired, stiff, from sitting in a car for very long.

So my plan is to drive 350 miles a day, which will get us to Warroad about midday on the third day.

This is why I haven't really planned out this trip as much as you might think an "organized" traveller would do. Since I have no idea how far I'll actually get in a day, I'm loathe to make hotel reservations anywhere. Instead, when I've driven about 6 hours, I look for a place to stop. This way, if she starts complaining, I can stop early if I have to.

That's the reason why I am now in a Motel 6 that cost $78 a night, including tax, instead of at a nearby motel, Welsh's Motel, that also has free wifi (my need) that would have been $64, including tax.

We're in Wall, South Dakota, at the moment (home of the famous Wall Drug.) We're also in "hotel" row, or perhaps I should call it "Motel" row, and not only was this Welsh's motel cheapter, but so was another hotel, and that one is part of a chain. (It's cheaper than Motel 6, but not cheaper than Welsh's Motel.)

I know all this because after checking in to the Motel 6, I left my relative in the room (she is not mobile), and went for a walk around the area, and stopped in at a few hotels surrounding this one.

So think twice before staying at a Motel 6 or Super 8. Since they are a chain, they have to pay royalties to their bosses. Whereas a locally owned hotel or motel doesn't.

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