How do you compare hotels? What matters to you?

Nearest to the airport, calm areas (no building construction ), amenities?

[Habtom]

Well, I have said it all on the title. How do you compare for hotels? What matters to you most?

Price, amenities . . .?

Hab

[venice]

Depends on the reason to travel.

Conferences: nearest quality hotel to event (hopefully hotel event is in)
Short stay pass through: airport hotel
Amenities: Free in room WiFi, free computer use in lobby
Vacation: not too far from airport but not close enough to know one is near. As many amenities as I can get.

Quality coffee (espresso, caps, etc.) in hotel and nice big flat panel TVs in rooms are features I love.

[Habtom]

Vacation: not too far from airport but not close enough to know one is near.

Beach hotels may be?

[LifeinAsia]

It also depends on the type of vacation I plan to take- some place near lots of the activities I enjoy, or far away from everything (except maybe a beach) where I can just veg.

I would say that everyone has different priorities and that each person has different priorities depending on the type of trip (business vs. pleasure, alone or with the whole family) as well as the area (NYC vs. San Francisco vs. Palm Springs vs. Honolulu, etc.).

I would hazard a guess that people searching for hotels online are more likely to be interested in Internet access than those searching through tradtional channels.

[Skeptic]

Doing research for a new website?

[Matt Probert]

Ammenities and location. I've just come back from a few nights in Paris with my nine-year old. It was a cultural holiday (vacation for those that don't speak English). The hotel boasted "satellite TV" and ensuite, and was handly for the Eifel Tower and Lafayette. That was enough for me!

Matt

[Habtom]

Doing research for a new website?

I already have one. But this was not for the business specifically, not ready to make immediate changes, I just kind of wanted to know how people decide. Everybody sees different things.

Thanks everybody for responding. Venice, thanks for that.

[Monkey]

- Hard floors (hate squeeky floor boards)
- Does the hotel have any type of environmental concerns (Sweddish hotel are very good at this).
- Cold rooms
- Service - hate grumpy looking waiters, rude receptionists
- If possible a safe surrounding to go for a run (Salford Quays (UK) looks great but think it must be dodgey area as the hotels tell me to go for a run in their car park where I can be seen in their cameras!)

[wyweb]

Price and internet availability.. I tend to stay in the cheapest places I can find.. price is always a factor. Internet too. When I do manage to get away I have to be connected...

[Habtom]

Almost everybody here would want to have as much access to the internet as possible during a hotel stay including while vacationing. But there could be many many people who wouldn't want to get closer to a PC during their vacations.

[GaryK]

These days I travel only for pleasure. In order of importance:

1. Deluxe accommodations.

2. Free reliable broadband.

3. Cold room (It's especially nice if the a/c is on when I arrive.)

4. Quiet location (I still wear BT headphones and listen to music but if a crane is working next door it's still annoying.)

5. No Smoking Floor (It does no good to stay in a smoke-free room when the room across the hall permits smoking.)

6. Quality mattress (Yes I am odd and will call the hotel to ask what type of mattresses they use.)

7. Cotton sheets (I usually bring a set of sheets with me just in case.)

[vincevincevince]

My priorities are:

Price (low)

Absolute silence after 10pm

Affordable options in restaurant and bar

Hot water and heating 24 hours a day

Cleaning, bedding and and towels fresh daily

Good and large cooked breakfast included in room price

[Habtom]

Absolute silence after 10pm

How would you enquire about it though? Would you call them and check? . .. won't they say it is, and the truth might be that the place is far from being quiet.

[vincevincevince]

Habtom, good point. My best guides so far on that issue have been previous experience, personal recommendation and online reviews. Silence at night is one of my top priorities as I live somewhere where it is close to silent all day long so even street noise through single glased windows makes for an awful night.

[wyweb]

I forgot about "Good and large cooked breakfast included in room price..."

Mark me down for that one too...

[Habtom]

Does it make a difference while traveling alone and alongside with a family? Are there family hotels as such?

[dreamcatcher]

My priority is:

broadband access

End of priorities.

dc

[ken_b]

I prefer there be no gun fights in the hallways.

[bcolflesh]

I prefer there be no gun fights in the hallways.

As long as they are over by 10pm.

[Terabytes]

I normally need a place that will take me, my family "and" my dog...

Locating a place that takes animals easily is normally my #1 factor...

As long as they are over by 10pm

yeah...that's prolly my #2 factor...

[edited by: Terabytes at 2:37 pm (utc) on Aug. 6, 2007]

[Habtom]

broadband access

The same here.