The last time I stayed at an economy hotel I was greeted with tissue paper-thin sheets that nearly ripped each time I turned over in bed, stained carpet and missing light fixtures. Still, I didn’t make a fuss because you get what you pay for, right?
Maybe not.
According to a new report, several budget hotel chains are getting a makeover that would impress even the pickiest travelers. For example, the new look of Motel 6 includes platform beds with crisp white sheets and taupe coverlets; 32-inch flat-screen TVs; modern furnishings that maximize space and hip wall decorations.
Ditto for chains like Super 8 and Red Roof Inn, which have also undergone renovations to glam up their guest rooms. Gone are the outdated floral bedspreads and bare-bone bathrooms. These days guests at select Red Roof Inn properties enjoy spa-inspired walk-in showers with rain-flow shower heads and pillow-top mattress pads. The updates are part of the chain’s new “Next Generation” redesign, but they are not limited to Red Roof Inn.
Wyndham Hotel Group’s Super 8 chain recently added curved shower rods, granite countertops and hair dryers to its rooms while Holiday Inn has created a highly chlorinated pool complete with a bonus “fresh” scent. The smell: citrus and white tea, with subtle undercurrents of perilla leaf, woods and herbs.
According to insiders, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express (which are owned by InterContinental Hotels Group), is investing $1 billion across more than 3,200 hotels to refresh its properties. You can expect powerful shower heads, curved shower rods and upgraded bedding in the hotel chain’s rooms throughout the United States.
The good news for frugal travelers is that hotel chain owners say that guests won’t be paying more for the room upgrades. An updated room at Motel 6 Houston Reliant Park is currently going for $40 per night. Red Roof Inn is also pricing their renovated rooms at less than $50 per night. The problem is that not all of the properties have upgraded yet, so you’ll have to inquire with reservation specialists as to whether there are any renovated hotels in the city you are traveling to.
Have you stayed at a renovated Super 8, Motel 6 or Red Roof Inn?
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