For the über-Road Warriors - those who spend their lives on the road

You're right. Most hotels now have all the basic amenities. So for me, it's all about the little touches.

So there's a fridge, nice. But does it really chill my drinks? If it's not in a highrise, can I open the windows? Do I have full control over the temperature of the room? How's the lighting? Too dark? Too harsh? If there is a free breakfast, how is the food? Is it a bunch of prefrozen stuff? Or actually cooked by human hands?

I don't stay at the expensive executive hotels much so these small details really start to matter after a while.

True -- whether in a fancy or basic hotel, one really appreciates that little things that they do to make your life a bit better or nicer.

I think I have had the same experience when we booked this little hostel in Hintertux, Austria. We kept on raving about the little details like how fresh the bread was for breakfast, how nice it was that we can use the basement to dry our wet ski clothes, etc.

I agree that its the little things that make a hotel stand apart from the rest. I had a great experience at one hotel(Which I will not name)about which I will be posting on my blog at a later time. One thing I learned from my most recent travel is to research the hotel you plan to stay in before actually booking it. Pictures can be very deceptive. Also I would take the star rating given on some travel websites very seriously. There is something to be said for the star rating.

True. Many travellers have been disappointed by pictures. I try to check sites (like tripadvisor) for reviews from former customers. It's more honest than those done by the in-house marketing staff or by a travel writer paid by the hotel.

Thanks for visiting, Travel Plaza. Will go check out your site :-)

True. Many travellers have been disappointed by pictures. I try to check sites (like tripadvisor) for reviews from former customers. It's more honest than those done by the in-house marketing staff or by a travel writer paid by the hotel.

Thanks for visiting, Travel Plaza. Will go check out your site :-)

Ha. Yeah. Those pictures are there to get you to come so they can't be totally honest. It's usually teeeeeny to begin with and with perfect lighting and angles and such...can make a hole in the wall look like a 4 star resort.

Unfortunately it's very difficult to get an honest review of a hotel unless you speak to someone who's been there before. With so many hotels, unless you are staying in some of the major ones, good luck getting information.

In the end, the best you can do I think is to look for as much info as possible and also try to stick with known chains. They tend to keep their service levels pretty equal regardless of the location. ...well...typically.

In the end, I say for a weekend trip, as long as the place doesn't look like an utter dump, I'll cope. But for business travel for a week or more, stick with places you know or have gotten personal recommendations if possible.

I quite agree that the pictures of hotels can't really be trusted to portray the real thing. I also believe that the little details matter, like the way the staff would smile at you and greet you as you pass them by on your way to your room.

That's true. Stuff like that becomes really noticeable when you travel outside of the US too.

I can be in the most basic of business hotels in Japan and everyone down to housekeeping will give you a quick bow and a "itterashai" (have a good day) if you are leaving or an "okaerinasaimase" (a proper form of welcome back) if you are coming back to the room.

I don't expect these things myself. But it does help make you feel a bit better when you're away from home for a long time.

ANNA: I agree. Friendly staff matter a lot!