Considering road trip to East coast, but instead of reserving hotel rooms, thinking about just staying at little road side motels along the way. Somewhere in Tennessee and Pennsylvania.
Do you think I'll survive?
Should I bring a gun (self-defense)?

Update your estate plan.

You'll be fine. You'll see a part of America you don't ordinarily get to see.

SunrayAg said:

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My wife and I made the decision many years ago to only stay at places where the room door opens to an inner hallway.

Having to pull a .45 and point it through the window to scare away the creepy dude trying to knock down our door at 2:30 am in Gallup, NM at a place where the doors opened to the parking lot, helped make that decision.

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The thick of meth country is the last place I'd stay in a fleabag motel

The Ex Officio Director said:

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If you stay at a motel and your room does not come with a stripper pole and a heart shaped, coin op, vibrating bed, you are doing it wrong.

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fify

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General Board is that way.

…….the smell of Curry when you check in.

KIdding aside, you can find decent hotels even in rural locations. I had to go to a funeral and stayed at Drury Inn and Suites in Meridian MS. Not luxury accommodations by any means, but not some flea-bag motel.

https://www.druryhotels.com/locations/meridian-ms/drury-inn-and-suites-meridian

IIIHorn said:

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The Ex Officio Director said:

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If you stay at a motel and your room does not come with a stripper pole and a heart shaped, coin op, vibrating bed, you are doing it wrong.

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fify

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YES!!!

Oh I forgot and the mirror that's on the ceiling looking down for viewing pleasure.

Some find looking hookers on Tidwell. Not that I know anything about that.

I don't stay at any place with a number in the name. I don't stay at any place with a color in the name.

They are simple rules but they work.

Best Western?

AggieArchitect04 said:

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Best Western?

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BW, BW Plus or BW Premiere?

My corollary is to stay at places with inside rooms and any place with a bar.

Drury Inns are perfect. Free junk food and free cheap drinks.

"Does this make you randy?"

Last time I stayed in a motel, I got scabies.

Never again if I can at all help it. It's not just the place itself, you have to think of who frequents it too. I used to live on the road essentially. The only time I ever had anything stolen was from a motel as well. Loud drunken obnoxious neighbors issues were always at motels too.

Anecdotal perhaps, but that's been my experiences to date between the two.

Hampton Inn is my budget stay.

I would be hard pressed to stay at a motel style place ever again (except a few places).

Ironically last time I was in San Diego (Mission Bay) it was motel style but it was a nice place. But I still didn't love it.

You can't take a ho to a hotel. And you can't see the bright lights of a city from a dark hallway. Some personal recommendations:
The Wander Motel - Gatlinburg, TN
Masters Inn - Tuscaloosa, AL
Fredonia - Nacogdoches, TX

I really hate to be classist or elitest, but it is absolutely true that when you pay more for a hotel room, you get less of the "meth/scabies" crowd having stayed there before you.

Eliminatus said:

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Last time I stayed in a motel, I got scabies.

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Barf icon checks out.
DO NOT google pictures of scabies!!

rjhtamu said:

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I really hate to be classist or elitest, but it is absolutely true that when you pay more for a hotel room, you get less of the "meth/scabies" crowd having stayed there before you.

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I hear you. That is kinda part why I'm asking.. comparing pros/cons and 200+ for a room vs. 60-100 when I'm just passing through.

Anchorhold said:

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You can't take a ho to a hotel. And you can't see the bright lights of a city from a dark hallway. Some personal recommendations:
The Wander Motel - Gatlinburg, TN
Masters Inn - Tuscaloosa, AL
Fredonia - Nacogdoches, TX

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Referring to the fredonia as a motel when they have like 20 motel style rooms while the main part of the hotel has 2 restaurants, a bar, convention center, and 6 stories of hotel rooms is a bit of a stretch

I like independently run boutique motels. But the best ones seem to be in mountain towns. Its so nice when you find a really nice one and the staff speaks actual english. Being able to park right in front of your car is great when you need to go back and forth a few times.

I've been in soo many bad roadside chain hotels that are just...depressing, despite decent reviews. Elevators are broke half the time, crappy beds, parking right by the freeway, etc. Just because it has a big hotel chain name on it doesn't mean its good (or safe).

Generally don't stay at motels. Motels tend to be less private, less secure, and more noisy. They are also usually roadside, which means you get all the traffic noise.

Exceptions in recent years:
1. I stayed at the Stonewall Motor Lodge once or twice when visiting wineries in Fredericksburg area. This is the motel that the press stayed in when LBJ was in office. It's been redone into a more modern look. It's nice, but I remember it being noisy. https://www.stonewallmotorlodge.com/

2. The girls and I had an impromptu trip to Port Aransas and stayed at the Captain's Quarters Inn. It was pretty dumpy but served it's purpose for one night. We weren't in the room that much. The pool was unusable (green, not clean) but we weren't really there for that.

Try to find the motel with the most coin-operated features. Vibrating bed, color tv, and bonus points if you find a coin-operated Bible.