If you are all about cheap travels, saving your dollars for experiences and not just where you will lay your head for 8 hours and then take a quick shower (but still love to feel welcomed, respected, safe, and clean) then this post is for you. We have stayed in a wide range of hotels over the years, all over the US and other countries and we think we have perfected the skill of finding great hotels (or airbnb’s) for a great price. And since it is fun to take a risk sometimes and learn new things, we recently made a new discovery. Don’t make the same mistake we did, cause now we know some valuable lessons!
We really have become experts on finding deals on places to stay. We have learned as photographers and digital designers to be able to look at a place online and delete in our mind the lens distortion and picture editing to see what a place will ACTUALLY look like before we get there. We can tell if it’s going to be worth it or disappointing. And just so you don’t over or under assume your perception of me, let me also say, that when I need to rough it, I totally can. I’ve been to Asian countries where the toilet was a hole in the ground. I also went on a week long trip to Alaska where we didn’t once stay in a hotel- we slept in the car and ran into hotels or gas stations to freshen up, so I definitely know how to rough it. But let me also say, I swing more towards the side of germ-a-phobic than not. I’ll ask my husband to bring me shoes or socks to put on right out of the shower if I don’t trust the floor and best believe, if it smells even an ounce weird, I’ll be dousing the room down in Thieves essential oils or lemon to freshen it up.
So, what exactly is the difference between an Inn and a Suite (or an Inn and Suite)? Well, let me tell you we now know….
BIG Difference!!!
Back to back, we stayed in LaQuinta’s hotels. The first night at an Inn, the second night at an Inn and Suite. The cost difference was only $20, something we thought we would put towards a meal, but that $20 made the biggest difference.
LaQuinta INN: $40
We purchased our room on Expedia, which is a great website we use often. We had a $10 voucher too so it actually should have been $50. It was rated a 3.5 star, which we have done a million times. We were even able to get switched from one bed to two since my husband was sick. Also we booked it in bit of a rush, so we didn’t realize we booked a smoking room. They easily switched to a non-smoking, two bedroom without any issues. Breakfast was also included.
LaQuinta INN and SUITES: $60
We purchased our room on Expedia as well for this hotel stay. It was rated a 3.5 star and we decide to do one bed but put all the extra pillows between us as a germ blocker since my husband was still sick. Breakfast was also included.
So you can tell it was pretty similar in booking and accommodations with a $20 price difference. Normally, I might say that $20 is pretty great save, that could equate to a better breakfast the next morning or go towards any meal, really. However, in this case, I would say that the $20 was so well worth the spent on the second night. Honestly, I didn’t take a ton of pictures because I didn’t realize I would be writing this post. So if the pictures don’t show much, then trust the text!
Main Differences:
I’ll be referring them to the INN or the SUITE.
Entrance: The Inn’s personal room entrance was outside verses the Suite was an interior door.
Smell: The Inn’s aroma was musky smelling (fairy covered after spraying essential oils everywhere) verses the Suite smelled- well, like nothing, which works for me!
Carpet: The Inn’s carpet- maybe it was just everything else that made my germ-a-phobic alarm go off but I did not walk on the carpet barefoot and anything that touched the ground was automatically dirty. At the Suite, I walked around barefoot un-phased.
Shower: The Inn’s shower knobs to turn the water on were not attached well, When I turned them the bottom part of the metal shifted and a hole in the wall appeared where the metal piece was covering it. This is super complicated to explain and I’m sure you are not getting the right mental picture, but let’s just say I wasn’t excited looking at a hole in my shower… a small hole and one that probably was normal plumbing wise but regardless, the knobs were not secured properly. The hole should have never shown is my point. Also there was a bit of dust or dirtiness on the top of my complimentary shampoo bottle, which I didn’t use but something I noticed. Of course, in the Suite, the knobs and shower in general as well as the bathroom was great.
Lock: The Inn had a computer key as well as on the inside a deadbolt and a top lock. The deadbolt did not work. We did check to make sure that you had to have the key card to unlock it and you did, so we just didn’t worry about it. I am not sure how hard computer key carded doors are to break into but we felt okay with just the top lock in place and the door automatically secured by the key card. I’m sure you have already guessed but all locks worked at the Suites, as well as the room door is an interior door for extra safety .
I could probably think of a few more distinctions but I will just leave it at that. Like I told my husband, I’ve stayed in worse hotels then the LaQuinta Inn and if we couldn’t afford the extra $20 the second night, it was totally sleep-able. it really could have been much worse, trust me I’ve been there. However $60 is a steal of a deal for a nice, luxury-feeling hotel and well worth the extra clean room and normal aroma and no fear of the floor!
My point is that no matter the hotel name, make sure you always choose INN AND SUITES and not just an INN… think of an Inn like a motel.
Also, we have stayed in multiple LaQuinta Inn and Suites and they have all been lovely.
I’d love to hear your experience if you have stayed in an Inn and what you thought.
Happy Travels,
Lin Joy
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