You get what you pay for!

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

DISers will know that I have high expectations when it comes to "luxury" hotels...

But what do I make of "budget" hotels?

Well, they fill a gap if you can't afford much. Thing is, you DO spend half your time in them, trying to sleep. I stayed at a cheapo hotel at a cost of about $15 a night a way back with my then girlfriend (my first foreign holiday, let alone Disney themed!) and it was dire... the A/C was loud as hell and the beds extremely uncomfortable - half the springs had gone and the things actually creaked. Breakfast was interesting - hunks of bread with butter substitute with water.

But, at the end of the day, it enabled us to visit Disney World! And that on its own was AWESOME!

So yeah, as I said, you get what you pay for...

 

[fla4fun]

I think both the cheap and luxury hotels have their place. I would select the budget hotel if sleeping is basically all I am doing there (I use a white noise machine at all hotels - they really help) and a luxury property if I am spending a lot of time at the resort during the day. I am more concerned about safety than amenities on a budget trip.

A friend and I stayed at a budget off property hotel a very long time ago to go to WDW for the weekend. It was clean, but very worn and in need of a remodel. Even pooling our money, we couldn’t afford anything better at the time. It filled the need just fine. There used to be a lot of those independent places along Hwy 192. I think most of them are either out of business or filled with people living on a permanent basis who can’t afford to go anywhere else.

These days, if I am not on property, you will find me at a Hilton affiliated property to earn points.

 

[ronandannette]

Not sure about the UK where you are, but to me, a budget hotel would be the Super8, Motel 6 and Red Roof Inns of the world. Most of them are located along highways and none promise very many amenities, but most (I supposed you could get a dud property) are decently clean, basic rooms with functional climate control, plumbing and television.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Back in 1990 I thought paying more than $40 a night on a hotel was unthinkable, and on our first WDW trip we stayed at the Ramada Inn Maingate East, and I was hooked. (I don't think it exists anymore, or if it does, it probably has had a name change).

 

[JLTraveling]

I've stayed everywhere from budget to luxury, and I find tons of pros and cons to both. But when I can, I choose either a condo or a youth hostel. I like the space in a condo, but I really like getting to know fellow travelers at a hostel.

 

[nursejackie]

I've also stayed at both ends of the spectrum and they have their place.

I've stayed deluxe in Disney, because we wanted to immerse ourselves in Disney for the full trip. I've stayed in youth hostels throughout Australia and New Zealand when I backpacked in my younger days, and can honestly say I loved every minute of it, even the shared dorms rooms. I've stayed in budget hotels in the UK, when on city breaks because I just consider it a place to lay my head before a full day/night out enjoying whatever city I am in.

I guess it's all relative - what you can afford and what suits the trip you are on.

 

[BethCPTSD]

I grew up in Anaheim and going to DLR all those years. But as an adult, my husband and I have started going to WDW and have been there a couple of times (3 for me total.) We like to stay in a Good Neighbor Hotel, typically Doubletree Disney Springs. I always manage to find a great price (it's just the two of us and my service dog) and it's a full suite, walking distance from Disney Springs, plus the free shuttle to the parks. It's been perfect for us, and we make a two week trip out of it -- partially because we save so much money not staying on property!