Are Hotel Suites Worth the Cost?
Before deciding if hotel suites are worth the cost, one must first look at a few factors: amenities, purpose of trip, length of stay, number of occupants, cost and location. At first glance the answer to the question ‘are hotel suites worth the cost?’ could result in a knee-jerk response, but let’s examine the factors:
Amenities:
Just want is in the hotel suite? Hotel suites can be nicer than some homes. With a dining area, full kitchen (including microwave), full stove and dishwasher, two bedroom areas, a living room area, a work desk, and a couple of bathrooms, a hotel suite could seem more like an apartment than a room!
Purpose of Trip:
Are you traveling for business or pleasure? Is space a serious issue? Will the upgrade to a suite be covered by your corporate account? Are you looking for a space that is very family-friendly? How much time to do you intend to spend in your room, or will you be working and/or sightseeing for the majority of time? If you don’t intend to spend time in your room, and plan on eating most of your meals in restaurants – a suite may not be the most cost effective choice.
Length of Stay:
If planning a brief visit or traveling alone, the upgrade a to a suite could be a guilty pleasure, as a little self-indulgence can be a nice thing at times. However, a lengthy visit could be the time when you most want the extra space instead of feeling trapped in a small room. Do you intend to prepare some or all of your meals at your hotel? If so, a suite with a full or half-kitchen could save you tons of money on meals over the course of a week or more.
Number of Occupants:
How many people are traveling with you? If it’s just you and one other person, a standard hotel room could suffice. However, if traveling with more than two people, a second bathroom and room to sprawl out could be welcome additions. There’s nothing worse than sharing a room with several people and feeling like a sardine, or having to wait to use the facilities.
Cost:
Hotel suites can easily cost double the rate of a standard room, or much more depending on the amenities. They often have very specific policies attached to them, like requiring a 30-day cancellation notice or forfeiting a night’s stay, and pre-payment of at least the first night.
Location:
Is your hotel located in the city – near everything, or are you in the suburbs where it requires a car to get to civilization? A hotel suite with a full kitchen, cable television, and relaxation room in a hotel with a gym, pool, and game room could provide enough entertainment for the duration of your trip.
Hotel suites can be quite extraordinary and totally worth their cost. It will require a thorough examination of the number of occupants, setting, purpose of the trip, and location of hotel to make a final determination. If on a tight budget, decide in advance if the expense of the hotel suite will be balanced by the savings on meals – if you plan to cook, or if additional funds will be required for meals and entertainment. There are times when hotel suites will be the clear choice and others when a mere room will be quite sufficient.
CREDIT: http://www.superpages.com/supertips/hotel-suites.html
