I'm not looking for a Motel 5½, but if it clean, quiet and the bed is comfortable I'm happy.
Don't knock it til you've tried it. When I was running an exhausting business, my first 24 hours at my favorite seaside getaway were spent sleeping, listening to the ocean if I woke up, and sleeping some more.
We are a free country where people of vastly different tastes have a wide range of favorite things, values, and abilities to live in this way or that. I'm not in a position to stay in a luxury hotel, but I don't begrudge it to those who are, since apparently these folks felt they received great service for their money.
“”When I’m on vacation, the hotel is a place to sleep, “sleep”, shower and change clothes between doing vacation stuff.””
That was absolutely my husband’s take on the subject - a roof over our heads to keep the rain off and that was it...I never objected because I was just as conservative as he was. Our daughter got married in Las Vegas and we stayed at Motel 6 while she stayed at one of the fancy/schmancy ones.
My wife and I stayed at the Hermitage in Monaco {a very expensive 10 night stay} and it was worth every one of the thousands of dollars that my company paid for it.
If it's a business write off, it takes the sting out of the very high price.
When I was in business, I always traveled first class or private jet, drove a Mercedes and stayed at the finest hotels {but it was always a tax write off, so you my FR pals, covered much of the excess cost}.
I didn't write the tax laws, but I had an accountant that knew every one of them, and I used them to my benefit.
On vacation however, especially in an exotic place, I want to go first class all the way. That includes having a luxury hotel with a lot of amenities.
Depends on who im with and where i am. Vacations are not all the same.