Motels and Hotels that rock! (STAY AT THESE!)

[Bryan Stokes]

Jason,

Will Priceline work if you make your bid the night of, say at 8 or 9pm? Or did you have to plan things out in advance?

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Tim Balassie]

I'll put a plug in for the Trade Winds Motel in Valentine, NE (www.tradewindslodge.com).

Tim Balassie
Kane Co., IL

 

[John Sickels]

Super 8 South in Austin, TX.....stayed there this past weekend for a conference. It is a bit more expensive than the normal Super 8.....80 bucks....but DAMN it was a sweet hotel, great Wifi, super staff, and super luxurious for a Super 8.

 

[Richard Nelson]

I have stayed at the Rodeway Inn, in Cozad, Nebraska a few times, and it is a very nice place. If you stop in at the Burger King (across the parking lot), they have travellers coupon books, and you can get a room for a song at the Rodeway Inn. I found the place to be spotless, and the hotel staff are very attentive to your needs. There is also a decent breakfast offered in the morning. This used to be a Motel 6 several years back, and that was even a very nice nights stay!

 

[JSmith]

oh boy.... a subject i'm good at....


Heres a Start for me... My criteria is clean and have internet. The prices are reasonable (<$60/night area... Some negotiating may be required). Places I would stay again in a heartbeat.

Falcon Motel - Stinnett, TX (proprietor is VERY nice. Let her know when you're coming around and she'll turn on the Heat / AC for you)
Timberwolf Cafe and Inn - Coldwater, KS (Rooms have twin beds... I wound up on the floor twice)
Super 8 - Dodge City, KS
Super 8 - Hayes, KS
Super 8 - Troy, OH
Super 8 - Morris, IL
Super 8 - Cresco, IA
Super 8 - Marshall, MN
Super 8 - Salina, KS (Recently converted from Baymont Inn and Suites... VERY NICE)
Days Inn - Hayes, KS
Deluxe Inn - Ligonier, IN (Dated... Room had a somewhat musty smell... Like cabins at camp)
Holiday Inn - Mason City, IA
Holiday Inn Express - Fremont, NE
Green Acres Motel - Pittsfield, IL (Again, very dated, but meets my criteria of a decent place to stay)
Americas Best Value Inn - Great Bend, KS
Americas Best Value Inn - Belleville, KS


Thats the places I've been in the last 6 weeks or so... More to come later

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

There is a Brand New Hampton right by the old Settle in on North 27th right on I-80 in Lincoln, just opened this winter. Was there Wednesday, being new it's nice and clean and they got all the amenities with pretty reasonable rooms; given the location right along I-80 (you can eat at anyone of the many neighboring restaurants sleep and be on the Interstate without driving more than 3 blocks in Lincoln), it should be a good option for chasers this spring!!

Another E NE option I thought I'd mention is the New World Inn in Columbus, it is a non chain motel which often deters a lot of folks, but if in the Columbus NE area, I highly recommend a stay there...

 

[Jason Bolt]

Ok, like I said on the other thread, my wife and I are travelers even when it's not storm season. Between KS, OK, MO, and AR I've stayed in about 100 places in the last ten years. I could start a pretty lengthy list but first I will tell you that I prefer staying off the beaten path. If I have a choice between say Emporia or Council Grove, I will take the small town. My trips aren't usually just about bagging a tube, but rather having an overall enjoyable trip.

Council Grove, KS- The Cottage House
A pretty dated older hotel but every time I've been there it's nice and clean. There is a main indoor hotel, and then a 50's style back your car up to the door motor inn surrounding the main house. Rooms run from $40 for the motel to $90 for a really nice room inside. Nice people, good ambiance, a few great restaurants, and WiFi worked even in the outer building last time I was there.

Garden City- Best Western Red Baron
Nothing fancy here, but it was clean and inexpensive. WiFi was strong all the way out to the pool. I have a thing about not swimming in motel pools, but it had comfortable chairs and was a good place to unwind at night.

Beaumont/Fall River SP, KS- Beaumont Hotel and Fall River State Park
If you're wanting to set up the night before in the ICT area do yourself a favor and get out of the city traffic, etc. Beaumont has one hotel and really nothing else. It is on the historic register and is an amazingly nice and clean hotel for such a small place. Rates 60ish from my last stay and there is a great breakfast.

Fall River State Park is one of the only state parks in Kansas that has hotel room style cabins. Obviously, there is no WiFi here. In spite of that, I got a great signal w/ my aircard and it was awesome to be off the beaten path. The KS wildlife and parks website has the number to call for reservations.

More to come later...

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

Midwest Motel at the East end of Stockton KS. Crossroads of Hwy 183 and 24. Was ~$26 per night, great internet, comfy clean room. Not high end - but no way a dump. Everything worked. I liked the price and if have to stay anywhere in that area again, I will go there, save some $$$, and enjoy the stay. Was my base of operation in 2008 for the May 22nd & 23rd Tornadofest. Just shot down Hwy 24 for the action on the 22nd.

 

[Olivier Staiger]

PERRY, Iowa, has a Super 8 Motel where the owner seems to like stormchasers .
Indeed one night I stayed there and the owner told me to tell all stormchasers that they would get a discount here if they tell him stories about tornadoes etc. He's a guy from India who at first was grumpy but I managed to win his sympathy by playing music from his native India streaming online on my smartphone ( internet radio ) . We got to talk and he said he would be pleased to have his motel to become the stormchaser's headquarter in Iowa .

I don't know if he will remember this next time you stay there, but give it a try ... and do play internet radio from India on your portable device when checking in ;-)

 

[Chris Gullikson]

Hopefully you wont need to take this advice...but if you get caught under a giant ridge with clear skies and doing some sight seeing while trying to find a hint of convection...

Cadillac Jacks in Deadwood South Dakota. Its an AmericInn hotel/casino with surprisingly good rates located in the Black Hills. Deadwood is quite interesting and Mt Rushmore is close.

Big Bend Motor Inn Terlingua Texas. Nothing fancy about this place but its clean, breakfast at the gas station next door with WIFI and its the Gateway to the Big Bend National Park. Its one of my favorite places to explore for a few days while waiting for a pattern change. The Starlight Theatre has great food and wonderful atmosphere.
http://www.starlighttheatre.com/

 

[Paul Sherman]

On the theme of South Dakota - There is a great Hotel we have stayed at on the Outskirts of Murdo along I-90. It is only 1 or 2 blocks away from the Interstate and looks like a Giant Wooden Swiss Chalet - Amazing quality in this Hotel and great Swimming Pool / Jacuzzi. You can almost smell the timber as you walk into a large Glass Panelled Atrium.

Anyone know the chain or wether it is independant - I only know it from being in the area if chasing the Badlands etc

Paul S

Scrub the above found it

http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/cont...Id=10111&as_srp=SP2&cid=carat_search-Days_Inn

 

[Richard Nelson]

Somebody mentioned Columbus, Neb...... I have stayed at the EconoLux Motel on 23rd Street (west of where US 30 turns south), towards the western edge of Columbus. It was a clean, quiet motel, and the rate was not too bad either. I recall it being about $45 a night. Also, the Super 8 in Columbus was okay, a bit pricier, but included a breakfast with make your own malted waffles....mmm.

 

[Toni Scholz]

I'm a Marriott sales director and have contacts in OK, TX, IL and KS that have expressed an interest in offering "chaser rates". I'd be happy to check availability with them; please give me at least 48 hours notice. PM me your contact info and let me know the general area you're looking to land. While this may not be feasible for last minute or unknown destinations, I'd be happy to help out if I can.

 

[Jason Caster]

Jason,

Will Priceline work if you make your bid the night of, say at 8 or 9pm? Or did you have to plan things out in advance?

Thanks,
Bryan

Absolutely! All of my reservations occurred within an hour or so of my arrival. I have a firm belief that booking the same night works so well because Hotels are desperate to sell unbooked rooms at that point, so they lower their hurdle for winning bids.

With my 2009 chasecation being so poor in storm activity, the nice hotels for low dollars was possibly the greatest highlight of the trip.

 

[Robert S. Thompson]

AAA

Usually I chase with a group and need 3-5 rooms. I rely on the AAA Tourbooks. It seems to me that perhaps 90% of the time if a place is listed it is acceptable or better. Conversely, most motels that are not listed are not worth staying in. The exceptions are those that recently changed ownership and "Mom and Pop" operations that don't meet the security or other basic requirements for an AAA listing but are fine otherwise. This thread provides a great way to locate those types of places, the "hidden gems."