Welcome Jane! It's nice to have you here with us worriers!
I do worry about cleanliness in rooms, and as our income has grown, so has my pickiness about rooms. Hampton Inns and Comfort Inns should be nice! That is our usual price range, too! It's funny how different owners can ruin the image of a certain change. Here are a couple of things I do:
1. Always plan your stops and make a ressie! Look up the hotel on the web and find out when it was build or rennovated - don't book if you can't look at pics of the room. You can usually be sure of what you are getting then. I use travelocity or hotels.com.
2. If you are staying in a value resort, bring a can of Lysol and spray everything down when you get there. Take the comforters off the bed and store them. Bring some sheets to double sheet, if you feel you need it.
3. If there is something gross in the room, call the front desk and get them to clean it! I think they really intend for you to have a clean room, but housekeeping gets lazy and people don't complain enough!
4. This is my favorite -- If you can possibly buy DVC, do so!!!! If you go once a year or every other year - it pays for itself! You don't do this as an investment, except as an investment in your family memories! You can finance for 10 years - after that you own it for another 36 years! You have rooms paid for 46 years! Our budget would only be value with a family, maybe once in awhile a moderate for DH and I - but with DVC, we stay Delulxe and we only have the smallest package - 150 points. We feel it is the best thing we ever did! Even though we can get a great room for a great price at Shades of Green, we know that the price goes up every year, and our points and prices for our rooms is locked in for 46 years!
**They are having a friends and family special right now, that can get you a credit toward a huge amount of your down payment with a referral from a DVC member - you can PM me if you want my info
**
Once again, welcome to our little group! Hope you stay and play!
Welcome back, Debbie! We really missed you! 
and, wait for it, 10 whole minutes on a change over day!!! They have to change the bedding, clean the room, scrub (ha ha ) the bathroom etc in TEN minutes!!! No wonder the windows are ALWAYS filthy.
I'll try again later.
