Hotels are often one of the biggest expenses when it comes to travel, but you shouldn't have to blow through your budget or stay in a drab, personality-less room in order to save. These 10 hotel brands combine affordable rates, lots of amenities and frequent freebies to set the scene for a comfortable and wallet-friendly stay–whether for business or pleasure.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Budget Hotel Brand are as follows:
- Red Roof Inn
- Motel 6
- Fairfield by Marriott
- Candlewood Suites
- Best Western
- Hyatt Place
- SpringHill Suites
- Americas Best Value Inn
- Holiday Inn Express
- Hampton by Hilton
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Marla Cimini (USA TODAY), Eric Grossman, Gerrish Lopez, Eileen Ogintz (Taking the Kids) and Christopher Parr (Pursuitist) were chosen based on their knowledge of the American hotel scene.
Congratulations to all these winning hospitality companies!
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The Experts
Marla Cimini
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel,... Read More
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work on her website.
Marla Cimini

Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work on her website.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman

Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez

Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Eileen Ogintz
Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family... Read More
Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family travel, is the author of the Tribune Interactive syndicated column Taking the Kids that appears around the country, creator of the popular website TakingtheKids.com and co-chair of the TMS Family Travel Conference which draws top family travel influencers and major travel brands. She is the author of the 11-book Kids Guideseries; The Kid’s Guide to Acadia National Park is being released in April 2019. The Kid’s Guide to NYC is now in its 3d edition and The Kid’s Guide to Washington, DC the second edition.
Eileen Ogintz

Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family travel, is the author of the Tribune Interactive syndicated column Taking the Kids that appears around the country, creator of the popular website TakingtheKids.com and co-chair of the TMS Family Travel Conference which draws top family travel influencers and major travel brands. She is the author of the 11-book Kids Guideseries; The Kid’s Guide to Acadia National Park is being released in April 2019. The Kid’s Guide to NYC is now in its 3d edition and The Kid’s Guide to Washington, DC the second edition.
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and... Read More
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief for Pursuitist, the leading luxury travel and leisure website. An award-winning travel writer, Parr is also a luxury marketing veteran, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. He launched Pursuitist in 2010 as a curated list of the good things in life, with guest contributors from Forbes, Mashable, TechCrunch, Glamour, Saveur and more sharing their favorite luxuries. Follow along on Twitter.
Christopher Parr

Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief for Pursuitist, the leading luxury travel and leisure website. An award-winning travel writer, Parr is also a luxury marketing veteran, a frequent speaker at luxury and interactive marketing conferences and a pioneer in web publishing. He launched Pursuitist in 2010 as a curated list of the good things in life, with guest contributors from Forbes, Mashable, TechCrunch, Glamour, Saveur and more sharing their favorite luxuries. Follow along on Twitter.