Originally Posted by Ex QF
A tender to provide this worldwide with say the biggest hotel group in the world (Inter-Continental Hotel Grp) would give you some good hotels...
In most cases, the groups that run the hotels aren't actually the owners. As a quick example, the Sofitel in Melbourne isn't owned by Sofitel, they just manage it on behalf of the real owners. Probably 8/10 hotels are managed this way. This is why it is difficult to get a deal that says we'll stay in a Crowne Plaza in every city we fly to.
Additionally, there are numerous times when a brand of hotel in one city will be entirely unacceptable in the next. Novotel in Bangkok was great....not so flash in Brisbane (VERY noisy!).
Ron and Edna are spot on the money though. Most of us aren't after the pure 'five stars' (the fact we stay at the Holiday Inn at Narita is testament to THAT!) but we are after somewhere safe where we can lead some semblance of a 'normal' life!