Not every trip is the same. Nor is the type of hotel needed for every trip.

Sure, sometimes you do need a luxurious stay with several restaurants on property, lavish rooms, a bathtub with lavender bath salt, and a delicious breakfast in bed.

However, there are also times when you just need a place to sleep peacefully before you get back to your daily grind of meetings or visiting museums and local markets.

In my case, that’s more often than not. There are so many times when we book the fanciest of hotels and yet we reach back late at night and rush out early morning.

That’s where branded no-frills hotels like Hampton Inn and Suites come into the picture.

Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton

Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton is a brand of hotel that doesn’t offer most of the bells and whistles you would expect from a typical Hilton Hotel.

However, they do the basics pretty well. Sometimes that’s all you need.

Hampton currently has close to 2700 properties and another 700+ are in pipeline. You can find your nearest Hampton here.

To give you an idea, here are some things you can expect at a Hampton property and things you shouldn’t.

What to expect at Hampton Inn and Suites?

• A good sleep - Generally rooms, beds, mattresses, pillows, etc are of pretty good quality. You still sleep like you are sleeping at a Hilton.
• Free hot breakfast - Most Hampton by Hilton stays come with a free hot breakfast. A very basic one though. Eggs, waffles, bacon, yogurt, etc.
• Fitness center - Hampton Inn and Suites have a fully equipped Gym on the property. Of course, as you can see the pattern now, a basic one.
• Work Desk - You should find a work desk and a chair in most Hampton rooms.
• Suites - Certain Hampton by Hilton properties come with the choice of suite rooms as well. (Look for ‘Suites’ in the name of the property.)

What to NOT expect at Hampton Inn and Suites?

• Fine Dining - You will mostly not find any restaurant on the property except for a basic cafe where breakfast is served.
• Spa and other services - You should not expect a Spa or a Salon at most properties. There are other Hilton brands for that.
• Lavish breakfast - Don’t go thinking you are going to get a nice lavish spread or multiple options for breakfast. The only thing you will get is - disappointment. We are talking about a very basic free hot breakfast. That’s it.
• Room service - Don’t expect any room service at Hampton Inn and Suites. Most of the time there won’t be any. Even if you need something, e.g. a towel, you will need to go down to the reception to collect it. Sometimes they might be available on your floor as well.

When is it a good idea to stay at a Hampton property?

If you have never stayed at a no-frills hotel, it’s sometimes hard to think of a reason why you would want to go there. Let me try to help with some scenarios where it makes sense to go to such a hotel.

To save cost without taking any chances

Generally finding a cheap hotel in any city is not difficult. Finding a reliable one is another story.

One of the reasons we go to branded hotels when we are traveling is the fact that we can trust them with safety, hygiene, following local laws (no illegal activities going on), etc. Hampton Inn and Suites is still a Hilton in that matter. It’s also a known, reliable brand available across the world.

At Hampton, you can at least be sure of safety and a nice clean room with a comfortable bed. I don’t mind a free breakfast and some Hilton points either.

In case you face any issues at the property, you can always get in touch with Hilton Customer support and in some cases even claim compensation.

If you are an explorer

If your daily itinerary on a trip is jam-packed with places to go to and you almost always end up super tired by the end of the day, Hampton is perfect for you.

When you are going to come to your hotel room just to sleep, then why pay for other services that you won’t ever use. Give it a thought.

Extend your stay

None of us has an unlimited travel budget. By reducing your stay cost, you can extend your stay by a few days.

Let’s say you are visiting a city in Europe for the first time. Won’t it be amazing if you can spend 7 days there instead of 4 just by switching your hotel?

I would definitely do that.

Short stay

There are times when you just need a place to straighten your back for a few hours. It could be during transit or for a short business meeting.

Can’t think of a better choice than a no-frills hotel for such a scenario.

Hampton Inn and Suites promotions and offers

Since Hampton is now owned by Hilton, most current Hilton promotions are applicable for Hampton as well.

If you are family or friends with anyone working for Hilton, you can save some more with Hilton Go - Family and Friends Program

Conclusion

No-frills branded hotels like Hampton Inn and Suites are part of a new trend and, I believe, this is great news for tourists.

More and more people are traveling and not everyone wants to spend thousands of dollars on hotels. But they still want a reliable hotel with a level of standardization.

Hampton Inn and Suites is in a great position to provide that.