[Formerly YB-2]

In the U.S. we generally try to find a Drury Hotel of one sort or another. For international travel we prefer either NH or, surprisingly, Best Western, who have been purchasing smaller old hotels in great places (old city in Carcassonne, center of Blois, etc.) and updating the inside while maintaining their 'old world' charm. We find the large chains to be like McDonalds. You know what you are going to get, but are boring. We dig thru TripAdvisor and tour books to see if we can find something small & interesting in the part of town where we want to stay.