John Van Nostrand: Places to stay

Jul. 30—"We'll leave the light on for you."

Motel 6 advertising slogan, narrated by Tom Bodett

I've only stayed in one Motel 6 that I can remember. It was in 1999 in metro-Minneapolis after an outdoor concert on a baseball field. The concert was cut short because of approaching heavy rain. A dash to the car from the field wasn't enough as wife Jennfier and I were wet.

The Motel 6 bathroom was to be welcome as a place to get out of the wet clothes. After seeing the bathroom and the room itself, we wondered if we should just get out of the room. We used a restroom at a gas station across the street to change. The sheets were not turned down on the bed, largely in part of the Olympic ski slope-like bump in the middle. We were afraid to look.

We didn't have a good experience with one Motel 6 so it's not fair for me to think all of them are the same. Not every hotel or place to stay is the same.

During a camping trip to Moab, Utah, the tent-only campground we stayed had the best bathroom I think I've seen in any lodging facility. Ever. I thought I was at my grandmother's house. It easily passed my bare feet test (do I feel icky walking with bare feet here?) The room was immaculate, extremely well lit, ventilated and had comfortable benches and seats. The shower stall looked brand-new with excellent water pressure. A short walk to a 7-11 convenience store in the mornings for coffee and a paper was great for the campground.

Jennifer still pokes fun of me at the bed-and-breakfast I chose near Sioux City before we had children. We found places to go for long weekends. It was in the country and fit the farmhouse depiction and we felt like we were actually living in someone's home; not a guest room. We could hear the 10 p.m. TV news when we returned from the minor league baseball game. The older couple that ran the place were polite and hospitable. The surprise came at sunrise when all the poultry outside started squawking. By then we realized it was a farm and a place intended for hunters, not a married couple in their late 20s for a weekend getaway.

It's intriguing to read hotel reviews on travel-related websites. I'll give the review writers credit they are not making anything up, but what must be realized is people's perceptions and definitions. Like the Motel 6 bathroom and the one in Moab, even definitions are not the same for all.

My wife Jennifer is cautious of pillows. She is well accustomed to the one she has at home and is rarely, if ever, pleased with one if we stay someplace. She doesn't want to bring her pillow on road trips for fear of forgetting it or the wear and tear while in transport.

There are differences with mattress quality, too. I'm good with something firm; Jennifer, not so much. We once stayed at a rental home in Branson and we both convinced the mattress was made of marshmallows. It was way too soft. I thought I looked like the letter U when laying down. The couch in the living room was much better, and where I eventually went long before sunrise.

I rarely include bed quality on customer reviews because what I think is firm, may not be to someone else. Beds are very subjective. I don't want to mislead others.

I've never had a problem with a certain hotel near Denver's airport. I always stayed at it when I lived and worked in Colorado. When the high school team was at a state tournament in Denver, I didn't think of staying any place else regardless of where in the city the games were played. My first stay convinced me. The entire room was in excellent condition. The bed was perfect. The morning breakfast was a notch below traditional restaurant offerings. I have enjoyed the typical cold and hot foods offered at other chain hotel brands. The food was a bit more formal.

A couple of years ago, I returned to Denver, after seeing family and friends in the area, to fly to Oregon. I called the same hotel to see my family could stay and leave the car while we were gone. I told them my history with the hotel, the last stop being 10 years prior, and I was still in their customer data base. That immediately put the reservation person in an even more genuine, welcoming mood. I think places like that feel appreciated they are still remembered and desired years later.

They left the light on for me in another way. Sometimes its moments like that that make me forget all the marshmallows — or the couch does.