Best Hotel Chains in the USA

Each year I update this post on the best cheap hotel chains in the USA, but I use the JD Power & Associates survey that covers all categories as the source. (Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf-Astoria are tops overall if that’s your income level.) With the four largest hotel corporations having more than 110 brands between them, we could all use a shortcut. The winners in each category from the bottom were Microtel, Tru by Hilton, Hampton by Hilton, Hyatt House, and Drury Inn. The worst score of all went to OYO Hotels, which you’ll find bad reviews for all over the world.

New UNESCO World Heritage Sites

UNESCO recently announced its latest batch of sites added to their lists for this year and you can see them all here. Some are not much to look at, the “heritage” being the key factor. Some are well-known though, like Mount Olympus in Greece, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, and Sarnath Buddhist temple in India. There’s a tilt to modern buildings in this round and I’ll be seeing one entry soon: “Tashkent Modern Architecture.”

Where You’ll Get Triple-taxed to Visit

It has unfortunately been a return subject on here this year: new taxes and fees popping up for you to stay in a specific country or city. Europe has led the way, with Edinburgh being the most recent one: as of July 24, you’ll pay an extra 5% per night on your room. While we understand the dual motivations of tempting revenue increases gleaned from people passing through and the hope that fees will deter overtourism, these charges are on top of plenty more. There’s the destination tax already included in your airline ticket, the hotel or rental apartment tax you’re already paying, and other local taxes levied for rental cars, restaurants, taxis/rideshares, and tours. Here’s a full rundown of new ones this year.

Oldest Bar in Every State

If you want to get a drink in a place that has been around for a century or two, this rundown of which bar is the oldest for every U.S. state will give you a destination. To the best of my recollection, I have only been in two of them. One in a historic mining town in Montana, the other a couple of blocks from my first apartment in Nashville, TN.

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A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

08/13/26