I am not picky, so clean sheets and a decent rate is all I look for. That said, I do give repeat business to hotels that go out of their way to make me happy. Oftentimes a manager is able to negotiate a rate if you are good at haggling. My sister used to work for a hotel and used her skills to talk a $150 room down to $100.

Also, here is an article from my favorite magazine with some tips: http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Fa...-Shopping.html