The Travel looked at the 20 Dirtiest Hotel Chains In The United States. The chain that came in at #1 on their list has 42 locations in Missouri. I have difficulty understanding why it's #1 on their list.

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Dirty Hotels Can Ruin a Vacation

I've stayed in many hotels, from big city hotels designed for conventions to a roadside Best Western near Des Moines that looked right out of the 1950s 30 years ago.

Dated hotels don't bother me. Furniture that looks dated and a little beat up isn't my favorite, but it's not the end of the world—dirty cushions, sheets, and comforters that aren't white. Yeah, that's when I start to have an issue with my accommodations. A room that looks like it hasn't been cleaned, or seems dirty or dusty. That's when I'd rather stay somewhere else.

The goal of any great hotel should be a room that, when you walk in, seems brand new and has never been lived in. Or at least a room with clean sheets, the furniture doesn't seem dirty, and the carpets look like they have been shampooed in the last couple of years.

No Chain Seems Spared On The Travel's List

Whatever your favorite hotel chain is, it's probably on this list. Of course, the chains that are not known for their cleanliness make the list. I'm talking about America's Best Value Inn, Econo Lodge, Days Inn, and Motel 6. Yet so do popular chains that have a pretty good reputation: Holiday Inn, Hyatt Place, Double Tree, and the Westin.

That's why I'm skeptical that the hotel chain at #1 on this list is the worst in Missouri.

Hampton Inn and Hotels are #1 On The Travel's List

Hampton Hotels ranks number one on The Travel's list. They say the chain is the lesser evil of all the other hellish hotels, and then point out that there always seems to be something sticky at a Hampton Inn. A sticky wall, a sticky carpet, a sticky headboard. Now that's not something I've ever noticed at a Hampton Inn.

I stay at Hampton Inns as much as possible, and I've rarely had a problem. When I had a problem with bed sheets not being changed, they immediately took care of it. As for the stickiness, the only stickiness I've found has been in the lobby after I've sat down at a table after a little kid has finished his waffle drenched in maple syrup.

Avoid Bad Hotels, Do Your Homework

The truth is, while you may be brand loyal to a hotel chain you think takes good care of you and does a nice job providing clean hotel rooms. There's always one location that doesn't live up to the brand promise. Additionally, just because a hotel brand may have a dubious reputation, that doesn't mean some of them aren't great clean places to stay.

Do your research. Use sites like TripAdvisor and Expedia to check out hotel reviews. See how consistent the reviews are from site to site. See how new the reviews are, and focus on what people have been saying about the hotel recently. Then, once you arrive, check the room and the bed out. One, check for bed bugs. Two, make sure the room's up to snuff. If not, ask them to fix it, or stay somewhere else.