Hotel advice that puts location ahead of the lobby

Location decides more of your trip than the room does. A cheaper hotel that needs a car can end up costing more than a pricier one you can walk from, once parking and rideshares are added in. Our hotel advice starts there.

We look at neighborhoods first, then the property, then the extras: parking fees, resort fees, cancellation terms and whether breakfast is really included. We'll tell you when an upgrade earns its price, like an oceanfront room on a short beach weekend, and when it doesn't. We don't describe stays we haven't checked, and we don't publish rates, because they change daily.

Coming up: how to choose between a hotel and a vacation rental on the Grand Strand, and what to ask before booking with kids. Until then, the reading list below covers stays and neighborhoods from Condé Nast Traveler.