Comfort Inn Salem, Salem

I stayed in Salem IL for a weekend. And, while I was there, I checked out the hotel options for potential future stays in Salem. I actually stayed in both the Super 8 and the Comfort Inn & Suites for the two nights of the weekend stay. Also see the reviews for the Salem Inn. Two options for which I have no information: 1) I don't know what the "Midwest Lodging Association" is all about--whether or not it is even a place to stay at all--I'm thinking it is not. 2) And, there is a place called "Badollet Bed and Breakfast" apparently in town that would be worth some additional research, if you are interested. I'm not sure if I saw all of the available options. But, the remaining options that I saw in town didn't seem to be very good choices. The ones on the main drag east and west of downtown that I saw all seemed to be really old motels. Both the Super 8 & Comfort Inn are in very close proximity to each other near (just west of) the interstate exit in Salem. They both seem to be the newest hotel options in Salem from what I saw. Comfort Inn & Suites may be the newer of the two. And, it is probably the nicer of the two with a larger building and a larger and more of a standard common breakfast and lobby area. The Super 8 building and lobby/breakfast area was alot smaller and more simple as described by a prior reviewer. Both places had wifi. Super 8 didn't have a pool. I paid for the room at the Super 8 which was very reasonable. I found a quote on the internet for 53.99. And, when I called for additional information and they asked if they could make the reservation, I told them of the internet quote and they went ahead and made the reservation for me at that price. I believe the regular price at the time with no discounts would have been $68. I paid for the Comfort Inn & Suites room with my Choice Priveleges points. But, I believe the price would have been significantly higher even than the Super 8 regular price. I think Comfort Inn & Suites had many more options for types of rooms (which I think you'd pay even more for). For both rooms in which I stayed over the weekend, I got a non-smoking room with 2 queen beds. The Comfort Inn room was clean and fine. But, it wasn't much bigger or fancier than the Super 8 room, if at all, and both rooms were very clean. The only knock at all that I had at the Super 8 was that smoking rooms seemed to be on the first floor. Or perhaps someone had just smoked in the area where we first entered to ascend to our room. Smoke smell was pretty prevalent in the front stairwell the first time we went up to the room. After going down to get our luggage, we parked near the back door to be closer to the room. We didn't even notice any smoke in the back stair well which we used the rest of the time during the stay. Bottom line: I noticed very little difference in the two rooms, if any at all. The Super 8 is more simple as a hotel. But the room we had, as well as the lobby/breakfast area was very clean and fine. Based upon what I believe to be a huge price difference, even though the hotel building and common area are smaller and more simple, to me the Super 8 is a much, much better value. So, if price is no option, pay whatever for the Comfort Inn & Suites. But, if value is important, in my opinion, just get a clean room that is just fine at the Super 8.