General things:
- Pick a hotel in a "good" neighborhood. Staying in a high-crime area is asking for trouble. You're better to have to drive some in the morning than to take a chance.
- Pick a hotel that has security entrances. This pretty much eliminates the one-floor-door-to-the-parking-lot variety. Be sure that the front desk is staffed 24-hours
- Park under a light or in a well-lighted area of the parking lot. Do not leave valuables in the car. Be sure any equipment or gear is locked in the trunk or well-hidden. Look around the lot as you drive in for suspicious activity, and look again before you exit the vehicle. (you do this everywhere, right?)
- Besides clothing and normal stuff, your EDC and FAK should come in to the room with you. The smoke hood mentioned above is a great idea.
- Have with you a set of clothes made from natural materials (cotton/wool/etc). In a fire situation, synthetics can melt and weld themselves to skin.
- Book your room far enough in advance to be able to secure a second-floor room. First floor (as mentioned above) is not a good idea. If you have to go out the window, second floor is not too bad of a drop.
- Find out about how the hotel is situated, and book a room on the "non-weather-side" of the building.
- Always have with you a survival guide. You can use it for reference if you need it, and it's good reading when you don't. Bring also a good reading book and a "how-to" book on some subject you're interested in for good reading variety.
- If you are able to carry, bring your range bag in with you. Cleaning your weapons is a soothing, relaxing activity. Beware that the smell of Hoppe's No. 9 does add a certain "flavor" to the room. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
- Always have food and drink items. Buy a french press to brew coffee or tea. I carry one MRE - and sometimes just eat it when I'm too tired to go out for dinner.
- Always have a cell phone and a charger. Be sure the cell phone gets charged in the car before you get to the hotel.
- A laptop lets you do stuff like browse and blab on forums.

I stay in hotels 4 nights per week, every week.