Forget thread count. Toss out the minibar. Don’t even get me started on “complimentary breakfast.”
The true measure of a hotel’s quality? Towel distance.
How far do you have to go, soaking wet and freezing, to grab a towel after a shower? That’s the only rating system that matters.
I call it the Towel Distance Indicator (TDI), and once you see it, you’ll never walk into a hotel bathroom the same way again.
I’ve been testing this for years — from no-name motels off the interstate to high-end hotels with $12 bottled water. The results are clear: The farther the towel, the fancier the place.
Let’s break down the TDI scale.
TDI: 0 Feet – Towels In the Shower
Distance to towel: On a shelf inside the shower or stacked in the corner, practically getting wet with you.
You don’t even have to lean — just pivot and grab. Is it efficient? Yes. Is it unsettling? Also yes.
This is peak chaos energy. There’s no middle ground here — it’s either budget efficiency or design-gone-wild minimalism.
Examples:
- Motel 6 – The towel may be folded on top of the toilet or wedged into a shower shelf.
- OYO Hotels – Bold moves, like putting everything in one room.
- MicroHostels or ultra-budget stays – Designed by people who said, “What if… towels were just part of the shower?”
TDI: 1 Foot – Towels Within Reach
Distance to towel: 12 inches. You can grab it from the shower without moving your feet.
This is the “I see you, weary traveler” tier. Not luxurious, but the people who built the bathroom actually took a shower before finalizing the design. Legendary.
Examples:
- Super 8 – I stayed in one just last night. Towel was right there. Beautiful.
- Red Roof Inn – Tightly designed, straightforward, no fuss.
- Quality Inn – Budget-friendly and sometimes surprisingly towel-efficient.
You’re not paying for luxury — you’re paying to stay dry. Mission accomplished.
TDI: 3 Feet – The Towel Shimmy Zone
Distance to towel: 2 to 4 feet. The towel is out of reach but within your line of sight.
You’ll do the patented “shower shimmy” — arms wrapped, cold tile beneath your feet, followed by sliding across the now soaked floor.
These are the Goldilocks hotels. Not too basic, not too bougie, but definitely a choice was made.
Examples:
- Holiday Inn Express – You get a pancake machine and a towel shuffle.
- Fairfield by Marriott – Classy on a budget, but the towel bar is just barely uncomfortably out of reach.
- Hampton Inn – Dependable, comfortable, and for some reason the towel’s always on the back of the door.
TDI: 5+ Feet – Fancy but Flawed
Distance to towel: 5 feet and beyond. You’ve got to leave the comfort of steam and walk across the bathroom to find your towel.
These places are stunning — rainfall showers, designer tile, and lighting that makes you feel like you’re in a skincare commercial. But nobody considered being wet when they designed them.
Examples:
- JW Marriott – You’ll feel pampered until you realize your towel is on the far wall.
- W Hotels – Towels folded in an artisanal basket next to the eucalyptus diffuser.
- Kimpton – It’s luxury, if luxury means wandering the room post-shower in search of cotton.
- Grand Hyatt – You paid $600 and you still need a sherpa to lead you to the towel. At least the floor is heated. That’s something.
Final Thoughts: Trust the TDI
Next time someone brags about their hotel, ask them just one question:
“What was the TDI?”
That’s it. That’s all you need to know.
Because while stars and prices often lie or can be gamed, the Towel Distance Indicator tells the truth — every single time.