SpringHill Suites, San Jose Airport -- San Jose, CA

Of all the mid-range places I've stayed in the valley, this one works better than most.

In the pro column: the hotel's grass bar is decent, and even has beers on tap.  You can get instant ramen in the lobby, and your room has a microwave.  There's a swimming pool that's not full of rug rats.  It's right by the freeway.  If you don't mind a couple blocks' stumble, there are restaurants and a dive bar a few blocks south by south-east.

In the con column: the in-room coffee makers are old (though there's coffee in the lobby).  The on-site laundry will do a number on your clothes -- like, the "warm" dryer setting is super hot.  And they charge $15 per night for parking.

I say go for it, as long as it doesn't make your commute too bad.  You can split lanes, after all.

Bright & Clean Laundromat -- San Carlos, CA

Sure.  Cute table with chairs.  Maybe try the jazz next-door, after.

Pullman Hotel -- Redwood City, CA

If you're stuck around here, this is the place to stay.  They're doing a "refresh" through 2017, and the bar is relocated to a temporary location, but the refugee bar somehow works, likely because the bar staff is fantastic.

Vera's Laundromat -- Phoenix, AZ

Yep.  Clean, tidy, reasonably priced.  But why am I out here?

Hotel Valley Ho -- Scottsdale, AZ

This is definitely the place to stay if you're in the region.  It's worth a twenty-five minute commute to the work site, to be some place real.  There's a good run along the canal -- not the most exciting scenery -- but you only have to brave two crosswalks for a 10k round-trip.

Also, the hotel bar is nice, though sometimes loud.

There's a pool party thing on Saturday and Sunday that's fascinating to watch.  It's a total bro-fest though, so steel yourself.  Nice pool.

Parking costs extra, but here's a secret: park on 68th where Main street would run into it, if it continued that far.  There's an opening in the wall and presto, you're right at the front door.