I've shot in hotels plenty of times... the key is to NOT get the nightstand and headboard "art" in the pictures. Those are the props that invariable scream HOTEL. Oh, and the bedspreads too. UGH.
Carrying gear in isn't an issue for me... I have a black swat duffel full of light stands and light heads, and my camera bag is a backpack. Just carry the thing in w/o commenting on it. Motel 6? No problem, do the two man body bag carry, they won't care. Waldorf? No problem, toss the duffel on the brass cart and roll it right up to your room, they won't notice.
I've taken hotel rooms and completely moved everything all around. Put just what I want where I want it, and stacked the rest of the furniture (tables, chairs, dressers, including the tacky night stands) in another corner. Or in the hall (at 2am nobody really notices much). Or in the bathroom. Once I unscrewed the horrid wall art and put it back when I was done. Yeah, the management can get pissy. I said once, "Well, I guess you can have this two ways... I can leave right now and you can put it all back, or you can chill for a couple hour and when I leave, you'll never know I was here. Your choice." They can't really call the police for damaging, as you haven't actually damaged anything. Most they can do is ask you to leave. Which works to their disadvantage as then they get to clean up after you. OH, and by the way, use prepaid debit cards with just enough money to cover the room for these, never your real credit card w/ access to real money.
Take a big fluffy white down comforter, some frilly white pillows, and some frilly white curtains. Take down the tacky hotel curtains (put them back when done). You can tape a cut sheet of background paper to the wall too (painters tape so you don't leave sticky behind). You can get fabric cheap at walmart and use it for throws, covers, bed skirts, or other interesting effects.
You can also do one of those suites (liek Embassy) for a couple bucks more. Then you have more room to move stuff around, you have kitchen props, and you usually have a bigger bathroom you can use creatively.
I'd scout a couple of the hotels near you... go to the front counter and say you are planning a surprise getaway for your wife and you... is there a room you can just see real quick? They'll usually send you with a housekeeper. Then you'll have about 3 minutes to check it out, tops. Take your smartphone and snap some quickies of the layout.
Once I got the counter girl at mighnight to let me "borrow" one of the nice lobby chairs for a bit. I asked her if she could help me... I told her I was taking pictures of my girlfriend and SHE didn't want the tacky chair in the room... I could shoot in the lobby, but that's so public. Maybe if we borrow this one chair for an hour and bring it back before anyone notices? Smile sweet at her, get her to imagine herself in the same position, and she's doing anything she can to help rather than hinder. If anyone notices, just say you didn't see me take it. lol.
Think it through and plan a little and be creative and you'll do fine.
