I've done a hotel remods a few times and the chains are very cheap. Corporate tells them what they have to do and they then have to figure out how to do it and still keep their business in the black. Mandated changes happen a lot, and some of them aren't needed as this look they have in one region isn't needed in another...but they gotta do it. Some corporates are more flexible than others regarding their franchisees, some not.
A lot of the work done is by the managers/owners, it's crap and they don't care. Why should they? People will just come there to sleep, spend a day or three, then never be back most of the time. As long as it's passable for them, it's fine.
The mom and pop places, they do everything and also, usually not very well. If either one has a maintenance person, it's a relative, a kid or a part timer that doesn't care, doesn't know, and is paid accordingly. For real work, they have licensed local people they use (plumb/elect/hvac).
