Obama likes it cushy. What? According to the LA Times’ Travel Blog, the Chicago dreamboat’s campaign has spent almost $300,000 more on luxury hotels than then Hill-Hills and almost $500,000 more than the McCainites. What’s going on Chi-Town? The Holiday Inn Express website’s “smart meter” calculates the amount of money each candidate would’ve saved if they had stayed at a sensible Holiday Inn instead of, say, at a blingy upscale suite with “courtesy” bouteilles de champagne. Peep the numbers copied from the Times Travel Blog after the jump.

Which campaigns spent more $$ on hotels?
Republicans or Democrats: Democrats! ($1,753,000 vs. $2,083,000)
Obama or Hillary: Obama! ($833k vs. $503k)
Romney or Giuliani: Romney! ($708k vs. $509k)
Romney or McCain: Romney! ($708k vs. $361k)
McCain or Huckabee: McCain! ($361k vs. $42k)

Laurel O’Connor, current lifestyle marketing director for Holiday Inn Express in Dallas, proivided spending details gleaned from the expense and donation reports that each candidate files with the Federal Election Commission:

The Obama campaign spent $1,798.34 at the Beverly Wilshire hotel in L.A. If you booked a standard room at that hotel tonight, it would cost approximately $545 based on info provided by its website. In contrast, the Holiday Inn Express Century City would run $199 for a standard room this evening. The Clinton campaign spent $2,436.59 at the Fontainbleau Resort in Miami Beach. If you booked a standard room at that hotel tonight, it would cost approximately $350 based on info provided by its website. In contrast, the Holiday Inn Express Miami-Airport would run $209.99 for a standard room this evening. Romney’s campaign spent $11,700 at the Mandarin Oriental New York Hotel. If you booked a standard room at that hotel tonight, it would cost approximately $530 based on info provided by their website. In contrast, the Holiday Inn Express Madison Square Garden would run $249 for a standard room this evening.

The real question: What the hell is Romney spending $700,000 on in these hotels? Serious. If your religious faith prevents you raiding minibar booze or ordering Cristal by the case load and the hot bodies that come with it, how you go spending that kinda cash?!

Tags: hotel bills