I keep finding the same tradeoff when booking city trips: a hotel 30–40 minutes out can be much cheaper and often nicer, but then every coffee break or change of clothes becomes a transit decision.
For a short trip I am starting to think location is worth paying more for, even if the room itself is worse. On a longer trip the savings probably matter more.
Where do people draw the line: travel time, number of transfers, or just total cost?