[bigbeardedbryan]

You'd be surprised. There are very few major-brand hotels in the vicinity of Salamanca, and those that do exist are usually filled on weekends with the casino crowd. The truly "cheap" hotels aren't really anyplace I'd want to stay. You'll probably wind up staying in Olean or Jamestown unless you reserve well in advance and shell out for the Holiday Inn Express down the road. That being said, it's only about three hours from Pittsburgh, and I know of a number of players there who make the drive as a day-trip.

The smallest limits they spread at SA are $1-2 (40-100 buyin) NL and $2/4 and $3/6 structured games. It's not an awful room, but there are a lot of locals who know each other (and a lot of truly awful players). Dealers are largely capable and friendly (not commenting on the floor staff here), and will know your name within a few hours of play. Just don't expect Omaha or anything fancy.