> I booked that distant hotel and took an uber everyday. Now here’s the kicker: the hotel + uber cost more than what I would have paid if I had gotten a hotel walking distance from the venue.

I ran into the same problem. All the decent hotel rooms near a customer site were booked up, so I bought a blanket from Target for $20 and slept in my car rather than sleep in a bug-infested motel for $100. I couldn't expense the blanket, though. (In the company's defense, I think this is due to tax laws making it too complicated for the company to allow, rather than any particular person's incompetence)