Netflix quality settings
Auto (based on internet and WiFi speed settings and data usage)
Low (up to standard definition 0.3 GBs/hour or 5.5 Mbps.)
Standard ( for standard definition video, 0.3 GBs/hour or 5.5 Mbps)
High ( HD video, up to 3 GBs/hour or 14 Mbps)
( Ultra HD (4k) video, up to 28 Mbps)
If you pay Netfix for any of the two HD only monthly subscriptions, in the hotels of your choice, try the best setting based on the hotel/s Internet/Wifi speeds.
This is THE big factor when streaming video and its quality.
Also, make sure the hotels you stay at have new enough TVs that have an HDMI input connection.
My wife and I have stayed a places where the flat screen TV were either older or cheap or both and had no TVs that had digital HDMI connections.
This factor won't change if either if you purchase a streaming box from Apple or Roku.
You might not always be able to stream at the High setting, but you might be able to get by on streaming Netflix at the lower Standard definition setting.
This setting will still give you a good picture onscreen. You'll only notice the lower quality difference at close visual range. At normal viewing distances the streamed picture should still look fine at the Standard definition setting.
ONLY use the Auto or Low settings IF the Standard definition settings is a complete and total failure to stream.
If you stream Netflix from your iPad at Standard definition and you get occasional blocky picture or intermittent stutter or buffering 1-3 times during the length of a full feature movie, leave the Netflix playback quality on Standard.
If you can't get Netflix to stream out of your iPad to the hotel TV at all in High or Standard video definition, you will have no choice, but to try Netflix's Auto or Low streaming settings which may yield a less than ideal picture on the TV.
The streaming quality issues will be the same with an Apple or Roku streaming box.
VIdeo streaming is dependent on the available bandwidth and speed of the wireless network in the hotel.
Any wireless internet access is at the mercy of the hotel's own Internet and wireless networks.
Using a streaming box like Apple TV and using Airplay won't change those factors if Wifi speeds on the Hotel's Wireless network are at peak use by guests and creates limited WiFi speeds/bandwidth/bottlenecks.
Good Luck!