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We used the pack and play that just had the elevated bassinet option. I didn't want all the extra accessories taking up space once he outgrew them. It worked great for us and was a lot less expensive. We had one similar to this:
http://www.target.com/p/graco-pack-n-play-playard-aspery/-/A-13478070

We love the changing station, and ours doesn't have a newborn napper but we actually use our uppa baby bassinet inside the bassinet top! I think she sleeps better in there because it's cozier. So I would vote for bells and whistles!

We registered for the one with the napper and changing station. I'm going to keep the pack and play downstairs so I wanted those things so I'll be able to do changes and naps easily on the first level without having to go upstairs. If we lived in a one story home or a smaller home in general I probably would have skipped the bells and whistles.

We returned the pack n play before he was born. He sleeps in the crib, or with us, or in his travel bassinette.

The pack n play (even the simplest) is not travel friendly unless you have a huge car and only do car trips.

ETA: We only have one floor in our house.

For a pack n play for those with 2 floors--why a pack n play and not a cheaper crib?

We have the very basic PnP and it has been totally fine. I've never wished we had the napper or the changing table. And we rarely use the PnP at home, but it's not so big that it's a pain to take to other people's houses if we'll be over there late.

@pastemoo: a pack n play folds up for easy storage and is our travel crib as well. I like the lightweight and portability to use it as a play yard downstairs. I wouldn't want to put a crib in our living room.

We use our pack and play in our bedroom until baby moves to the crib in the Nursery. Then it moves downstairs to act as the downstairs changing station and play yard.

We used the cheapo travel play yard for his first month to sleep in before moving him to his crib at night. Now he uses it as a play pen and we use it as a crib when we travel. Love it, didn't need any extra bells and whistles.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=13075648&searchURL=true

if you're traveling by car, it's not that bad. it is heavy and takes a couple minutes to set up. The bjorn or go crib are better travel cribs, but they're also much pricier.

@MamaMoose: @mrs. wagon: You two are TOUGH. I could not ever bring that pack n play folded up to anywhere if I also had to carry the baby. But I'm glad it works for you both--it was just really heavy for me and I couldn't do it. I'm also pretty small, and my car is too small to bring the pack n play and a stroller.
@mrskc: We had the crib in our room till 4 weeks, then we moved the crib to the living room, where LO now sleeps every night (or part of every night).

@dookie32: yep. I agree. We have a pnp for our bedroom but we don't plan on traveling with it even by car. The Fischer price rock and play is way better for that imo

@mrskc: p.s: I got one with a bassinet and changing table all in one for 99! (walmart) This one:

The toy beam is removable and so is the bassinet/changer. In the picture it's a bassinet but it flips and becomes a flat changer.

@mrskc: @pastemoo: we're suburbanites with an suv and we never fly, so taking the pack n play along to grandma's is not a problem

@looch: We have the same one. How the heck do you get that into a suitcase?

@mrskc: I got a pnp on craigslist for $50 with the bassinet level and changer. I never used the changing part (but we live in a small apartment). I bought the pnp with the intention of her sleeping in it but she HATED it. The longest stretch we ever got in it was 2 hours. A friend gave us a rock and play and she slept from 10-7 in it the first night we had it! It changed my life! Pnp has been put away since that day.

@mrskc: My son has been sleeping in it in our room on & off since he was born (he's 4 months now). It was recommended to me by several other moms who used it as a bassinet for the first few months. If you read a lot of reviews, most people use it with their babies that have reflux because it's on an incline. I was just a paranoid FTM worried about my LO choking so that's why I liked it. Now that my son is older, I like the fact that you can rock it. If he wakes up in the middle of the night, we can try and rock him back to sleep without picking him up.

I think the only downside really is that sometimes the transition to a crib is a bit tougher because of the incline. I don't consider that a big deal. I've really put off moving my son only because he is still not ready to be unswaddled yet and I feel a lot better with him in the RNP with the swaddle since he can't roll over (oh and Mommy isn't ready for him to be down the hall yet :)).