I'm lucky enough to have found a host that takes care of me, so I would never have to look for a new host. But if I ever did, I would definitely go based on referrals from people that I know and trust. Forget about site design, uptime claims, etc. The proof is in the pudding. How do they treat their existing clientele?
Oh, and price is definitetly secondary. A few bucks more a month? Who cares? As long as the service is there, it's money well spent...
Vito
