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Old 10-04-2020, 05:04 AM   #1
notanlines
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Why an RV vs motel room

DW and I are just at the beginning of a 5000 miles trek moving RV’s, motorcycles and golf carts to new locations. Our first stop for the night regretfully was in South Beloit, Wisconsin. We chose a small family owned motel right off the interstate. $85 was the price. Before this nightmare was over the owner had to bring us an electric heater, ran me off from where I was parking the bike trailer, and couldn’t tell me how the remote for this 20” flat screen TV worked. Turns out, not at all.
People before us had been smoking pot in the room (a lot) and it just smelled bad. After having great food at Louis’ Tap House, we came back to bed that came over on the Mayflower. Pillows right out of Goodwill dollar bin. Now, on to plastic (rubber) cover on the mattress. Holy crapola! I probably actually slept about three hours. We both finally just hot out of the so-called bed, cleaned up, and hit the road.
We have talked about a return trip to Alaska next summer for quite some time. I’m hoping I can get BadBart to spring for a couple beers. In budgeting we figured 90 nights in an average motel to run about $12k or so. Then I pictured me on those God-forsaken rubber covered mattresses and I knew it wouldn’t fly. Motels just suck right out loud.
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Old 10-04-2020, 05:34 AM   #2
Chris P
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Yikes! And kinda gross, Thanks I will be using my trailer. Safe travels.
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Old 10-04-2020, 05:53 AM   #3
KingFisher
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Having to stay in filthy overpriced motels when working out of town is what got me back into owning an rv.
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Old 10-04-2020, 05:59 AM   #4
flybouy
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Sorry you had such a lousy experience. When I was working I spent more nights in hotels thannI care to think about. It was on the company dime so reasonable restraints were placed but typically I stayed in Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton, etc for "tropical business" (excluding conferences, special meetings and such which were top tier facilities).

Every so often there would be that one booming area with no hoet chains or only an "economy type" chain. I learned years ago when forced into that situation to "inspect" the room before accepting it. Upon check in I would ask to "take a look at the room" first before "accepting" it. If they refused then I would ask them to show me where that's prohibited in their policy. If they refuse I'm out of there with informing them that any charges on my credit card would be challenged and reversed.

The other learning from those experiences were to avoid hotels in college towns close to campus (you don't want to know what goes on in those rooms!). I would also call the local police and make an inquiry. They know which ones are problematic for drugs and other crimes associated with that issue as they will be called out there often.

I know it's more challenging when trying to get as many miles under your belt and traveling with the DW to plan ahead. In those circumstances I'll give the DW the task of researching for a layover. She loves "punching on her phone" as I call it or on the iPad. It keeps her busy as well and she has become very good at it.

From the sounds of it I would have slept better in the truck. I hope the remainder of your trip is safe and less eventful.
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Old 10-04-2020, 06:59 AM   #5
sourdough
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Sorry to hear about the experience Jim. We've gotten pretty gun shy with motels ourselves. My uncle, who raised my dad, used to own a mom and pop motel and worked very hard to make it nice. I used to try to stay in that type when I could.

After the influx of foreign motel owners back in the 80s/90s it got to be so bad I stopped - stayed at one with some other folks on 2nd floor; it was pretty new, Super 8 if I recall?. Everyone in the other room had gone to bed when a kid popped through the door and turned on the TV like he owned the place (his family did and they were right above the owner's room below). As you can imagine all heck broke loose (I was next door). Anyway, mom & pops ain't what they used to be. Good luck on the trip and hope the rest of your adventure is devoid of those kinds of experiences.
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Old 10-04-2020, 07:36 AM   #6
Ken / Claudia
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Rving is not cheap but provides freedom to chose where to stay, when and what to eat, when and where to use the bathroom. And you decide how clean your living space should be all without sharing with everyone else.

For me I would have the same truck so that is not really an added cost. I would be camping in national forests anyway to hunt big game. Out fitting a hunting camp is not cheap, tents 2,000, wood stoves 300, sleeping cots and bags another several hundred. I would still have a genny, likely same one I use with the RV.
I do know some who do not like camping or hunting. They travel by car and or by plane. They also talk about how nice the restaurant's food and rooms are. I suspect they spend a lot more than I when traveling.
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Old 10-04-2020, 08:33 AM   #7
flybouy
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The "average" rv owner will not save money by staying In an RV vs hotels. The matrix just doesn't work for the "average" number of nights used vs the expense of the rig, insurance, fuel, campgrounds, etc. For some that spend most of their time dry camping or "vagabonding" from beach to Walmart to public lands maybe, but that's not how the vast majority of RVs are used.

Many folks make the mistake of getting into RVing thinking that they are going to "save money on vacations". Those folks contribute to the used RV market all the time. For anyone reading this contemplating this aspect I'd urge them to set down and realistically consider how you would use a camper. How many days a year you would use it and ALL the expenses associated with it.

For the DW and I it's a recreation that we are willing to pay for. We were boater's for many years until the family dynamics (one daughter in college, another in high school) prevented us from using it enough to justify the expense. After both girls were on their own we missed boating but our health issues restricted bouncing around the Chesapeake Bay on windy days. For us, the longer season for camping vs boating and the slightly better ride of the highways got us into camping.
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Old 10-04-2020, 10:36 AM   #8
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Before I bought my trailer I was mulling it over and planned a trip out west for 4 weeks, trying as best to take into account cost of trailer / rooms for that trip. The cost of the rooms was half the cost of the trailer. I knew gas would be more to haul. My thinking was at my pace I could stop where I wanted to, stay or move on, sleep in my own uncomfortable bed or someone else's. I like to start and stop when I want to. I figured it was a no brainer and bought the trailer. No regrets.
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Old 10-06-2020, 03:42 AM   #9
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For us its what we always did. We live in a small town way south of chicago. We have a rec club in town. There are 8 family's that we camp with all year on and off. We started off with a tent when we were in our 20's. Then got a 22ft flagstaff. Then a 32ft winne mh and had that for 16yrs. Now we have a 2017 cougar 327res. Its funny to camp in town all the time but its just a good time to be with lots of friends camping all year. I call it hybrid camping because its only 1.5 miles from my house. Then we all pull out of there and go on vacation a couple times a year. Ky lake or a casino the dells or FL anywhere the dw's tell us we are going. we have just always camped its just what we do.
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