Community Forums

GaryKD · 04-13-2010, 06:30 PM

Hi Everyone,

Something interesting just happened and I thought I'd pass it on to readers of iRV2. The wife and I went to visit some friends in Atlanta, GA. It was a 3 night trip. It's about 630 miles one way from our house. In the past, without thinking about it, we always took the coach. I saw an ad for Priceline. We thought we'd try it and see what it's all about and if it is any good. About 4 days before we were to leave, I bid $35 per night and selected a 3 1/2 star hotel level (the highest for Norcross, GA). We got a room at a Marriott hotel!

The hotel was top notch. The room was more than we could have asked for. The bottom line is it was perfect. Overall, the positives seem to be,
1. Toad gets much better fuel economy.
2. No setting up and tearing down of camp.
3. The room was the same price or cheaper than a CG.
4. Daily maid service at no additional cost.
5. The bed was better than the one in our coach.
6. Very nice on site restaurant. I was tired after 630 miles in one day.
7. Free WIFI that was as fast as my broadband at the stick house. I guess business travelers will not put up with the same sloppy WIFI we get at CGs.
8. After returning home, the coach was still clean! All I need to do is wash the toad.
9. We were able to make the trip in one day. I can do 630 miles in one day in a car. No can do in the coach.

The negatives seem to be
1. Packing for the trip. I forgot how to pack and what I needed to take. I haven't stayed in a hotel in many years.
2. Lugging our stuff into and then back out to the toad.
3. The wife didn't like not having a rest room conveniently available. We did take our copy of the Next Exit. If you ever do this, the book is even more important when traveling by car than traveling by coach.

I think, for short (mileage and duration) trips, we will give Priceline another try. Right now, we are 1 for 1.

JayGee · 04-13-2010, 06:37 PM

I only take the RV if the stay is greater than a few days. No way to justify the additional fuel etc in my opinion. However, if I am in no rush I really enjoy having my own bed etc with me.

Wow!! Only 3 posts for me! I was active a looong time ago (2001) but have not been on here in a very long time.

Elkhartjim · 04-13-2010, 06:52 PM

I know who slept in my bed last night...do you?

SwampTrash · 04-13-2010, 06:55 PM

I can see the positives of your fast trip and the benefits of staying in hotels, but for us, traveling with the RV is far better. Ronnie has been in a wheelchair for 22+ years and we had many trips of me hauling all the suitcases, medical supplies and ice chest in and out of hotels. With the rv we can bring both his push chair and power chair, everything we need is already where I can find it (most times

) without looking everywhere and snacks are handy!

**NLOVNIT** · 04-13-2010, 06:56 PM

We've found similar results. We planned to attend a graduation in Lynchburg VA over a 3 night weekend. I initially gravitated toward taking the coach, but Dave did the math & for both accomodations & gas usage, staying in a hotel & taking the car was cheaper.

However, I did take our own bed pillows/blanket & gingerly folded & removed both the blanket & bedspread from off the hotel bed. I also washed the bathroom glasses before I used them. Some images from TV reports just stick with you, you know.

Also, I missed being able to get up at 3AM & eating a bowl of cereal in my jammies.

Lori-

SwampTrash · 04-13-2010, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elkhartjim

I know who slept in my bed last night...do you?

X2 I forgot about the bed bug outbreak, Ewwww

Chuck 1935 · 04-13-2010, 07:00 PM

My whole working life was hotels and motels. When i retired my wife and I took a trip back to New Mexico and stayed at a Quaility Inn in Flagstaff. We went to bed around 11pm. My wife felt something under the covers, It was an old sock. I went downstairs and they gave us a different room. The new room had some really bad stuff in the tub. The next morning I told the manager and said I wanted my money back and he said he would call the cops. Love my RV!!!!

csp · 04-13-2010, 07:26 PM

I like to sleep in my own bed. (Do you really know if they washed the bed sheets?)
The kids can play and pee as they please.
Most motels do not have a playground and a good place to play with the kids.
I do not have to listen to the neighbors doing you know what.
Toilets have many many germs and I will only receive my own germs in the RV.
I love to cook on vacation, do not like to eat out and the basic rooms do not have a stove, fridge, etc.
And many other reasons.
We love our RV.
Chris

BudtheDiplomat · 04-13-2010, 07:32 PM

Gary;

Many times I feel the same, and by the way, excellent post. I enjoyed your read.

My wife, daughter and 3yo granddaughter and I always travel together, and my favorite trips are to visit family.

I'm an early riser. The "girls" get up at the crack of noon. Many times I'm trapped in the back of the coach until everyone else finally shakes out of bed, and I go stir crazy.

On a recent trip to West Monroe, LA, I found a fairly new hotel within a half mile of the RV park. I suggested that we keep the motorhome at the park and get two adjoining rooms in the hotel.

It was truly a First Class trip. We were able to relax and enjoy the coach for the drive there and return home. On arrival, I was able to get up when I wanted, get coffee and breakfast (complimentary!!) and not wake the baby, daughter, or wife (too much).

It was due to this trip that I bought a new Chevy truck as a toad. That's a whole 'nother story, tho.

During that trip, it rained, rained, rained. The coach stayed clean and dry inside.

Our next trip there is early May. We will do exactly the same.

Take care.

Bud

dieselclacker · 04-13-2010, 07:42 PM

Seem to me comparing the two is like the old saw of comparing apples to oranges. A list of pros and cons can be made for each method of travel.

Dieselclacker

Lorna · 04-13-2010, 09:25 PM

I have worked in 2 different hotels (Hampton and currently Red Roof). My 23 yo daughter in NM has worked for several years at many hotels (currently in training to become manager of a Holiday Inn Express). I prefer my RV. It's not that the hotels I've worked at are dirty (far from it). It's just that I have stayed in some bad hotel/motels with even worse beds. The last hotel/motel we stayed at (instead of driving the RV), the toilet was broken (I thought we were going to have to make them change our room) and I'm pretty sure the concrete floor would have been more comfortable than the bed. And then there's the two couples. One or both are always at the same hotel/motel as we are... One couple has a baby (it never grows up) and it cries all night long. The other couple fights all night long. Sometimes we manage to get the room between them! I like my bed, my pillow and rummaging thru my refrigerator. And we just never can relax in a hotel/motel room. I don't think you save any $$ choosing one over the other. It's just what you prefer.

NIFFIT · 04-13-2010, 10:56 PM

we stayed at a hotel in Canada on one of our trips and we had 2 double beds and there was only 2 adults and 1 child so the wife and the child slept in one bed and I took the other bed. When I awoke and was getting out of bed my leg hit something and come to find out that it was a note stating that if you find this then you know the bed sheets had not been changed. This kind of lighted up my DW so she went and talked to the clerk-we ended up getting 2 free night out of the deal

georgetown350 · 04-13-2010, 11:14 PM

Lack of privacy can be an issue at motels ie peepholes and cameras. You may become a star in a web porn and never know it.

wa8yxm · 04-14-2010, 09:29 AM

From time to time the various news shows will go into Hotels and Motels with what amounts to a foresnic science team and look around..

Ond of the things they do is lift the matress.. You'd be amazed at what they have found under the matress even in 4 and 5 star hotels (Hypodermics, Porn magazines, and other "Stuff" I won't even mention on line, just to name a few things)

THey look under the bed, And they test to see how clean the room is and much much more.

And usually the results suggest the best nightgown to wear... A Hazmat suit.

Now, in your RV? What do you find under the matress? (I don't know but you do cause YOU put it there) what's under the bed (Same answer) How well is it cleaned (I don't know but you cleaned it) and so on... In short, No hazmat suit needed.

Plus if you want to build a campfire outside your room's front door.. Hotel: Major issue, RV: common practice

if you want to cook lunch.. Hotel room: Usually prohibited, RV: common practice

And I could go on, and on. but You get the idea

(Even the water glasses got slammed by more than one exposea)