Traveling via B&B/hotel vs RV
First a bit of context. We have owned nearly all types of RV’s and have RV’ed for well over 20 years. Last year we sold our class A MH and have not bought another RV. We just returned from a 9000 mile...
Forum Discussion
In the USA, we typically use the RV (sold the boat a few years back so that is no longer in the mix). Most winters lately we've been traveling overseas and generally use airbnbs (no these have nothing to do with old style bed & breakfast places or hostels).
Since we generally only cover 100-200miles on a travel day with the RV and travel 2 days or less per week, when you compare the extra fuel to the lower cost of a campsite, the dollars aren't pushing us away from the RV...plus you have all your stuff.
Your experience is generally consistent with our experience:
- Another advantage to hotels is if you arrive late, they typically have a 24/7 staffed desk. With an airbnb, you have to make arrangements for a late check-in (sometimes at an extra cost), which inevitably get confused.
- The cleaning fees have gotten a little out of hand. For a month stay, it's usually not a big deal as it gets distributed over many days but in Bangkok, one place had a $100 cleaning fee...then the owner let us know when we checked in...for $3 we could have the cleaning lady come in extra times during our stay (and when we did, she took a solid 2 hours doing a really good cleaning)...huh?
- If you are traveling by car, consider putting together a plastic tub with some cookware and spices. Because yes, what is available in the apartments varies wildly. Even overseas, we usually drag around 6-8 of our more commonly used spices in our luggage.
- Since we usually stay for a longer time we are usually looking for a comfortable couch or other seating areas. Sitting on the bed gets old real quick.
- Also look for a place with laundry. Once you go longer than a week, it's nice to be able to throw a load in at the end of the day rather than taking 2-3 hours at a laundromat. (in some places it's cheap to have someone do it. In Merida Mexico, the little old lady across the street would do a big load for $3 and it came back pressed (including socks and undies) in a package a 1/4 the size we gave it to her.
- If you want to visit cities, airbnb is often more convenient than RV as parking a car (or going without) is generally easier. Assuming the city has a decent transit system, makes sure you are easy walking distance to a station.
- We usually eat breakfast in, a big lunch out and then a light dinner in. Helps keep the costs reasonable and is easier with an apartment.
- More an issue overseas but check what floor the apartment is on and if they have an elevator (key point...Floor 1 in most countries is what we would call the 2nd floor...so if it's on the 3rd floor with no elevator, you are hoofing it 4 floors up)
- For those paranoid about who sat on the toilet seat...I'll take a freshly cleaned toilet where I push the lever and never have to deal with the deposit ever again and I can take a shower as long as I like.
Since we generally only cover 100-200miles on a travel day with the RV and travel 2 days or less per week, when you compare the extra fuel to the lower cost of a campsite, the dollars aren't pushing us away from the RV...plus you have all your stuff.
Your experience is generally consistent with our experience:
- Another advantage to hotels is if you arrive late, they typically have a 24/7 staffed desk. With an airbnb, you have to make arrangements for a late check-in (sometimes at an extra cost), which inevitably get confused.
- The cleaning fees have gotten a little out of hand. For a month stay, it's usually not a big deal as it gets distributed over many days but in Bangkok, one place had a $100 cleaning fee...then the owner let us know when we checked in...for $3 we could have the cleaning lady come in extra times during our stay (and when we did, she took a solid 2 hours doing a really good cleaning)...huh?
- If you are traveling by car, consider putting together a plastic tub with some cookware and spices. Because yes, what is available in the apartments varies wildly. Even overseas, we usually drag around 6-8 of our more commonly used spices in our luggage.
- Since we usually stay for a longer time we are usually looking for a comfortable couch or other seating areas. Sitting on the bed gets old real quick.
- Also look for a place with laundry. Once you go longer than a week, it's nice to be able to throw a load in at the end of the day rather than taking 2-3 hours at a laundromat. (in some places it's cheap to have someone do it. In Merida Mexico, the little old lady across the street would do a big load for $3 and it came back pressed (including socks and undies) in a package a 1/4 the size we gave it to her.
- If you want to visit cities, airbnb is often more convenient than RV as parking a car (or going without) is generally easier. Assuming the city has a decent transit system, makes sure you are easy walking distance to a station.
- We usually eat breakfast in, a big lunch out and then a light dinner in. Helps keep the costs reasonable and is easier with an apartment.
- More an issue overseas but check what floor the apartment is on and if they have an elevator (key point...Floor 1 in most countries is what we would call the 2nd floor...so if it's on the 3rd floor with no elevator, you are hoofing it 4 floors up)
- For those paranoid about who sat on the toilet seat...I'll take a freshly cleaned toilet where I push the lever and never have to deal with the deposit ever again and I can take a shower as long as I like.
