Trailering with motel help

The low-middle range motels I most often use have plenty of space for parking big rigs. Much of their clientele are work crews, having big trucks pulling trailers and other equipment. Super8, Budget Inn, Sleep Inn, Econolodge for example. Motel 6, however, tends not to have this extra parking space.

If there is any mention of roomy parking space, it will be listed as truck parking, rather than RV parking.

As I go higher on the price scale, there tends not to be as much truck parking. I suspect per diem for these mobile work crews tends not to be generous enough to cover $90-150 per night motel rooms.

Another option would be to just dry camp. Private CG's with FHU's will have bathrooms with running water and showers. Plan on eating out locally to save dishes if you don't want to deal with them. Or use paper plates. If your unit doesn't have a furnace, take an electric heater with you use the electricity at the site. We often dry camp in the shoulder seasons, even in places without hookups.

lots2seeinmyrv wrote:

ependydad wrote:
We did this in 2012 because it was cheap to use hotel points for our stay when we ran south. I looked at aeriel views using Google Maps to get a feel for the parking lots. I wanted to make sure that I can pull in and back out easily.

Other than that, I just pick an area and go.

x2 we have done this while towing and staying at a motel. We looked at the aerial map and also called and confirmed we can park at the hotel. Has never been a problem. We try to check in early to get the best parking spot out of the way.

We don't ever arrive early. Driving schedules have us pushing on more times than not.

But- we do make sure that we ask the front desk where they'd like our tractor-trailer sized camper parked for the night. :) They sometimes move us, sometimes don't. They're always pleasant about it!

robsouth wrote:

DougE wrote:
This is not something you need to obsess over. Just go. Trailers are not an issue in motel lots.

Totally agree.

I agree, I have bought campers out of state in the winter and use motels on the way back. I have never had a issue parking a TT at a motel.

I travel all the time for work, and kind of have a habit of looking at the parking lots to see what would fit. I judge it by would my truck & 5er fit, or would my boat/truck fit. I find very few where I couldn't get my boat in. You should have very little trouble with a 17' TT.

We found that most are very accommodating if you call ahead and ask what you can and can't do. Keep in mind that truckers will get a room now and again too. Rather than pay for a room, years back two of them even told us we could overnight in their lot for free so long as we stopped by the front desk and let them know we were there.

ependydad wrote:
We did this in 2012 because it was cheap to use hotel points for our stay when we ran south. I looked at aeriel views using Google Maps to get a feel for the parking lots. I wanted to make sure that I can pull in and back out easily.

Other than that, I just pick an area and go.

x2 we have done this while towing and staying at a motel. We looked at the aerial map and also called and confirmed we can park at the hotel. Has never been a problem. We try to check in early to get the best parking spot out of the way.

DougE wrote:
This is not something you need to obsess over. Just go. Trailers are not an issue in motel lots.

x3 or whatever.

For 10 years, we went from Ewe-stun to the Carolinas/Florida for Thanksgiving and Christmas camping. Took a variety of trailers from a 19' TT to a 40' 5th wheel. On the return trip, we typically made a point of stopping "halfway" and stayed in a motel. We prefer(ed) to stay in Hampton Inns, so when we got close to wherever we were going to stay, we'd just call for a reservation and ask how full they were and if they minded us parking a trailer in their lot. Only once was the one we selected so full that they were concerned about a trailer and they just recommended that we go to the other HI in town.

It's not a big deal and we always appreciated the chance (after a two-week holiday on the beach) to have unlimited hot water, "free" breakfast, etc...all the benefits of a motel plus it broke up the drive home. Too old to pull a 1200 mile trip all at once!

We did this in 2012 because it was cheap to use hotel points for our stay when we ran south. I looked at aeriel views using Google Maps to get a feel for the parking lots. I wanted to make sure that I can pull in and back out easily.

Other than that, I just pick an area and go.

Well, thanks to all of you who have answered so far! You people are a wealth of info.
In the northeast, where land is very expensive, parking is always an issue, whether it's a shopping mall or motel. We just don't have the experience yet of traveling in the wider open spaces. You all have given a confidence boost and some valuable tips.