need your opinions: rv or hotel?

[booshmom]

We are retired, very young ages 58 & 64, two small dogs and getting ready to hit the road, but have not been able to decide on mode of travel. Additional facts: we want to take the dogs as much as possible, we used to camp when our son was growing up but sold the tent camper when he left home,we are lazy and don't like a lot of set up, liked to stay in national parks in the past, have already been to the lower 48 but now want to wander more leisurely than we were able to when we were working, want to visit some of Alaska, won't do much cooking on the road because we consider regional cuisine part of the fun, want to avoid schedules as much as possible and love the western US. We have looked at class C, travel trailer and gave a nominal amount of thought to the possibility of a small class A, but think class c is preferable due to size and drivability. We may spend up to one month at a time on the road, a few times a year. We are trying to decide if we should invest in a used rv or just do hotels and we would like opinions. I also need to add that we plan to do some European travel, so that is part of our reservation about buying something. We will welcome any thoughts anyone has! Thanks for your help!

[Kidsgone]

We've owned three RV's...between the first and second, we did the hotel/cabin thing. First night in a very nice cabin, we left next morning due to bedbugs. That was a miserable experience and one I personally don't want to experience again. One week later we had our first motorhome.
We travel with our dogs, actually our dogs allow us to travel with them:) We stay out 1-3 months at a time and you couldn't pay me to step foot into a hotel these days. We do balance cooking and going out..finding a great breakfast diner has become our thing.
Enjoy your search for your answer. If you have a RV park nearby, go and talk with some the people there...we did just that, found some great folks willing to talk about their rig and travels. Also visit an RV show.
Safe travels.

[booshmom]

so it's been a couple of months, we did a bunch more research, looked at motor homes, trailer/truck combos and virtually everything on the market and we bought: an Aliner!! For us it basically came down to the fact that we love to travel, see the country, take our dogs but we almost never spend any time at campgrounds or hotels. What we finally figured out is that we wanted a bed on wheels, something that is super easy to tow and super easy to set up. Plus the fact that we didn't want to have a ton of money invested in something that will be sitting in the garage when we are outside the country...We appreciate the opinions of everyone on here and I'm sure I'll be getting on the forums even more looking for help. I love online forums!!! Happy traveling to everyone.

[elkhornsun]

Look at the numerous Class B and B+ motorhomes built using the Mercedes Sprinter platform and with fuel efficient 5-cylinder diesel engines. They get 23 MPG and there are used ones on the market selling at a big discount. Plenty of space inside for a couple and two small dogs and lots of storage space in the basement area.

Driving and parking a Class B is much easier to do than with larger RV's and you get better fuel economy and less stress.

When I was traveling around with two sheepdogs I found very few motels or hotels that would allow pets of any kind. I would get a ground floor room in the back and sneak the dogs in at night. Luckily they were jet black and quiet, non-barkers.

With motels/hotels you need to check in by a certain time and check out by 11:00 AM and you need to usually reserve in advance. If you decide to stay longer or leave sooner than you had planned you are stuck. Usually the hotels need at least 24 hours notice and some require 72 hours notice of any change or cancellation. This is why we opted to buy our camper as the cost is roughly the same as hotels but we have the ability to alter our schedule at any time, most of the time.

You may like eating out as do we but for a lunch break it can be a pain to have to leave a nice spot and drive into a town and most places are mediocre at best for breakfast and lunch and in some areas even dinner is not something to enjoy if you really like fine cuisine. With our fridge and cooktop we can stop at a beach and fix a snack if we choose or have a cup of coffee in the morning before heading to a town for brunch.

After a short while your dogs will consider the RV their mobile doghouse and this greatly reduces the stress of traveling for them. My dogs knew that the RV was going to get them home and often they prefered to be inside where they could relax and be off guard duty.

[2gypsies1]

booshmom wrote:
Again, thanks all for your comments! When you mention roadside assistance programs, I am assuming you mean like the Good Sam program advertised here? Looks like a lot of service for nominal fee and like insurance you may never use it but if you need it, could be a lifesaver....

Yes, Good Sam offers one as does Coach-Net or even an add-on to your vehicle insurance.

[dodge_guy]

It sounds like a "C" is what you want. get a decent size (length) one with the dogs. and at least one slide.

Have fun enjoying the country!

[2012Coleman]

booshmom wrote:
Additional facts: we want to take the dogs as much as possible

I think you answered your own question with this statement - not to easy finding nice hotels that accept a pet - in your case multiple dogs.

I also need to add that we plan to do some European travel, so that is part of our reservation about buying something. We will welcome any thoughts anyone has! Thanks for your help!

Well, you are either spending money on hotels or the RV so your ability to travel to Europe depends largely on your budget.

Personally, I'd rather be camping than looking out some hotel window overlooking a parking lot.

[booshmom]

Again, thanks all for your comments! When you mention roadside assistance programs, I am assuming you mean like the Good Sam program advertised here? Looks like a lot of service for nominal fee and like insurance you may never use it but if you need it, could be a lifesaver....

[drae0814]

Hello i work in the hotel field so having someone clean up after me and bring me food when i want is what a hotel is all about its quite relaxing and i pay about the same to stay in a hotel or take my RV i camp about 6 weekends a year and stay in hotels about the same amount dont get to worried about the bed bug its the new fad right now to get a free or discounted room people have used all kind of stories i have heard my child has just pick up a used comdom off the floor about 10 times over the years now its bed bugs where were the bed bugs 10 or 15 years ago hotels have been around forever. I will say this since you have a dog and you have the time i would choose to RV it as most hotels dont like pets. Bottom line hotels are a blast to me and camping is a blast so go out and enjoy life while you can

[qtla9111]

Thanks to the prohibition of certain chemical agents, bedbugs are now out of control (after years of almost complete extermination). I travel for work on occasion in the U.S. I take my rv when I can but using a hotel I now do many searches to check for bedbug outbreaks in hotels, three star or five star and brand name makes no difference.



I just spent one night in a five star hotel. I left as much as I could in the car, and put everything up off the floor on the rack. I didn't use the sofa or desk chair either and checked the matress edges when I opened the bed.

There is a guy in the Class B section who tells his horrow story and expense of bedbugs in his house and car. Nightmare.

I like my rv, my house, my bed, and I know who put their head on my pillow.

[time2roll]

RV

[wbwood]

Get the class c and hit the road. You want to take your dogs and that's the best answer there. When you go to Europe, park it and/or store it and hit the road when you get back. Never saw the concern of what is the best value in your original post. So that's what I would do. If you get tired of sleeping in the camper, stop off in a hotel somewhere.

[2gypsies1]

RE: Breakdowns. First, it would be rare if you keep your RV in good mechanical condition and replace tires at good intervals. Secondly, if you do have a mechanical problem, many places let you spend the night in their parking lot and most will supply electric. They can be very flexible. So don't let a breakdown influence you. Also, have a good road service. We'd also recommend you tow a car with a Class C unless it's really small. If you break down, you at least have another vehicle to get around.

Like I mentioned in a previous post, we've full-timed for 16 years and travel constantly. We've been to Alaska. We have never had any breakdowns in 16 years.

As far as considering a 21' Class B. That's fine, but if you intend to go out for a month or so or a trip to Alaska, it could be very confining, especially in bad weather.

Just some other things to think about!

[Led_67]

Just a thought but have you considered renting a class C or A and taking a trial run before you invest. It could be a way to try out the lifestyle and see wether you like it or not.

[booshmom]

Thanks to all of you for responding to my questions! As stated, we used to camp all over the country, so I can identify with everyone's comments about the scarcity of hotels in the western US and that was one of our concerns when we started talking about what we want or don't want. We have been doing a lot of cost comparisons and the pros/cons of class c vs tt. One of our concerns about a class c is the possibility of breakdown and losing our lodging during repairs-we once ran into a family near Mt Rushmore whose rv had broken down and they were tent camping. I know we wouldn't be prepared for tent camping and would end up in a hotel IF we could even get one. We love the camping life and probably know deep down that it is the best way for us. Now we just have to decide whether class c or TT. We are virtually certain class A is NOT for us due to larger sizes bc the class c's we've been looking at are smaller and easier to maneuver. We have a friend who is selling his B+ which is approximately 21 ft, and we think that might be best for us. I want to thank everyone again for your input and I can see I have more research to do!

[rfryer]

When you take the capital and operating costs of a MH into account it’s argumentative which is the cheaper mode of travel. But I have the impression, maybe unwarranted, that economics isn’t a driving issue in your decision. You say you’re “lazy” so the hotel route is a plus, you don’t have to do anything but make reservations and everyone else does all the work. But you also want to avoid schedules, a direct conflict with reservation traveling. And if someone fouls up one reservation the ripple effect may also foul up others.

The advantage of the RV travel is it’s easier to deal with the dogs and your schedule is entirely your own, you can travel at whim. And you have a lot more flexibility in where you go and stay, there’s no guarantee there will be an acceptable hotel where you want to go or that there will be room when you want it.

I worked out of town every other week for years and I got sick of restaurant meals and I was never at ease about the places I stayed. I didn’t want to bring bedbugs home and spend a fortune trying to get rid of them. Besides the obvious personal feelings about them. Still today, reservations are anathema to me, the freedom to travel where I want when I want is far more important than the minimal work I have to put into it. Granted I pull a small TT and someone with a big one might feel compelled to reserve campsites just to ensure they had a place to stay. But in the west, especially, there is a lot of public land so developed campgrounds aren’t a necessity if one wants to check out the more pristine areas.

I don’t see you decision as all that difficult, you just have to decide whether the ease of reservation traveling or the flexibility of RV traveling is most important to you. European travel in a different animal, but it depends how much of that you do. There’s nothing to preclude you from using hotels in Europe and an RV in-country. Good luck on your decision.