Time saved/lost versus using motels

Off the top it would be easier to find a motel room plus they probably have `free' breakfast. Don't even factor in the cost of the RV and tow vehicle that does not exist with motels.
On the down side we find it much more convenient to have all of the things we need for the day in the same place as yesterday; clothes, food, shower, beer, etc. and we know who has been using the bed. in addition to our bicycles that travel everywhere with us. On the road the toilet is in the same place and we know who has been using it.
My summary of RVing can be summed up in the word `convenience' rather than `freedom'.

Motel room, there are way more motels than campgrounds. If you RV its not really about that though. It's about having all your stuff to cook, eat, shower,sleep and all the other comforts of home. Plus the ability to get out in nature to some places that dont have hotels.

As a bona fide RV travel lover of the lifestyle, finding the RV spot to park for the night is easier and healthier. Just like a hotel/motel room, you plan in advance where you're going to spend the night. But, once you get there, it's all ready for you - your own bed and sheets, your own lavatory, your own kitchen, living room, and all other amenities. No packing, unpacking, wondering if the bed is clean, if towels are clean, if toilet is clean, etc. Plus, your own food is healthier. Let's face it, trying to rationalize motel vs RV ultimately comes down to preference and lifestyle. RV'ing is a lifestyle, there is no rationalizing the expenses spent or saved because it's what you like.

Motels are easier and faster....and overall could be less expensive if you do ALL the math of owning an RV.

RVing for most is a passion, a hobby, an adventure. There are positive and negatives involved in both RVing and motel-ing.

Sometimes we do motels, mostly we RV. Depends on where we are going and what we will be doing.

Well, definitely an RV is going to cost you more in the long run. It's literally a life-time investment in pure recreation. A motel is a one-time expense and you are done with it. Considering the cost factor only, RV's are not practical. They just aren't. Very expensive in the long run.

However, motel vs RV??? We've done both over the years and this is our preference.

If weather is permitting, no matter where we go, we take the camper and use it for even a single overnight.

If weather is freezing and snowy and our destination is freezing and snowy too, then a motel makes better sense. Once a camper is winterized, you are limited to the ways you can then use it.

So, for example, in the middle of the Winter (like we did last January), we went to a motel for 2 days, actually Eisenhause (Middlebury, Indiana), because there simply are no campgrounds open this time of year.

As far as prepping, arriving, and reaching the point where you hit the bed, I think the time factor is probably about the same.

Assuming you boondock at a Wall Mart, hitting the bed can be done as soon as you turn your engine off.

If you make reservations for a campsite, you'll want to check web sites and maps to make sure your spot is suitable for you wants and needs (trailer length and obstacles getting into the camp site.) So, actually, to settle on a campsite vs settling on a motel room, I think it takes a little more planning and thought into the campsite.

Now, you arrive. With both you have to register (equal time for both). Now you get your assigned campsite number, or the key to your motel room.

You now have to set up your camper. Unhitch (if a towable), jacks down, plug into shore power, maybe attach water, and you're ready for bed.

Motel? You have to go check the room, then drag all your luggage to the room. And if you forget something, you have to constantly go back to your vehicle to get it. Not to mention something you might have forgotten completely, like a tooth brush or your deodorant. So now you have to make a quick trip to the closest Walmart or grocery store.

With an RV, you already have everything there. Just go to bed.

I think the RV is more time efficient. If you already own an RV, it only makes sense to use it, opposed to letting it sit in the drive way and then you have to spend even more money on a motel room.

This is just my opinion from my personal experiences. Someone else may have different views. And that's perfectly OK.

Do a search on the internet for any town or city. Look up "hotel", "motel", RV Park" and "campground". You will find more options for hotels and motels by far. Staying at Walmarts, etc., is dependent upon the laws of the town - many have banned overnight parking in parking lots, on the streets, etc.

Hotels and Motels are usually centered around the tourist or business section of towns, whereas RV Parks and campgrounds are usually on the outskirts.

So for ease of a place to stay, the hotel/motel route wins.

It's all the other things that will decide whether an RV makes sense to you. Do you prefer to eat out; do you mind sleeping in a different bed each night; are you OK with a drive to get to the tourist areas; and so on.

Bed bugs.

We traveled constantly and never found it difficult to find a spot for the night. It depends if you need the best amenities for an overnight. All we want to do is sleep so the best isn't necessary. If you need the best then pull in before 3pm not when everyone else is pulling off the road at 7pm... or make reservations. We didn't do reservations. I'd rather sleep in my own bed and not have to pack and re-pack a suitcase. For us, it would be way cheaper to RV.

MDKMDK wrote:
Bed bugs.

BOOM!
Even having to stay at high end resorts gives me the creeps knowing someone else's hair gel or drool was on that pillow let alone something worse.
We even got rid of the mattress in the rv when we bought it.
I'll take my own bed any day even if it costs me twice as much as a motel and i don't get a free breakfast

For one nighters, it's never taken us more than two phone calls at most during peak seasons to find a spot in private or state parks. Walmart and other large parking lots can be hit or miss due to local ordinances and/or other conditions, although there are various apps and lists that can be useful for that. In non-peak seasons, it's never been any problem at all to find an overnight spot in a park, often not even needing a phone call first.