Pros and Cons of Hotel Living
Living in hotels is a great way to travel the world but here's what you should know.
When we sold everything in 2020 to travel full-time, we decided to take an unconventional approach to road life by living in hotels instead of purchasing an expensive travel van or large RV. There were several reasons for making this decision, but it really came down to two things:
Not wanting to deal with maintenance issues. After 15 years of home ownership, we were ready to be free of these hassles and expenses.
Not wanting to haul anything behind us. The high stress of driving a big rig in high winds or mountain roads would definitely kill me.
We thought avoiding these problems would allow us to have a happier and safer experience as we explored the world.
So has it been worth it?
Initially there were some adjustments we had to make because it is a different lifestyle and it was extremely challenging not choking the shit out of rude hotel guests, but overall it’s been an incredible experience and there are no regrets.
Since we’ve learned so much about hotel living and there are thousands of people considering it as an option, we thought it would be beneficial to share our advice in case this is the route you take.
The Pros for Living in Hotels
There are plenty of reasons we prefer hotel living but the biggest reason is it’s so easy!
We choose our destination, drive the truck to the place we want to stay, and unload our gear. Most of the time there’s no hassle and we can be enjoying adult beverages by the beach or mountains in minutes. You can’t do really do that with RV living options.
Plus we don’t have any maintenance. Ever.
We also get access to fantastic amenities like coffee, breakfast, toilet paper, internet, swimming pools, hot tubs, and exercise rooms, which are all included in the price. Sometimes the hotels and resorts also offer pool tables, volleyball, card games, evening snacks or beers, and recreational activities for no additional charge.
Because we’re Hilton Vacation Club members, we can save up to 75% off the rental price and earn free stays. Most of these resorts are in amazing locations and offer nicely furnished rooms. And with our Choice Privileges we also get free upgrades and rooms for being at the highest level with the program.
For the most part we’ve had very few challenges but this doesn’t mean it’s perfect.
The Cons for Living in Hotels
By far the worst aspect to this lifestyle are the hotel guests themselves!
There are some incredibly stupid and totally rude people with zero concern for any humans around them. Screaming children, partying neighbors, door slammers, and inconsiderate pot smokers are frustrating as hell.
Some folks just deserve to be throat punched repeatedly.
Then you get to hear the horror stories from hotel staff about the people who destroyed the rooms or shit in garbage cans next to the toilet. WTF?
Other cons for hotel living include poor WiFi connections, revenge pricing, price gouging in tourist destinations or during special events, inconsistencies with the hotel chains, and ending up in a place that’s absolutely dirty or stressful.
When we first started our adventure, hotel brands like Choice or IHG used to offer rooms for an average of $70 per night. Now you can expect to pay over $100 for the same exact thing. In some places we’d paid over $150 for a dumpy Rodeway Inn.
Corporate greed is ruining the opportunity for good hotel deals so this way of living might not easily be sustainable in the future.
What advice can we give for hotel living?
If you’re considering traveling full-time and feel like living in hotels is a better option for your lifestyle, here are some useful tips for having the best experience possible.
Choose the top floor. You won’t have to listen to obnoxious people above you and it seems there are fewer problems the higher you go.
Avoid rooms by the elevator. These areas are the noisiest places in the hotel and it can be constantly busy.
Get a room with a kitchen. While rooms with kitchens are harder to find and sometimes more expensive, it’s cheaper and healthier to cook your own meals than frequenting restaurants.
Book rooms during the week. Weekends are always more expensive, but if you book your stay Monday through Thursday, the daily average comes out better — even if you stay through the weekend.
Ask for a room with a view. If you live in a hotel, you will get tired looking at walls or air conditioning units. Having a nice view and plenty of sunlight will be great for your psyche.
Bring an Amazon Fire Stick or Roku. If you like to watch your favorite shows on a streaming service, you’ll want to have one of these.
Purchase a WiFi hotspot. Most hotels have free and consistent internet, but there are places like Sedona where it sucks. Many mobile phone providers now offer a hotspot option. Never leave home without it.
Negotiate on pricing. Sometimes I got better discounts by staying longer or flirting with the desk person. This isn’t as easy now due to online booking options, but it’s still worth trying.
Decorate your room. When we stay in a place for a week or more, we decorate with a few items from our storage bucket. It makes the room feel a little more like home.
Check behind the dressers and under the beds. This has less to do with finding monsters and more about finding money or other items. I’ve been lucky and maybe you will too.
Sign up for rewards programs. While most hotels offer horrible rewards programs, some places do give you good points or perks for being a member. We’ve earned a lot of free stays with Choice Hotels.
Treat staff members with respect. Kindness goes a LONG way! Some of these people work really hard for little money. Being nice doesn’t take much effort and makes their day.
Of course there are other things like pack light in case the elevator is broken or avoiding any motel in the middle of a cornfield, but these twelve ideas will be a great start.
If you’re considering living in hotels and have any questions, let us know.