RV vs. Motel: Not cheaper!

[Dennis and Julie]

Originally Posted by DutchF

Cheaper to stay in a motel vs RV?

Hmm... That depends... First, let's consider "value". Granted, it's a little less tangible than $$$ comparison, but no less important.

RV wins - Having a closet and dresser full of my clothes.
RV wins - Having a 4 door refrigerator and pantry stocked with my food / drink.
RV wins - Having my (favorite) recliner in front of a fireplace and big screen TV (with satellite!
RV wins - Being able to cook out on my grill.
RV wins - Being able to sit in my lounge chairs around the campfire.
RV wins - Confidence in the cleanliness and hygiene of the "facilities", kitchen and bed.
RV wins - Being able to sleep on a king size mattress that we BOTH like.
RV wins - Privacy
RV wins - Views

Hotel wins - less money spent on a per day basis, *IF* you bring your own food and don't stay more than 50 - 100 days per year (over the course of 10+ years).

Ummm... I think we'll stick with RV.

X2!!!!!

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Weezer

We saw a few of those "concrete jungle" type RV parks last year in Pigeon Forge. The RVs were literally packed in there slider to slider and awning edge to awning edge.

Those were the ones *just* off the strip, and right up next to the road. HOW can that be a relaxing atmosphere? I think that would negate the "can't hear the newlyweds on the other side of the wall" advantage to RVing instead of staying in hotels.

One word to remember when camping in the smokies...Townsend. Not 20 mi or so from the forge and g-burg and wonderful spacious camp sites in all of the CGs in town plus you are really close to Cades cove


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[BigBaron]

My friends live in Townsend. You ain't lying-it's gorgeous.

[Jammer3025]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

What hotel can you stay at that offers trees for shade while you sit in a gravity recliner drinking your favorite beverage while grilling some steaks and corn on the cob as family members are riding a bike or playing horse shoes and others splashing in a pool?
What hotel can offer a cool spring or lake just a few feet from your door?

Exactly

[Terier]

I just took a short but sweet trip to the beach with my RV. With the cost of fuel, food and camping fee it was still cheaper than staying in an motel for one night. Add in the monthly cost of storage and insurance it's pretty close but still cheaper than most motels on the beach for a single night. Camping 2 nights or more RVing comes out much cheaper for me and is a clear winner.

Of course the above costs do not include the price of my TT which I do intend on recouping before this is all over with. In the meantime this is a lifestyle I partake in and the investment value is priceless.

While camping in Santa Barbara I met a family that rented 3 RVs for their summer vacation. They said it was cheaper than flying the family to Hawaii and that the kids had such a great time they would be doing it again the following summer. Renting is not cheap either but all they had to do was bring their personal stuff to the campground and the rental company did the rest from towing to setting up & breaking camp.

[BamaBob]

Same here - I have traveled all my career - probably over 600 Nights over 35 years. When I travel I get to stay at pretty nice accommodations (Marriott 4 star or better)

I will take the Bear Cave over ANY of these rooms...

(although the blue crab, spinach and munster omelets breakfast at the renaissance in Crystal City make staying at a hotel tempting LOL)

OUR STUFF OUR BED and US in OUR place is priceless

[LouNick]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

and yes it REALLY gets old quick and when you get home, DW who has been home alone says, "Let's go out to eat" and you can't refuse.

Boy, can I identify with that one! Buy Honey, I was so looking forward to your wonderful home cooking!

[Wayne & Kimmy]

Originally Posted by DutchF

Cheaper to stay in a motel vs RV?

Hmm... That depends... First, let's consider "value". Granted, it's a little less tangible than $$$ comparison, but no less important.

RV wins - Having a closet and dresser full of my clothes.
RV wins - Having a 4 door refrigerator and pantry stocked with my food / drink.
RV wins - Having my (favorite) recliner in front of a fireplace and big screen TV (with satellite!
RV wins - Being able to cook out on my grill.
RV wins - Being able to sit in my lounge chairs around the campfire.
RV wins - Confidence in the cleanliness and hygiene of the "facilities", kitchen and bed.
RV wins - Being able to sleep on a king size mattress that we BOTH like.
RV wins - Privacy
RV wins - Views

Hotel wins - less money spent on a per day basis, *IF* you bring your own food and don't stay more than 50 - 100 days per year (over the course of 10+ years).

Ummm... I think we'll stick with RV.

X3...winner winner (home-made) chicken dinner!

[Sans1]

It is even more expensive when you park your RV in the hotel parking lot and check in, instead of staying in the RV - done that too many times and I always seem to be the only one against it. Heck the last time over Christmas, (with the motorhome) We checked in, I went upstairs to use the shower and slept in the RV with the dog while Gram and our granddaughter slept in the hotel! They were even sleeping in the MH when Gram decided she had had enough of the MH (Class C too much noise, too much bounce for her and the reason we went back to a fiver). Maya (the malamute) and I had the whole thing to ourselves and were plenty happy. In case you are wondering, I don't own any pants.

[dbarr]

Sorry Gram...here's your bus ticket....


Sent from space

[Andette]

Do you put the mattress pad on top of your Murphy bed? We are thinking of buying a 2306, but we want to put our 3 inch tempurpedic mattress pad on top of the mattress but we are concerned that the bed won't fold up.

Thanks,
Andette

[Prothos]

I would have to agree about it being cheaper to drive/motel than the TT. Also i work for an airline so i get free flying. We prety much have decided to only use the TT for shorter trips at this time due to the cost and time restraints. We normally only have 3 or 4 day long weekends. The plus side it with my TT i have my on bed, can cook my own food and normally camp close to or at the destination we travel to for what we are doing. To be honest those that are retired and on a fixed budget i cant fathom how they can affoard to travel across the country with just the cost of gas alone. I'm hoping to have everthing taken care of and will be able to do the same in the next 10 years.

[DutchF]

OK, so here is our current example of why RV'ing is cheaper than a motel.

3 people, 4 dogs
Total miles driven is about 1,400 round trip (includes running around at destination)
HD satellite and ROKU's (about 400 movies) on two different TV's
High speed wireless internet (private and it really works)
28 day stay at destination

Cost?
$520 for fuel
$480 for "space rent" (includes utilities)
$450 for RV payment (hey, gotta factor that in too)
###########
$1,450 for 28 day stay.

Bear in mind the fuel could be less if we traveled to hotel but that would save about $250.

Lower cost of food and entertainment in RV, MORE than offset the higher cost of fuel.

Hotel for 3 for 28 days...
$1,848 + Hotel taxes (not insignificant either!) This is @ $66 a night in a "decent" hotel.

So.... Yeah, RV wins.

RV are kind of like a brain. If you don't use it, it isn't of much value. Just sayin'.

[pgandw]

My math works a little differently, based on 8 three-day weekends (24 nights) per year:

A122: $70 per night (cost of ownership)
site (state park): $22 per night (avg) plus $3.17 per night for annual pass
food: $10 per night additional compared to at home (we buy smaller quantities and more expensive items for camping - because we enjoy eating good food at the camp site)
gas: $11 difference per trip for towing equates to $5.50 per night (300 round trip miles @ 18mpg vs 22 mpg @$3.55/gal
total camping: $100.67/night

food and lodging (not camping): $200 per night (traveling and eating pretty cheap)

Our camping is very simple and basic (the A122 really only has room inside for one person to be standing at a time), but we are getting to see Colorado on weekends. We cook (2 burner stove) and eat at the picnic table, and generally stay outside unless the weather interferes with a reasonable comfort level. Camping was rather impractical when kids were in high school with various activities and sports nearly every weekend. Camping without hookups is quite practical for long weekend provided it's not too hot to do without air conditioning (we also lose microwave without the "tether").

just our choices and experiences
Fred W

2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan (Equalizer WDH)
2014 Rockwood A122 (fits in garage)

[dcheatwood]

There are so many variables it is almost impossible to nail down which is most economical. The way DW and I travel, using the 5er for our motel room as we go from place to place, it is not cheaper to RV. We spend about $150-$180/day on gas. Thats the cost of a really nice motel stay. But if you use your rv to set up for a week in a nearby State Park at $20/night, you can't beat the deal.

[Sans1]

So, to be fair, I have always liked getting outside to enjoy the sounds out in the mountains (even if it is the revving of a dirt bike). Where the cost really comes into play are those times that you go out for the sake of going out. Having an RV encourages a weekend away from the house, ignoring the honey do list and just unwinding. I've done the local spend the night at a hotel, but it just isn't as relaxing for me, my wife may have another opinion. Yes, taking out the RV is not normally as simple as hitching up and going, you still have to load cloths and groceries which is the part the wife doesn't care for, but you also have to pack for an trip to the hotel too. The wife's idea of chillin' is a wine cooler, hot tub, and TV. Mine is just watching a fire burn, or riding the toys, walking the dogs. I've learned to handle the stuff she doesn't like - I ask her to get out the cloths she wants to take and try to do the rest on my own. With some exceptions, I prepare the meals and cleanup afterwards. When we get home I do the unloading while she catches up on her bath time she didn't get while we were away. We all compromise. She goes with me to the woods and ends up enjoying herself, and I do the same at the hotel with her. We definitely go to the woods more than a local hotel. We prefer the shorter trips (within 2 hours of home), without the RV, there'd probably be a lot less 'unwinding' since I really don't see us doing the hotel as much as the RV. Back in the day we used a tent, now we take our bed (and bathroom, and kitchen, and living room, and now even our garage full of toys) with us. You really can't put a price on it.

[keith_h]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

There are so many variables it is almost impossible to nail down which is most economical. The way DW and I travel, using the 5er for our motel room as we go from place to place, it is not cheaper to RV. We spend about $150-$180/day on gas. Thats the cost of a really nice motel stay. But if you use your rv to set up for a week in a nearby State Park at $20/night, you can't beat the deal.

Don't know if you are doing this or not but you cannot count the full cost of gas. You would be making the trip anyway for the comparison so you should only calculate the difference in fuel costs. For me that means a $20 worth of gas without the trailer turns into $38 with it. That net difference is not enough to offset $120-$150 per night we pay at a motel.

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by keith_h

Don't know if you are doing this or not but you cannot count the full cost of gas. You would be making the trip anyway for the comparison so you should only calculate the difference in fuel costs. For me that means a $20 worth of gas without the trailer turns into $38 with it. That net difference is not enough to offset $120-$150 per night we pay at a motel.

Thanks. Forgot that. We'd be in dw's car at 25/26 mpg instead of my TV at 10 mpg. So that would cut gas costs down more than half. More like $60-$70/day on 400 mile days. That's a cheaper motel room. But either way, we agree RV is THE way to go. And she loves to cook.

[LouNick]

I personally love the RV instead of hotels, however, seems to me that i you MUST calculate total cost per night, you need to factor in purchase price, finance costs, maintenance, registration, and the multitude of insurance policies available for your RV (if purchased). Those costs are rolled into the hotel fees already.
Adding in at all those costs and without doing the math, I'm pretty sure the RV is more expensive, but I'm getting what I pay for. Woods or hotel? Woods every time.




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Lou and Paula

2014 Rockwood 8289WS UltraLite w/Revolution Pinbox Engaged.

2011 F250 Power Stroke Super Duty King Ranch Super Crew Cab w/Reese 16K Hitch

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by LouNick

Woods or hotel? Woods every time.

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Lou and Paula

2014 Rockwood 8289WS UltraLite w/Revolution Pinbox Engaged.

2011 F250 Power Stroke Super Duty King Ranch Super Crew Cab w/Reese 16K Hitch

I agree, except I say "woods or town" RV everytime