Nice Hotels as we get older?

[Jerry1]

I agree with you, though- every time I've run into an issue with a hotel reservation it was because I went through a third party, even one of the more reputable ones.

Having read often about the problems with third party reservations, I’ve gone to directly contacting the hotel. I’ll use something like trivago to get some leads and read reviews, but then I call the hotel directly. They usually offer the same or a better rate.

 

[audreyh1]

Wonder about hotels because if ventilation systems are shared, it could be circulating air from other rooms.

You wouldn't think so because you'd smell odors in that case.

You can't always open windows either.

That is why I wonder if there wouldn't be an advantage with Airbnbs, which even in a high-rise building would be individual apartments with individual AC for instance, though you prefer amenities like housekeeping, breakfast -- though breakfast would be in a shared indoor space.


To avoid indoor dining, you can take out but hotel rooms are not as good for takeout whereas a vacation apt. would likely have a big fridge, some utensils and plates, cups and a table on which to eat meals.

The hotels we stay in have the air conditioning setup on the outside wall, exchanging air directly from the outside.

We have been staying mostly at hotels that have full kitchens with large fridge, dishes, dishwasher, etc. These are usually suites with dining area. I’m talking about 1 night stays when traveling on the road. At the destination we use cabins or condos or houses.

 

[steady saver]

Jenny Lake Lodge definitely counts as luxury. Really nice cabins, lovely location and the dinners are to die for! Also convenient to the ferry that takes you to the best hiking trails across the lake.

I’ve been wanting to go back.

Thank you Audrey and TripleLindy...it sounds lovely. I'm going to look into that!

 

[MRG]

DW and I frequently look back when we are staying at a nice place. Our honeymoon was in a tiny cabin on the shore of Seneca lake with a $3 frozen pizza and a 6 pack of Genesee. A couple years later we went on vacation and the way home we had $13 between the two of us and had to spend a night. We found a place for $3. It wasn't very nice.

 

[audreyh1]

Thank you Audrey and TripleLindy...it sounds lovely. I'm going to look into that!

Staying there makes you feel like a tycoon from New England circa 1900 come out to explore the Wild West in luxury.

 

[Chuckanut]

Today’s WSJ has an article on Airbnb guests being required to do a lot of cleanup chores that go beyond the normal picking up after yourself and cleaning up careless messes.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/airbnb-chores-cleaning-fee-11663269029

It’s behind a paywall so few quotes are below……
Sorry about the * here and there that’s how it pasted. And I can’t clean them up with my big fingers on the phone screen.

and, some*times, ab*surd—chores set out by some Airbnb hosts. Hosts say they need guests to do more as Covid-19 has changed san*i*ta*tion ex*pec-ta*tions and in*fla*tion has boosted the cost of clean-ers.

Melissa Muzy*czka was plan*ning a ro*man*tic get*away at a lake*side cot*tage in Cana*da’s Que-bec prov*ince, but ended up book*ing a spa ho*tel af*ter read*ing through the chores. The rental prop-erty didn’t have garbage pick-up so guests were ex*pected to take their rub*bish with them when they left.

Guests say they are frus*trated be*cause the clean*ing fee has gone up while hosts have tacked on ex*tra chores. They say some hosts don’t list clean*ing re*quire*ments on*line, sur*pris*ing guests af*ter they book.

 

[athena53]

The rental property didn’t have garbage pick-up so guests were expected to take their rubbish with them when they left.

I had that in Edinburgh pre-COVID. The place didn't even have wastebaskets although they did provide garbage bags! The place I rented this past May in Munich did have waste baskets but I did the nice thing and took all my trash and recyclables to the dumpster near the complex before I left.

Assume nothing!

 

[explanade]

I was in a couple of vacation apartments

I took out some of the garbage in small bags and put them in public trash bins, mainly because the trash was accumulating, things like take out meal containers, empty water bottles, fruit peel, etc.

They have a big enough trash bin inside but I'd have filled it in a couple of days. I could have left the trash in a bag inside but I knew there were plenty of bins just outside so when I stepped out, I'd take a little bag.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

While working for Mega-corp, I did an almost 10 year stint that started as a "temporary assignment" where I travelled just about every other week.

I was the highest tier on Marriott, Starwood, Hilton all at the same time and also decent on Hyatt, IHG. Also highest on Amtrak and Gold level on a couple/few airlines.

Anyway, post mega-corp FIRE, I mostly stick to Marriott branded as I am lifetime Titanium which brings free breakfast/lounge access at some of the sub-brands. However, most of my travel is modest (things like Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn) as most of my vacation travel is not to large cities, although occasionally I will happen upon a decent deal ($ or points wise) at one of their higher end sub-brands.

I still have a decent slug of points (both from mega-corp days and now via credit card usage) which makes it easier (note that all of the programs have been continually getting worse in terms of point-value.)

Honestly, even 10+ years later the allure of travel to big cities via air and hotel remains worn off. Perhaps that's what 1000+ nights in hotel rooms does.

 

[jollystomper]

I was in a couple of vacation apartments

I took out some of the garbage in small bags and put them in public trash bins, mainly because the trash was accumulating, things like take out meal containers, empty water bottles, fruit peel, etc.

They have a big enough trash bin inside but I'd have filled it in a couple of days. I could have left the trash in a bag inside but I knew there were plenty of bins just outside so when I stepped out, I'd take a little bag.

I have never stayed in an AirBNB or vacation rental that charged a cleaning fee, but I always felt that you should leave a place as nice (or even nicer) than you found it in. Taking out the garbage that we ourselves generated was no big deal. We wash all the dishes/cups/utensils, wiped down the counter tops and bathroom sinks, mop/sweep/vacuum the floors, make sure any sofa pillows are in place, wipe off any remotes we used, etc. We will take the linen off the bed (since we assume it will be washed). If they have a washing machine we will wash any towels/washcloths we used, otherwise we will set them in a neat pile in the bathroom.

Perhaps it is just my OCD about having a neat place, so that I have to leave it neat .

 

[11522914]

I have never stayed in an AirBNB or vacation rental that charged a cleaning fee, but I always felt that you should leave a place as nice (or even nicer) than you found it in. Taking out the garbage that we ourselves generated was no big deal. We wash all the dishes/cups/utensils, wiped down the counter tops and bathroom sinks, mop/sweep/vacuum the floors, make sure any sofa pillows are in place, wipe off any remotes we used, etc. We will take the linen off the bed (since we assume it will be washed). If they have a washing machine we will wash any towels/washcloths we used, otherwise we will set them in a neat pile in the bathroom.

Perhaps it is just my OCD about having a neat place, so that I have to leave it neat .

Wow. I've never stayed at an Airbnb that did not have a cleaning fee and I've stayed in plenty of them.

Just booked an Airbnb in the NC mountains in October. Nice 1 bedroom townhouse with full amenities and a great mountain view.

I was a little shocked when I read you're required to take your garbage with you. Never saw that one before. But, when I compared the Airbnb cost to a typical average Holiday Inn hotel room for the same number of nights the hotel room was $400 more. This is only for 3 nights! Ridiculous!!!

I'll take the garbage with me for a much better experience and view and save $400. [emoji16]

 

[audreyh1]

One beach condo told us to just leave everything out. Don’t clean up or worry about the fridge. Just take out the garbage to the outside dumpster. We liked that!

Sometimes there is a cleaning fee, sometimes not, but generally leaving the fridge empty, loading and running the dishwasher at departure, and hauling the garbage out to an outside receptacle is all that is requested, and that is what we do.

 

[tulak]

I’ve stayed in a lot of Airbnbs and most require some level of cleaning, along with the cleaning fee.

I have stayed in a few where they didn’t require any cleaning and that’s nice. Usually it’s somewhere in between, strip the sheets from
the beds, take out the trash, start the dishwasher. For me, that’s reasonable.

But no way am I vacuuming or doing laundry. I’ve also never been asked to do those tasks, which makes me think it’s rare (even though we get to read about it in WSJ).

I do feel that Airbnb has gotten more expensive and I’ll always price out hotels for comparison.

 

[fifa]

airbnb has some great places for less than a hotel