Better way to travel overnight?
Posted by Subfan2019@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 36 comments
I'm currently traveling around Wyoming on a motorcycle. When I get tired or it gets late, I find the closest town and open up my boocking apps looking for the cheapest place to stay. I have few requirements for my stay.
1) Cleanish room 2) Air conditioning (or heat depending on the time of the year) 3) Hot shower 4) Outlet to recharge my devices 5) Mostly level parking lot with few potholes It's a bonus if the room has a refrigerator and microwave
As I lay in a motel room bed realizing I just paid $80+ to sleep I find myself doom channel surfing the TV trying to get some value from my stay.
Am I the only one that wishes there was a half price place to stay that sticks with the basics? I really don't need a TV, I'm just getting the room to sleep. The two side chairs and desk? Again I'm just here to sleep! Fancy lighting and micro toiletries, I travel with what I like. I just want to get a shower and sleep. I'll wakeup early in the morning and hit the road.
Would there be any appeal to people other than myself for a motel with a basic bed, toilet and shower? The room could be nearly half size, even with a king bed. The heating/cooling burden would also be smaller for the smaller room. Removing the TV's and associated cable bill and half the lights would all greatly reduce the cost to run.
Even the microtels are outrageous in cost for what little many travelers get from them. Still far too much furniture, nothing worth watching on the provided TV and overpriced decor for a place you're just sleeping in.
Spirited_Ear_5563@reddit
I just did half way across Canada and we tented the entire time, my friend has been camping his entire life so they know all the spots and we have always camped same spots with a tent no problem.
startenjoyinglife@reddit
You seem to be asking for something with practically zero demand for (from most travelers) with basically no supply for (for obvious reasons)
Most travelers in general are looking for some sort of comfort, not a cot in a closet. Hostels in a dorm room in some states are an option but aren't that cheap these days either...
I would suggest investing in a tent you can easily travel with for sleep and using truck stops for showers.
One-Row882@reddit
Throw some panniers on that thing and camp. It’s the best
savehoward@reddit
Hostels are what you’re describing. They’re popular in Europe for teens to bicycle around the continent on the cheap.
LittleScore7119@reddit
Some hostels have private rooms. With a private or shared bathroom.
Subfan2019@reddit (OP)
I apologize, I should have mentioned this post is for USA travelers.
savehoward@reddit
Yes. Same hostel but much rarer than the rest of the world. I’ve stayed in dormitory hostels in Wisconsin, Brooklyn, Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco.
Hostels require areas tourist areas that are NOT completely reliant on car travel.
Subfan2019@reddit (OP)
Wyoming is pretty much completely reliant on powered vehicle travel. Today I've ridden almost 400 miles, been through 30+ towns and mostly only the "bigger" towns (population over 1,500) have had a hotel/motel. Many of them didn't even have gas stations, I spend a lot of time hoping the next place will have fuel or cell signal so that I could find fuel.
SafetySecondADV@reddit
If fuel is a concern, just plan your fuel stops before leaving to make sure there's no big gaps between stations instead of worrying about it all day.
Subfan2019@reddit (OP)
Planning for fuel stops would imply I had any planned direction. When I left early last week, I had no destination in mind. I checked the forecast and saw little to no rain east of me so that's the direction I went. If something caught my eye, a landmark or historical marker or town name is never heard of, I'd go that direction.
MayaPapayaLA@reddit
No, you missed the point. What you are looking for in an ideal world is hostels. Of course it doesn't exist in Wyoming - I'm an American too. But it should, ideally. And for what it's worth, hostels barely exist in major cities with lots of public transit in the US, another problem for travelers that want a basic place to lay their head for cheap.
graygarden77@reddit
It’s the sleeping with strangers tho.
LittleScore7119@reddit
Look up hostels. They can charleston sc has one and the rates are awesome and the place is really clean and cool.
WokeLibCynic@reddit
I’m just trying to imagine how amazing Wyoming is right now? I’m already planning my exit and retirement there as soon my kid graduates HS. SD and this state as a whole has gone off the rails. Can’t wait to get some peace, quiet, nature and out of what’s turned into a police state I grew up in. Wish I could have advice on cheaper ways to spend the night.
twistedcrickets@reddit
This may not help if you're riding around one state, but I've used KOA cabins on road trips in the US. I pack a sleeping bag in a side case and an inflatable pillow.
Subfan2019@reddit (OP)
I did that a couple of years ago, I also did motorcycle tent camping at KOA's. Unfortunately the cost of the KOA cabins is only slightly less than a cheap motel and none of the cabins I stayed at had air conditions even though it was greatly needed
participatorylearn@reddit
Yep. $100 for a KOA cabin. I couldn’t believe it.
knocking_wood@reddit
You are more or less describing Motel 6. Idk if you can get one for $40 though, that's pretty cheap. Also, a lot of your hotel cost is actually tourist taxes. Politicians love to pass tourist taxes because they only affect people who can't vote them out of office. They are up to 20% now in a lot of places.
Subfan2019@reddit (OP)
The cheapest motel I've had was in Texas, taxes and fees it came up to $46/night. I had my dog with me and they waved the pet fee. My dog could have crapped all over that room and it still would have been better than the way they rented it to me. The next cheapest was in New Mexico at $52/night, just had to ignore the blood stains on the bath tub and up the walls.
participatorylearn@reddit
Sheesh.
knocking_wood@reddit
Pack a tent and camp. A spot in an organized campground in a national forest, last time I reserved one (about a year ago) was a little over $20/night. That is for a cleared patch of dirt with a picnic table, parking for one car, and a shared vault toilet and water spigot. No electricity, no showers, no heat or air conditioning, and in fact no bed unless you bring your own. Certainly no refrigerator or microwave. That should tell you how realistic $40/night is.
SafetySecondADV@reddit
If I'm not getting electricity or showers, I prefer to just try and find a free camp. If you're out west, there's a lot of BLM land that allows free camping. I dont mind paying $20 or so if there's a shower and somewhere to charge up some stuff.
Subfan2019@reddit (OP)
Last year's trip was to a national forest. I couldn't reserve a spot, just had to hope one was open. It was $10/night which I felt was outrageous since they had just raid the raise during COVID to $5/night. Earlier this week I was up there and I noticed they are still charging $10/night but that now covers parking in the other fee areas like the lakes and trail heads which was previously $2 more.
CatMomJenPhx@reddit
Hostels. I like to travel cheap, but i draw the line at sharing space, so $80 rooms are always it for me! The only think that sucks about an $80 room, is when it looks like a $30 per hour room....🤮
Business_Release_549@reddit
As far as showers, what about like a loves gas station or similar? Last I checked into it, anyone can sign up for a shower slot.
Personally, my local campground which is a state park includes restrooms and showers. (They are like outdoor pavilion/shed-type but still gets the job done). And most, if not all, of our tent slots had power hookup. They also have a set of cabins and an actual lodge/hotel on site.
JackYoMeme@reddit
It's still pretty bare ones by anyone else's standards. Some places have hostels, but I really doubt Wyoming would. Offering a single bar of soap and shampoo helps keep their blanket clean. No where cleans their blankets every day, that's what they don't tell you. Pillow cases and sheets probably get cleaned but the blanket doesn't. I prefer to carry camping gear in Wyoming especially.
Wenger2112@reddit
State park campgrounds may be a good fit. I stayed at two on the coast in Oregon. I am sure they differ by state.
$40-50/night for a yurt or cabin. But not a bunch of fees and taxes. Shared showers and bathrooms.
But they did have electric and heat. Worth the extra $25 over sleeping in a tent and cleaner than any hotel at that price.
Jazzlike-Sector-4388@reddit
Pack a tent.
dougv7799@reddit
Check out KOA cabins, pretty low cost, bare bones and you have access to restrooms and showers.
np8790@reddit
Hotels aren’t expensive because of the cable bill, lighting, or decor. They’re expensive because of things like labor costs, taxes, and debt service. Even the most basic, no-frills hostel is going to struggle to cut those much, especially with the owner needing to make it worth their while to run.
You’re out west. Camping on public land is the move to save money until it’s too cold.
Beach_CCurtis@reddit
Rig up a solar panel on the back of the bike to charge your devices during your ride?
DkamF1983@reddit
Get a tent, pack a sleep roll, and get a small portable power station/generator, and a campstove. Then find a camp ground for between $10 -$30 a night
catfoodonmyshelf@reddit
Camp on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land for free! Spend $30/month for Planet Fitness membership which includes access to any gym + decent showers
jeanie_rea@reddit
When I started traveling around the US extensively in 1993, you could find very basic accommodations for around $40 a night. If you adjust that for inflation, you would be at $89.35.
Try hostelworld for some options - you won’t find as many in the US, but you could still look and find something, depending on your location.
There is a site called hotels for truckers, you may be able to use that to check options too.
US Inflation Calculator- Bureau of Labor and statistics
ChrisW828@reddit
You know how sometimes restaurants are pricey but the portions are huge?
Same thing.
Restaurants, motels, and everything in the hospitality industry, wants to make as much per person as possible.
In a restaurant, no one is going to order two entrées, so they charge you the price of two and call the double servings large portions.
Motels and hotels can only put so many rooms in a footprint, and need to charge X per room and have a steady percent occupied every single day to stay in the black. They justify X with amenities.
Subfan2019@reddit (OP)
I know how some of the most expensive restaurants seem to serve the least amount of food! They charge for the atmosphere. Remove that atmosphere and you realize you just paid $30 for a plate of weeds, or kale as some people call it, and a $6 steak.