Accommodations, and the Challenge of Choosing Which One? - Time Out #318

Where are we going to go next, I frequently ask myself?

Almost always, with that same question, my mind also wonders, where will we stay?

That "stay" (accommodations) part of my traveling puzzle is almost as thought-provoking as the "where to" question?

In today's modern world, the choices are extremely varied.

Of course, probably the main determining factor is how many travelers will be in our group at our final destination?

Once this has been decided, then the fun part begins. What type of housing will I choose?

Back in the day, the choices were simple, a mom-and-pop (non-franchised) no-frill, roadside motel, with possibly an outdoor swimming pool to help us cool off. Essential, also, was a window air conditioner in the small rented room, that hopefully (?) worked well, putting out cold, "refrigerated" air. Nearby our room, our family could usually locate a mom-and-pop restaurant to get a home-cooked meal for a couple of dollars.

The transition next steadily progressed to the chain-owned operations across Our Country. Names like Howard Johnson, Holiday Inn, Super 8, Red Roof Inn, and Motel 6 began popping up along America's highways. These brands provided consistency the traveler looked for when faced with the unknown open road, miles from their familiar homes and bedrooms. And, with the advent of "plastic money" (credit cards), it was almost like you weren't actually spending money when you paid for your travel expenses. All you had to do was present the embossed plastic card with your name printed across the front, and your room was rented!

Well, time waits for no one, and now we are trying desperately to leave the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the distant past, as we once again drive our family vehicle all over America's hinterlands. The accommodations choices have certainly increased.

Now, we have Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Wyndham, InterContinental, Best Western, etc. chain facilities almost everywhere, continuing to offer brand consistency, reward points, internet, and complimentary breakfasts. The local mom-and-pop places still exist, but are certainly vanishing from the traveling landscape. The other big players now are the Vacation Rentals by Owner (Vrbo), Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and assorted other companies that offer single-family homes, condos, townhouses, and even hotel rooms (excess inventory), owned by the major brands. These unique travel options allow private home owners to rent out their properties to people like you and me. In fact, recently my bride, Lady Deborah, and I have tested these unique travel options by renting a large Vrbo home in rural Florida for a week, and, more recently, renting a beautiful home in Santa Fe, NM, via the Airbnb route. Both experiences were very satisfying, and as long as you do you do your consumer "homework", I would recommend either of these methods in securing a vacation rental. Our children have had a great deal more experience in this area of travel rentals, so I leaned on them for some advise on the ins-and-outs of choosing a vacation property. Their knowledge was invaluable in helping me decide the various options. They even offered to do the entire process for me (using my credit card, of course), but I wanted to do the exercise myself so I could move forward in this area with our future travel planning. My recent successes have given me the confidence to use these vendors for any upcoming travel ideas.

So, my advice is simple; if travel is in your crystal ball, go for it. The world is your oyster, and there are so many experiences waiting for you and places to see!