Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yes, except in many parts of the world, they don't have luxury hotels at all and no company would offer to build them since they are not really over-hyped tourist destinations.
Really, you need to get out more. I love how Americans seem to think every single place in the world has luxury, or even Holiday Inn type hotels! There are parts of Asia and Africa you should see before making generalizations. The world is not at all like your resort in Jamaica or Cancun, there is much, much more to it and you just might become more humble if you visit some of these places.
I would feel like an a$$ spending money on room service or at the hotel bar in a place where I know the locals make $1/day. The point of travel is to experience someone else's way of living/eating/etc. If you lock yourself in your American hotel room and order room service that consists of a burger and fries, you're denying yourself one of the best experiences out there.
I have no desire to go to off the beaten path places. At all. I travel for the reasons I choose to travel, just as you do. My reasons are not to live like the citizens of the third and fourth worlds do. I certainly realize that there is a distinct lack of basic comfort in many remote areas. Just because I haven't been there it doesn't mean that I know nothing about it.
You can feel like an ass if you want, I have a different opinion on the topic. And perhaps you've never stayed at a SLH, LHW, R&C, etc., but I can assure you, they are not typical American chains. Not even close.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,726 posts, read 58,067,115 times
Reputation: 46195
Quote:
Originally Posted by slackjaw
We used to stay at $10 guesthouses/hostels when younger and traveling, but as we've gotten older ...
As I've gotten older I prefer the $10 / night private guest homes I have used for over 25 yrs. Just that now I'm availed to 'over - age 50' lodging directories and some very nice private homes. Often they have nice gues qtrs or cottages that rival any Westin I've stayed in. On the rare occasion I need a hotel at an International destination, an "American chain" (Holiday Inn / Marriot) is the LAST place I look. I don't get much of a cultural experience from their clientele, and I find them no cleaner. There are many educational, clean, and inexpensive 'local' hotels in those types of destinations. When I get home, I remember the unique experiences. (Usually a cultural snafu or the hilarious time making conversation with non-English speaking hosts).
slackjaw - I heartily 2nd your comments regarding MAK802's post. annerk is perfectly entitled to her peferences and priorities in traveling. Her nationality (or anyone else's) is irrelevant. MAK802's opinion using room service in an impoverished country is his/her problem and not very germane to the OP's thread.
Personally, I find it interesting to view other travelers' views, without feeling any need to critique their choices. Quite simply it is none of my business. My apology to the OP for digressing.
I like going to Asia and I usually budget $100 a day. In Japan than means I'm staying in business hotels and eating lots of gyu-don (beef bowl). In China it means much nicer accomodations and better food. Since the air fare is so expensive to get there I don't mind spending a lot per day. My vacation time is limited and it doesn't make sense to weigh the cost-benefit equation so heavily in terms of money. It is easier to make money than it is to make time.
I have no desire to go to off the beaten path places. At all. I travel for the reasons I choose to travel, just as you do. My reasons are not to live like the citizens of the third and fourth worlds do.
everyone has their own right to do as they please and spend their money on whatever type of trip they want to but one of my most memorable nights was in Vietnam with a small group.
We stayed with a Vietnamese family in their house.
They slept on the balcony, we all slept on rubber mats in the same room. There was only one water standpipe for all 16 of us - incl the family. They cooked a feast for us and we paid them for the food and accommodation. The money supported the family for a month until the next group.... They cooked for us, practised their english, the guys played football with the local kids and we bought something from every 'shop' in the village. The people we stayed with were happy, positive and didn't know what television or internet was so didn't feel they were badly done to. They grew their food and kept animals. It was an amazing grounding experience. We left with great memories of them laughing at our shock at not having a toilet or hot water and really made us think about what is important in life. We didn't feel like we were exploiting them and I'm sure they didn't feel like a 'tourist attraction' which was my initial concern.
We regularly use 5* hotels and travel A LOT but sometimes its good to experience life from another angle to appreciate what you have at home and to make you think a bit more about what is really important in life....
I traveled all the time in my 30s and 40s - now that I am over 50 I feel as if a lot of that itch has been satisified - but I've stockpiled about 600,000 miles in anticipation of early retirement (let's hope I don't get burned by hoarding them). I was trying to figure out a retirement travel budget about five years ago and I came up with $25,000 per year. Of course I am a single guy and probably would be able to do that - but it was really a lot of trips for the money - I had something planned just about every month. Not sure I would want to go as much now.
everyone has their own right to do as they please and spend their money on whatever type of trip they want to but one of my most memorable nights was in Vietnam with a small group.
We stayed with a Vietnamese family in their house.
They slept on the balcony, we all slept on rubber mats in the same room. There was only one water standpipe for all 16 of us - incl the family. They cooked a feast for us and we paid them for the food and accommodation. The money supported the family for a month until the next group.... They cooked for us, practised their english, the guys played football with the local kids and we bought something from every 'shop' in the village. The people we stayed with were happy, positive and didn't know what television or internet was so didn't feel they were badly done to. They grew their food and kept animals. It was an amazing grounding experience. We left with great memories of them laughing at our shock at not having a toilet or hot water and really made us think about what is important in life. We didn't feel like we were exploiting them and I'm sure they didn't feel like a 'tourist attraction' which was my initial concern.
We regularly use 5* hotels and travel A LOT but sometimes its good to experience life from another angle to appreciate what you have at home and to make you think a bit more about what is really important in life....
The thought of vacationing someplace without at least the basic comforts makes me cringe. I understand what you are saying, but I know that I would not enjoy the type of thing you are suggesting--so why would I spend my precious vacation time being miserable? I won't even stay in the guest room at my in-laws because it's just not a comfortable situation for me, having to share a bathroom with them. We all have our own comfort levels, I know what mine are, and I know what I need to not be miserable. It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the important things--good health for example.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
