Am I the only one that so tired of people saying that they aren't in their rooms that much just to justify staying in cheap tacky dumps? Why not just admit you are trying to save a buck instead of acting like it is the best thing for everyone else. Some of the places people mention staying curl my toes. Like inside cabins on Carnival or Circus Circus in Reno. Icky. Or telling everyone else in the free world they should rent a condo to cook for themselves. No thank you. Some things just get said here way to much.

I will be taking a short cruise on Carnival in December in a <shudder> inside cabin. However I am the first to admit it's because I got an unbelievable deal. I'd much prefer an outside cabin but since I've cruised before and didn't want to cough up almost double what I paid, I decided to go with the inside cabin.

I disagree. Some people travel to see and explore the world. Others prefer to surround themselves in the creature comforts of home. Personally, while I enjoy comfort, I want to see the world. If I wanted luxury and all the comforts of home, I would stay home period.

I go on vacation to explore not to hang around a hotel room. So I could stay in the Four Seasons or the Motel 6 and be a happy camper.

There's more to life than spending a lot of your vacation hanging around a hotel room. Just because it isn't your cup of tea, doesn't mean they are wrong.

Lighten up.

Everybody is different. Some people don't really care about their hotel rooms, others do. Some people like to cook on vacation, some don't. Whenever we go to Lake Tahoe, we rent a condo and cook out by the lake. To me this is much more relaxing than eating in restaurants.

Some of our most fun times we've had have been in rooms that were almost unbelievable--but we were in them to sleep then get up, get a shower and get out.

There was the room in Betws-y-Coed, Wales with the mirrored (with sunray pattern) 50's bookcase headboard WITH built in clocks, thin worn bedspread. TV on a stand. 3 or 4 electric clocks around (one on each side of the headboard) all reading vastly different times. There was barely room to turn around. If the TV was on forget about turning on too many lights, because that would knock the electricty out. No TV and hair drying at the same time either. We lost power at least once an hour there. Halls were narrow, and seemed to have their own elevation changes, no lifts. We laughted and laughed throughout that stay.

Earlier on that trip we'd been in the London Carlton Tower, a Hyatt. Very very elegant. All gentlemen in the lobby for breakfast were in coat and tie--in fact that's the only way men appeared in the lobby. We had a lovely suite, marble everywhere, plush plush towels and robes. But ask me which room we had more fun in...Betws-y-Coed, or London?

Then there was the room in Lubbock, TX where we'd waited too long to make our reservations for Parent's Weekend. We stayed at the Appletree Inn or something like that. It looked like a low tier Motel 6. We decided after the night was out it was Hooker Heaven. Walls were thin and people were knocking on the door of the room next door allllll night long. Comings and going thoughout the entire motel all night long. I think our door was the only one that stayed shut for the night..and even that got knocked on. gt;

Now we didn't book these rooms intending to save money, but they sure gave us some fun. Generally we are staying with my husband's chain traveling in the US and get beautiful suites, but in all honesty, if I were paying, I don't feel it's worth it to put down $250-300 for a room that I am virtually never in. We are generally up and going by 8 and don't get back in until 11PM or so. What good does the luxury do us? I wouldn't stay in a dump, but neither do I need to be surrounded by elegance on every journey. In Wales, our room WAS part of the journey.

Dear Honest: Finally a traveler after my own heart!

We hear all the time from travelers and cruisers (not the same breed) that they are not in their rooms that much so why get a good hotel. I'll telll them why.

It adds to the overall experience and the whole feel of a place to be in nice surroundings. We go to Puerto Vallarta often (as well as Europe and the Caribbean) and usually get a suite in one of the best hotels. There is nothing as relaxing as coffee and breakfast on the verandah taking in the gentle ocean breeze and watching the lapping waves. My husband lounges by the pool or gets a massage while I take my usual girly hour and a half to get ready for the day. Then we are out for most of the day trapsing around in the jungle or some other adventure. By 3 or 4 PM we are on our way back to the hotel to lay around the pool for a while, then another shower and cocktails (or even a short nap, before heading out for the nightlife. So we end up spending 3-5 a day in the hotel, not counting sleeping in a comfy bed with good crisp linens and it is worth every penny to be pampered and waited on!! Isn't that what a vacation is for? Compare this with my poor niece who wanted to save a few bucks, so she stayed at the Holiday Inn, Puerto Vallarta (truly the ugliest hotel in the city). There were cockroaches in their dull, windowless room. Torn bedspread of questionable history, and when they wanted to see the town, they ended up on a tour bus, which was the best the hotel could recommend! They hated PV and will never go back. We, on the other hand, think it is one of the most romantic cities in the world.
Does this put things in persprctive for the nay sayers?

I shop around til it hurts and get the best room in the best hotel we can afford. We are not wealthy, so don't write about how spoiled we are. I usually find what I am looking for at a price we can afford, and I never stay in a hotel I cant get pictures of and preferably reviews from forums like Fodors.

Since I started traveling with my daughter (she's almost two now) I really appreciate the nice rooms because you are in them a lot! But when I took a cruise I had an inside cabin and that was fine. I really was only in there to sleep (even an outside cabin is too small to really feel comfortable in).

It's a personal choice people! Get a life and let people do what they want to do and stop criticizing them!

You know, there are choices between the four seasons and the cockroach motel! On our first cruise we stayed in an inside cabin-- it was the only way we could afford to go at that time in our lives. It was a fabulous trip and the only thing we missed was a view at night of the open ocean..... Since then I've been in outside suites on cruises and penthouses in luxury hotels. I honestly enjoy a cheaper room in a more expensive hotel. You get all the service without the cost and can afford to spend more time traveling or splurging on meals and activities.
As they used to say...Different strokes for different folks!

Ooh Honest cheapskate..you really are cheap. Outside cabins...sharing a ship with strangers?? If you weren't such a cheapskate you would rent your own yacht or stay on a friend's. How icky to have to travel group commercial..
And travel tramp, you stay in public hotels??don't you have any friends with Villas or the money to rent one? How do you take your staff? You call that pampering? You should just stay home if you can't afford to travel in real comfort!
Why don't you just admit the you have no taste, and that you are too cheap to spring for decent accomodations? I hope this puts it in perspective to YOU.

I am with the group that chooses the nicer hotels. I will find the least expensive rate in one of the more expensive hotels. One of the areas I will not compromise!
I am not rich either. I just feel that that is part of the vacation mode.
I want as luxurious an experience as I can afford.
Doesn't make me a snob, just a pampered, happy vacationer!

We also like nicer hotels (at least a 4 on a scale of 1-5), but also shop around like crazy for rates. Our closest friends camp in a tent and that is great for them. As long as you are paying for it (and not demanding, expecting free upgrades or trying some scam where you pay for a cheap hotel and sneak into prohibited areas of expensive hotel - like pool) who cares.

I want someplace like a Hampton Inn where breakfast is included with the room. I'm not a morning person and the don't like the idea of trying to order something of the menu in the a.m. In the Hampton Inn, I sort of stumble around the breakfast area until I find food.

I don't think these hotels are dumps, but they aren't super luxury either.