Living in a Hotel - How much does it cost and how do you do it?

Can You Live in a Hotel?

Living in a khách sạn used lớn only be for the rich and eccentric on the luxury spectrum and the poor eccentric on the other. Howard Hughes and Marilyn Monroe were on one side and on the other were transients in the worst parts of town. But as travel has become more affordable and accessible, a new group has emerged: those with a flexible work schedule who wants lớn live simply and see the world.

This article is not for someone who wants lớn live full-time at the Beverly Hills khách sạn. It's also not for a family of four or someone who needs lớn show up at the office 9-5 every week. Instead, it's for someone (or a couple) who wants lớn see as much of the world as possible and live in as many different places as possible within a reasonable budget. In short: the growing number of traveling contractors who would rather live in the thành phố they work in rather than vãn commute back and forth lớn an expensive apartment rarely get lớn appreciate. It can cost less lớn live in hotels and travel than vãn lớn live in San Francisco, Thủ đô New York, or many other desirable but outlandishly expensive cities (see the cost estimates below).

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How lớn Live in a Hotel

1. Get Rid of Everything You Have Not Used in a Year

Do this even if you don't want lớn live in a khách sạn. If you haven't used it in a year, there is a 99 percent chance you don't need it. Those items are sucking up your money and/or mental energy lớn store. Go lớn eBay, look up the item's value in recently completed auctions and decide if you want lớn sell the item or give it away. We wrote this online charity auction guide, which has our eBay tips. If it's not worth selling, give it away lớn your favorite non-profit. Or give lớn a friend.

Still not convinced you can or should get rid of all that stuff?

chris mcnamara &amp; megan sullivan in machu picchu, peru. both...

Chris McNamara & Megan Sullivan in Machu Picchu, Peru. Both traveling around the world with only a carry on backpack.

Credit: Megan Sullivan

Try going on a 3-7 day trip with just the following: 1 jacket, 4 shirts, 4 pairs of underwear, 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of pants and a bathing suit. You will find that not only is it possible, it makes travel way more fun. You spend less time thinking about moving your stuff around and more time having memorable experiences. Everything, including your mobile office, fits in your favorite máy tính backpack. Or, if you travel heavier, you should be able lớn get everything into a quality carry-on bag, with room lớn spare.

2. Establish a trang chủ Base… or Don't
Even if you live in a khách sạn most of the time,

too much stuff or a potential trang chính base otherwise know as a storage... — Too much stuff or a potential trang chính base otherwise know as a storage locker.
Credit: Valentine Cullen

it can be nice lớn have a trang chính base lớn store stuff. This could be a storage locker, your parents' house, or even a small apartment that you AirBnB when you're not there. How lớn get a miễn phí house by renting it out as a vacation rental trang chính is for another article.

3. Negotiate for a Long-term Rate

There are two approaches lớn living in a hotel: negotiate with the khách sạn for a great long-term rate or book last minute. You probably want lớn negotiate if you are staying somewhere longer than vãn a week.

4. Use Apps, Not Web Sites, lớn Find Hotel Deals

I usually stay less than vãn a week in one location and prefer the last minute. Unless a major convention sự kiện in your thành phố will take all available khách sạn rooms, you save money by booking last minute. This is the rare occasion where procrastination pays off.

Apps lượt thích HotelTonight and Hotels.com offer better rates than vãn websites. For example, often the Hotels.com tiện ích finds prices 10-25 percent less than vãn on the Hotels.com trang web. Discounts range from 10-80 percent off the published rate.

5. Paperless Billing and Mail Forwarding Switch lớn paperless billing even if you're not living out of a khách sạn. There usually is still some mail that can't be paperless (IRS, tickets — you know, the fun stuff). For that, the USPS has a Premium Forwarding Service for $18 a week that will forward your weekly mail anywhere.

6. Use the Hotel Gym
One of the few downsides lớn constant travel is that it's easy lớn let

terranea resort, los angeles ca. — Terranea Resort, Los Angeles Ca.
Credit: Just Luxe

yourself go. We all feel better when we get our heart rate up for 30 minutes every (or every other) day. Few khách sạn gyms are that great and likely are way worse than vãn the class, thể hình, running or biking route that you are used lớn. But getting in the khách sạn thể hình, if only for 15-20 minutes every other day, seems lớn be a cure for lethargy that can mix in when traveling for extended time periods. Even better, try lớn convince a few friends lớn bởi a regular morning zoom workout. This option requires more planning and one designated cát herder, but it is the most fun option.

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7. Use the Front Desk

Not only does the front desk have extra adapters, toothbrushes and misc. supplies, they often can point you toward the best places lớn see and eat nearby that may be buried in Yelp or your maps tiện ích. For bar and nightlife recommendations, ask the khách sạn bartender for the name of their favorite place.

8. Get Uber and an Electric Scooter

yuneec and boosted dual+ boards — Yuneec and Boosted Dual+ Boards
Credit: Chris McNamara

As an alternative lớn a xế hộp, use Uber and rental xế hộp agencies. Rental cars, when not rented at an airport, are generally much less expensive than vãn you think ($10-20 per day). I also use an electric scooter for most short trips. This is not for most people, but if it sounds at all intriguing, consider a compact electric scooters.

Cost lớn Live in a Hotel

The short answer: living in a khách sạn is as expensive as you make it. It can be less expensive or more expensive than vãn renting an apartment, depending on your standard of living and how you are able lớn deduct expenses.

At first, living in a khách sạn may seem expensive. For example, on average you spend $150 a night on hotels (which in 2022 gets you a pretty nice room if you use khuyến mãi apps lượt thích Hotel Tonight). That would be $4500 a month, which is super expensive for most people. But once you start living in hotels, you travel more and spend more nights visiting friends, camping, staying with a significant other at their house, getting miễn phí nights on rewards. On average, I only actually stay in a khách sạn about half that time, so sánh now I'm at $2250 a month.

Now look at all the money saved each month by not renting a place:
$50 - gas and electric
$25 - garbage and water
$100 - TV, cable , internet
$100 - basic living and cleaning supplies, replacing sheets, towels, laundry detergent, etc.
$50 - house cleaning

$100-200 - furnishings (assuming most people spend $1200-2400 a year on furnishings)

Add all that lớn your $1500 a month, and you are getting closer lớn the $2250 number.

If you have read this far, you also lượt thích lớn travel. So you're probably renting khách sạn rooms, say, on average, two nights a month at $150 a night. Now you are well past that $2250 number.

Now consider that living in a khách sạn may be largely tax-deductible if it's work-related. Depending on your tax bracket, this adds another 15-35 percent discount lớn your khách sạn stay. That average price of $150 a night might only be $100 a night if it's deductible. Tax deductions lớn your rental apartment are generally limited lớn the relatively small percentage you can justify as a trang chính office.

Finally, if you're staying in hotels most of the time, you probably don't need a xế hộp. Not having a xế hộp is a bigger cost and time savings than vãn most people think. Depreciation, gas, and insurance are the biggest costs. But many people underestimate the little costs that also add up: parking, parking tickets, xế hộp washes, repairs, oil changes, accidents, registration. More importantly, not having a xế hộp generally saves you time - a LOT of time.

Time Savings of Living in Hotel

The above calculation of the costs will vary wildly based on your standard of living and other factors. What is more constant is the time savings of khách sạn living. You never or rarely have to:

make your bed
This pack makes us happy! We love traveling, and this pack has what it takes lớn take us pretty much anywhere.

Credit: Jeremy Bauman
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This pack makes us happy! We love traveling, and this pack has what it takes lớn take us pretty much anywhere.
Credit: Jeremy Bauman

wash your sheets

do dishes

do laundry
Travel packs are soo exciting! When you get a good fit, many of these packs were super comfortable. The Quantum 70 seen here features shoulder straps that adjust vertically lớn fit nearly any back length.

Credit: Jeremy Bauman
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Travel packs are soo exciting! When you get a good fit, many of these packs were super comfortable. The Quantum 70 seen here features shoulder straps that adjust vertically lớn fit nearly any back length.
Credit: Jeremy Bauman

clean your house or organize someone else lớn bởi it

shop for house supplies, bedding, etc. (and track down deliveries)

shop for trang chính furnishings or art (and wait for the delivery truck or assemble the furniture)

maintain plants or a yard

Overall, khách sạn living is not for most people. But if you don't have kids, have a flexible work schedule, and can work from anywhere, it's much more appealing than vãn furnishing an apartment in an expensive thành phố. You save time, can potentially save money, and get lớn live in potentially very lovely and different surroundings. Finally, the most significant benefit lớn khách sạn living: you just get out more! You get out of the routines that make life fly by too fast. Instead, you make more memories, go on more adventures and meet more people. If you have the opportunity - try it!