Hotels V camping, I hear you now, is this “really” a debate? One is possibly a luxury stay by the swimming pool with a cocktail. The other is packing the ute, setting up a tent and roughing it out of a bush while relaxing under the stars and listening to sounds of nature hovering nearby.
No contest, right?
Well, it all depends on who you ask. Some are passionate hotel travellers who couldn’t think of anything worse than getting their hands dirty and sleeping with the snakes. Vice versa, there are the real rednecks of the world, who love nothing more than roughing it in the sticks, [easyazon_link identifier=” B01881TL3Y” locale=” US” tag=” fdt0c-20″]pitching the tent[/easyazon_link] and giving their 4WD a workout.
As for me, the author, I do both, so why don’t we go over the pros and cons of each option, then decide a winner in the battle of hotels v camping.
Are you electing to stay in a hotel? Find the ideal hotel at TripAdvisor!
Hotels v Camping: Who is your winner.
Hotels V Camping: Who is Your Winner?
Camping
Pros:
- Affordability: Camping costs next to nothing; in some areas, it’s free. But even if you are camping in style in a powered site at a Holiday Park, you will be saving a heap of cash.
- Family time: Nothing reunites a busy family more than a camping trip. It excites the kids as they play on the sticks, swim in the river and roast marshmallows by a fire. It is family bonding better than ever.
- An adventure: A [easyazon_link identifier= “1502419149” locale=” US” tag=” fdt0c-20″]camping trip[/easyazon_link] is an adventure as you explore the beautiful surroundings around you, get lost in the wilderness and discover new skills you never knew existed.
- Take in nature: The beauty of being outdoors amongst the untouched nature and stunning surroundings.
- Convenient: A camping trip can be decided on a whim. Load up the car and head out for a quick weekend getaway.
Kayaking is a treat during a camp.
Cons:
- Sleeping: A good night’s sleep can be hard on the rock-hard dirt floor. Especially without a decent mattress to support you. This issue can somewhat be solved if you purchase a decent[easyazon_link identifier=”B000HBIL9O” locale=”US” tag=”fdt0c-20″]camp bed[/easyazon_link] or mattress.
- Cooking: No room service out in the sticks; you will need to do it all yourselves, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Washing up: After cooking comes the washing up. Always an arduous task when camping but an unavoidable chore.
- Showering: If you’re camping in a holiday park, you’ll have the luxury of a communal shower, which is a bonus. At some camping sites, you will need to bathe in the river. If you are camping by the river, of course, but in some cases, you need to really “rough it.” Or purchase a portable shower and toilet from a camping store.
- Hot and sweaty: Camping is usually most popular during the summer. With no air-conditioner, no fans, keeping cool is only possible by swimming in the fresh rivers or beaches.
- Mosquitoes: Mozzies, bugs and flies. Probably the biggest downfall of camping. Expect to spend some time with those pests, and don’t forget your repellent.
Camping amongst the kangaroos in Australia remains a beautiful sight for tourists.
Hotels
Pros:
- Luxury: Hotels can be luxury, depending on where you stay. Sit back and relax in style; you are on holiday; click on the TripAdvisor link to find your perfect hotel or resort.
- Fine Dining: No cooking is required in your hotel room. Dine out in the hotel’s restaurants or many restaurants near your hotel. Oh, and room service can be an option too.
- Cocktails: [easyazon_link identifier=”0762457260″ locale=”US” tag=”fdt0c-20″]Cocktails[/easyazon_link] are popular, especially in a resort stay.
- Swimming pools: And where better to drink your cocktails than by a swimming pool as you sunbake on the layout and dip in the pool in-between.
- No cleaning up: Let the friendly staff clean up your beds and makeup room while you go out and enjoy the surrounds of the area where you are staying.
- Comfortable beds: Most times, sleeping in a hotel is convenient. The chances are you will have a much better sleep in the comfort of your hotel room without squatting those mozzies away.
Beautiful resorts like Mai Samui are an excellent choice.
Cons:
- Expensive: Hotels can be costly, and so are excellent dining and drinking cocktails by the pool. Be prepared to break the bank account.
- Sorry, there aren’t too many negatives to staying in a hotel. Unless you find a horror stay, that is what TripAdvisor is for, so you can review your potential hotels.
The comfort of a bed makes hotels popular.
And the winner is:
Camping is great, don’t doubt it. And I will continue to sleep in the great outdoors for time o come. Not only because it is affordable exercise, but it’s also great for kids and a great way to give them valuable outside time away from their fancy toys.
However, I would choose a hotel stay in pure luxury every day of the week and twice on Sundays. You can’t beat the comforts of a bed inside the four walls, with a private bathroom, room service and swimming pool below as you drink your cocktails.
So, your Fair Dinkum Traveller winner on this occasion is hotels. And by a bit of a margin. But that is just my choice, and options are always divided.
What is your preferred choice for Hotels V Camping? Tell me in the comments below.
Who is your winner? Hotels or camping.
I like your post. We too enjoy both camping and luxurious hotel stays. It mostly comes down to what kind of vacation are we doing though. Are we wanting to go hiking at a National Park or relax and explore a new country. We typically stay in hotels more than camp because when we work hard to earn vacation we typically want to relax. When we do go camping its when we want to get our and explore the great outdoors. So like you I would lean a little more towards hotels, but we do love camping too and try to keep them as balanced as possible.
I think it depends on location and length of your trip. I love the affordability of camping, but I don’t think I could do it for more than 3-5 nights. Nor would I want to go camping in some places. On the flip side, I’m a firm believer that staying in hotels can limit your experience of a destination!
I’m with you on this one. Camping is fine for a night if (and a big if) it’s nice weather, not too hot, there aren’t any bugs and there are hot showers. Hotels for me too! Although as my kids grow up I may be roped into more camping trips…
Great post, I would have to agree with you there though! I love hotels and I’m not a camping gal! However, my other half loves camping so I do end up camping! Having a camp fire under the stars on a warm beautiful night is amazing, but when it’s cold wet and windy, it isn’t fun!
Thanks for sharing
Call me a bit spoiled, but I, too, would go with the hotel option. Camping is amazing, as I just recently experienced with 6 days on Kilimanjaro…but there’s nothing like kicking your feet up on a soft mattress.
Loved the way you have thought through and pinned down the pros and cons. For camping, the support of the weather indeed plays a big role. Going through your post reminded me of a camping story I had read from India, himalayas. There was a hailstorm through the night and the campers had to pray for their lives all through the night!!
Wow!!!! The fact you gave camped in India Himalayas is awesome. That would have been great.
Great post Anthony,surely it’s quite difficult to choose. In my opinion camping it’sa cheaper and offers us the best experience, so I totally prefer this option. Anyway, sometimes is not so bad to opy for a luxury hotel, where you have all the comforts and privacy. So many times I stay in a hostel, that’s an halfway, chepeast than a Hotel and more comfortable than a camping :D.
I could camp for a night but I like my hot shower in the morning – think I’m definitely more of a hotel girl!! I enjoy the thought of communing with nature but not sure the reality would live up to the ideal!
I am sure as soon as my boys are grown up, my camping days will be over too.
I like to do a mixture of both. Sometimes being more in touch with nature is what I need. Other times, being more pampered or the ease if it is what I need. And, sometimes, I like to rough it with a little more luxury and glamp.
I so much agree with you. Not just the pros and cons but your winner as well. But i would also like to indulge into luxury of hotels once in a while for obvious reasons.
To be honest, judging by the comments. There is not a lot of love for camping.
We love camping, for the ‘being close to nature feel’ but for most trips we prefer hotels. The hotel provides everything, less to bring with you.
Hotels and camping are both appealing in their own right. It depends on the weather, budget, the place and your own inclinations.
This was an awesome read. I have stayed at hotels (mostly your average places but not at too many luxurious places) but I have never gone camping before. Something I have wanted to do for awhile. I think at the end of the day it depends on the person! Thanks for sharing!
While I love camping, I find traveling can be quite exhausting on its own and adding a poor night’s sleep to that just doesnt sound like a plan to me. Unless Im hiking, I rather reserve camping for a weekend getaway or a stationary vacation next to a lake or see.
How about a luxury camping idea? I am going to the Hornbill festival at Nagaland in India where I am planning to stay luxury tents. This sounds like a good mix of the two.
Funny you say that. I will be staying in my first luxury camping in Augusta Western Australia in two weeks
I would also prefer a hotel rather then a camping. I think camping is great but not of you don’t have a car and you have to carry all the gear with you. I travel alone most of the times and backpack a lot, my back needs also a good bed to rest during the night.
I think that is the biggest down side to camping. You can become a little sleep deprived. Nothing beats a comfortable bed.
Hotels have their own advantages. If travelling with famly and carrying a lot of luggage, one must go for them. However, tehre is nothng like campng if you can manage that.Especially carrying your own tent gives you a lot of flexbility, especially in places that are ideal for such activities such as mountains.
Very true mate.
I actually like both and I think it depends on the location and people I am with. Sometimes I go camping with my boyfriend and family, but staying in hotels is more preferred. I like camping with friends though. Thanks for this detailed comparison.
There’s another in-between option as well…glamping I.e. Camping with all the frills of a hotel. Since I love the outdoors and luxury, I’d love to try that as well
As a matter of fact, I prefer spending a holiday in a campsite. But totally it relies on the purpose of your traveling. Honestly speaking, I love to try both of them.
Too true Amir, it is always personal preference. Thanks for your comment.
I would prefer to stay at a hotel rather than camping out doors but that is just my opinion.
Any opinion is a good opinion and I tend to agree with you in regards to hotels. Thanks for your comment Toby.