I've always felt that way. Even if I'm hugely fond of the friends or relatives, I'd rather stay in a motel--or better yet, stay home.

The exceptions were my parents (Florida) and in-laws (Bermuda and Arizona). I enjoyed staying with both of them.

I'm the same. Any hotel is better than staying with some people, no matter how much I love 'em. As I get older, I'm much more set in my ways!

That is exactly why we are looking at and considering a travel trailer that way we just take our home with us when we go! Plus my little dog will always have a safe place and her own bed. We want one that can be pulled with the truck so we still have transportation available.

I also thought should things go horribly wrong in our future I could haul it off to some family land and live in it instead of a box under a bridge LOL. I am always joking with my family that since I have no children of my own to help me out when I get old I will probably be living in a box under a bridge.

I do not mind staying with my sister which is what we do when we go back home and now that she put a king size bed in "my" room it sure is easier to stay there.
So many hotels do not allow dogs even itty bitty tiny ones which makes that option difficult and I really hate to leave her behind.

I'm with the rest of you. Set in my ways, I like my bed, my bath tub, my special diet, and my pets. Not a problem since the kids live here and everyone else is dead. I do have a cousin on a golf course in SC who wants us to visit, but no thanks.

We too stay at motels etc and enjoy visiting short periods of time with friends and relatives. Especially since we have moved we have found that the road runs only one way with certain relatives so they get dropped from the list. When we were able to use the RV it really was nice, especially if there was a swimming pool at the park. Gk's always with permission loved it.

Me, too! I like my routines; I can't always take the dog with me (she's small, so she can go in-cabin on planes, but it's $$$). I like my own bed and not necessarily having to be really quiet during hours that in my own home I'm still up rambling around.

Hotel is best for me -- if someone else's paying! But that's not the way it turns out.

I also frequently feel "stranded" without my car -- if I've flown somewhere. And I don't want to shell out the money for a rental car.

What I do during my visit depends on the host relatives' schedule, what they want to do or need to do. I've learned to pack a couple of books.

But I really think this has come with age! 15-20 years ago, I'd visit a close aunt in Florida and really enjoyed being with her, even in her condo or apt. But I always rented a car back then, and we'd go here or there together.

Can't say I've got an across the board answer for this one. I have one set of relatives who smoke, so I'd definitely never stay in their house (even visiting for a couple of hours I risk getting a migraine). Another is very, very fussy about the oddest things--it's impossible to keep her foibles straight--so she's kind of difficult to stay with.

But DD and I are planning to take a trip next spring to visit one of our favorite relatives. We have a standing invite to visit and stay in their home. We'll have a lovely time.

I won't stay in hotels any more--not with the risks involved. So about the only way I would travel is to have an invitation to stay in someone's home. Of course, we'll be taking our hosts out to dinners, and giving them a nice hostess gift.

Would much rather spend time with relatives than strangers!

I'm with you. I do not like staying with people. I feel trapped and uncomfortable without my routine, my stuff in my place.

I like traveling to visit friends and kin.... but when visiting some, we do stay at a motel if they have lots of unruly kids or pets....but my favorite of all is visiting Massachusetts where one of my best friends has a lovely country home that we stay in when we visit....They use it mostly just on weekends... and we usually stay a month when we go and that way get to visit with all our NE kin and friends...
Of course we do the entire Lobster Dinner thing along with a lovely thank you note and hostess gift... This time when we go... I will be gifting her with my collection of "Watt Wear" as both her and her daughter are collectors of it... and nobody in my family is interested.. and I know she will love it..

Carolyn

I never have enjoyed staying in someone else's home, but hubby doesn't mind at all. In fact he even likes it, especially if it's a close relative. I usually am able to convince him to stay in a hotel, thankfully, when we visit out of state. I love the travel trailer idea, since I have 2 beloved dogs and I always feel really bad leaving them behind.

We love to make the occasional trip and enjoyed cruising for awhile but recently bought a motor home and have had it equipped with all the comforts of home. Its not too big and not to small so we like using it. The nice thing is that you can visit and not impose on anyone.

The kids all make us feel totally comfortable so that's not an issue but other than that, We wpi;d rather have my our own space. We plane a couple of extended trips this year and are looking forward to being able to travel with our dog Molly.

I don't either, and also don't like other people overnite in my home!

I just love it.

But I am also the kind of guest that visits for a while, then has errands to run, or others to check up on... or shopping.. and most of those are done solo.

Besides that, a good book, a quiet corner indoors or out.... all help giving both a break, and some alone time.

I think, the host is just as happy for alone time as the guest.

Moni

Hotel/motel for us, too. The only relative we stay with is my Dsis and BIL in IRB. Like to put on my jammies and watch TV, drink a beer and eat snacks that I bring from home.

Every year I go to CA and divide my week between 2 or 3 friends' homes. I really enjoy it and they all keep inviting me back. One friend loans me a car to use for the week. I prefer to stay in friends' homes rather than in a hotel. I hate to stay alone in a hotel. I board my little dog at an excellent kennel here where I know she is safe and gets plenty of attention.

I wonder too if part of it is all the talking you have to do?

the only one we stay with consistantly is dd1...they have an aweful pull out bed that dh puts an air mattress on, and i camp in with oldest dgd..actually she'd recently put the bottom half of her trundle bed up and it wasn't too bad..but the toilet!!! we have one of thos hi-rise we bought, when we redid...and i have bad knees...it's like using the potty in an elementary school!

told her next time i'm bringing the potty raiser, lol...we still have one from when mother visited here...

I like to go, and to see friends or family, but we generally choose to stay close by in a hotel. Once in a while its not possible - I have an Aunt in Phoenix who would be terribly hurt if we didn't share her home, so for occasional visits to check on her, I adapt to her schedule. Elderly and not a good sleeper, she's up till wee hours, wish I could be tougher and just tell her at midnight or 1 AM that I'm going to bed!

I'm really used to some quiet time at some point during the day and prefer it in the morning. I like to be up, have a coffee or tea, shower and dress - and then join a group and participate in conversation, not before. Family guest rooms, sharing a bath room....let me reserve a hotel room to slip away to in the evening and I'll be the best and most gracious day guest you've ever had.

Just give me a stateroom on a ship :o)

I used to visit son and his family when he was in the Army. I enjoyed staying with them.

Really have no family to go visit, but if I did I'd choose to stay in a motel.

I don't mind staying at my parent's house and with two or three friends. I don't like to fly much these days, though. I do it, but I'd rather drive and have my own car when I reach my destination. Also, it's so much easier to pack when you don't have to worry about TSA restrictions and the possibility of losing your luggage.

I guess it just depends on the people. I like staying with (or hosting) some because it extends the amount of time we get to be together. Other people, a little distance is nice. We have a small house so we can't have a big bunch of people stay over, usually 2-3 is our max. Fortunately, there are about 1000 motel rooms 10 miles away. :)

I agree. Depends on who. Some people I am comfortable wandering downstairs in my bathrobe for coffee in the morning and some I am not. I only have one full bath and a powder room at home so I am afraid it is not always so easy for some visitors. I'd love another full bath.

I like to make coffee in a hotel room and get back in bed and watch tv. I don't like getting dressed right away but I do need coffee.

I love to travel. My husband and I have been taking trips in our RV for the past 3 years. A year ago we bought a 40 foot coach and have put 24,000 miles on it so far.

We take our cats with us and they just love it. I think it's great that we get to sleep in our own beds, I cook our meals like usual and we do our own thing. We camp near our family when we visit them otherwise we are out seeing our beautiful country.

We are getting ready to leave out on June 1 for a six week trip up through the PAC NW and then go into Montana and up to Banff Canada. This trip will be almost 7,000 miles.

I have had the opportunity to meet friends from the KT and MH forums while on our trips. It is a great way to travel even with the high cost of fuel. I always say you can't take it with you and we are not getting any younger. We are going to enjoy ourselves for as long as we can.

Motel/hotel here too. I like my personal space and I don't really care for overnite guests either.

In fact I'm leaving for a short trip on Friday morning. I have a Red Hat thing I'm attending. Most share a room. Not me. In fact I asked for a quiet room away from all the hustle and bustle. I will attend the parts I want and go off by myself when I want. I was going to visit my brother but he isn't up to it right not even for a day visit. I had planned to stay at a motel near him. Now I am fancy free for the rest of the week so who knows where I will end up. Might go north,might go south. But while I love socializing at days end I want my own space.

I'm easy going, will adapt to others' schedules ... and love to visit relatives and friends ... would sleep on the floor, if necessary (but haven't had to).

As for the lady who felt constrained to stay up late with a night-hawk aunt ... I think that I'd just make my apologies and head for bed at a more decent hour.

ole joyful

Well, I am glad I am not alone in feeling this way. I hate being thrown off my routine and I also hate sharing bathrooms. LOL