We took a two week trip by car last month staying in chain hotels (Marriot, Hyatt, Hilton) each night. We felt very comfortable with precautions taken by the hotels, restaurants, fellow guests and, of course, those practiced by us. We'll be traveling next week, staying in hotels for five nights. We also, plan to travel by car this Fall and Winter, assuming the Covid status remains unchanged.

We recently drove to the Dallas area and stayed at a well-known chain hotel. We felt very comfortable there. Guests were required to wear masks in the lobby, elevators, hallways, etc. All employees did, too. No problems whatsoever.

We spent a couple of nights in a small cabin in a state park last month. I really liked the check in system. When we arrived there was a little kiosk outside with envelopes containing each guest's keys and information.

We are planning a small road trip in a couple of weeks to visit my mom for her 90th birthday and then onto Los Angeles to visit our daughter.

I chose a budget chain motel for our first stop - no elevators or interior hallways, and an Airbnb near our daughter's house for the remainder of the trip.

No. We do not feel comfortable about a hotel at this point. With other guests, staff, etc. it’s seems more like a ”group”. I would go as Terri did, a cabin, private house, etc. and we may do that in a couple of months. I also do not feel comfortable getting into elevators with others.

We opted not to take a trip to Colorado, as it would require an overnight in a hotel going and coming and I just don't feel ready for that yet. Perhaps oddly enough, though, I would be willing to stay for an extended period in an Airbnb. Maybe it's the privacy that entices, but I would probably wonder how well it had been cleaned after the last guests. Then again, we often stay in such accommodations for a couple or three weeks at a time, and do our own cleaning while there. We don't mind. But no hotels for us. Not yet.

I haven’t and I’d rather not but if I had something pressing to attend to I probably would. I can’t imagine that hotels are so busy they’re crowded. Doesn’t seem too much more dangerous than going to the grocery store. I would wipe down all the surfaces in my room upon arrival.

Kind of. We stayed at a very small b&b - 2 bedrooms, one for me and DH and the other for my son and family - for one night, and two nights at a popular resort. At the resort I requested a lanai room fronting the pool rather than inside the main resort in order to minimize trips inside the big building. No issues.

I think I would feel safer in an Airbnb or VRBO home -simply because you aren't sharing an air system with other people. We own a rental unit, and our property management company, per CDC guidelines, is using all COVID-approved cleaners, and wiping all doorknobs, switchplates, etc. between guests.

My DH had cochlear implant surgery at Mayo, Rochester, MN 2 weeks ago. We stayed in a hotel 2 nights. As it was quite close to the hospital, most of the people staying there were patients or family. We felt comfortable.

I would stay in an air b&b before I’d stay in a hotel.

Our experience, as far as hotel elevators are concerned, was that guests only shared an elevator with those they were traveling with.

Thank you all for your feedback. I am in the “not comfortable” camp, but dh is ready.

No I haven't, I don't trust that everything would be sterile.

During our recent (long) power outage, after a few days we had enough and decided to try and check into a local chain hotel. I couldn't get through online so we went down in person to see if we could get reservations. While it seemed as if the hotel was trying their best, it was booked to capacity due to the outage, and all of the many guests milling around the lobby made me uncomfortable. There was no room at the hotel that night-- we booked for the following few days and went home. Within hours our power returned. I was so happy we didn't have to go to the hotel. The idea of a full building, with everyone sharing a sealed air system (windows didn't open), and people with varying degrees of attention to compliance made me very uneasy.

We are renting a villa in a resort two hours from our home weekend after next. The purpose is an outdoor yoga and “mindful stretching” weekend at the same resort. We have chosen not to stay in the lodge with the other guests and will cook our own meals. The villa is almost 3000 square feet—much larger than we need, obviously, but it was the only way we would seriously consider going. DS2 and GF are going with us and we are all being tested the morning of our departure. This is our Covid version of a getaway: not too far, travel by car, private accommodation, socially distant activity. We booked the last of the villas, which have tripled in cost per night since the pandemic. i guess a lot of people would rather stay by themselves and the market is certainly reflecting that.

We have stayed in a few now, and we have had no problems at all. Everyone wearing masks and getting into elevators, only one family at a time. The last one we stayed at, they even had the tv remote in a plastic bag - like when you get your nails done, and they pull out the tools after they are sanitized.

I don't think I'd ever do VRBO or Air BNB. How do you know what the people ahead of you did? How do you know anyone cleaned anything? But even before covid I wouldn't have gone that route for the same reasons.

I haven't yet stayed in a hotel, but I work for a hotel chain. PLEASE! Come stay with us! :) The virus is killing the hotel/tourism industry in Orlando.

Donna

I have not yet stayed in a hotel since lock down but did stay in the bershires when cases were already on record in the MA area on march 6 thru the 8th. I was nervous so bought canned lysol and presprayed every thing and opened the windows immediately. We did not use maid service while staying. I recently went to a camp ground and actually felt less secure than I would have in a hotel. The shared facilities skeeved me. I brushed my teeth in the tent and never showered. In a hotel only you use your facilities so showering with out a mask seems safer.

Roarah: at the resort at which we stayed, there was NO maid service during our stay. No one else entered our room while we were there; I called for fresh towels etc and they were left in a chair outside our room. I think perhaps this is standard procedure now?

I haven't and I wouldn't unless it was unpreventable, like a family emergency. I'm glad hotels are taking extra precautions, but I still would feel too vulnerable.

I would if I had to but I wouldn't if I didn't. (Family needs, medical trips, that sort of thing is essential.) And if I had the option to camp, I'd take it.

It's not just me looking out for myself. I'm doing my part to reduce spread.

I'd be a pretty terrible person if I decided to go on vacation and risk infecting a bunch of other people wouldn't I?

The issue with elevators is that it's possible for the virus to hang in the air for a short while, so even if you are in there alone the virus could be there from a previous person, and since it's such a small space it wouldn't dissipate as easily as in a large room.

I went with DH to Watkins Glenn, NY a few weeks ago. He has a track car. It was a 3 day event. We drove 7 hours to get there, stopping only once for gas and a bathroom break. Everyone had masks. We stayed at a Candlewood Suites in a room with a kitchenette. We ate in the room every day - did some takeout meals from a local Italian restaurant. We requested and got a ground floor room - we were able to go in and out of a side door and didn't have to go through the lobby. No maid service while we were there. We felt comfortable.

On my recent camping trip, the first and last nights were in a hotel (to break up the long haul to and from the destination, and to save on setting up and breaking down camp). It was a Comfort Inn in Weed, CA.

I brought and alcohol spray bottle and my daughter disinfected every surface we might possible touch when we arrived. The desk clerk and staff wore masks; not all the guests did. I felt pretty comfortable that the risk was minimal, at least not more risky than getting groceries or getting take-out.

I have not but dear friends came to visit us on the Cape for a socially distanced take-out lunch in our yard and time on the beach. Typically they stay in our home. According to them the hotel (local, not a chain) was immaculate and the owners were clear in their communications, both online and at the hotet about their covid cleaning protocols. They brought their own pllows.

Part of me was very sad about the arrangements, while the other part of me was kicking up my heels at how much less work it was for me.

Depends entirely on where I am, where it is, what the pandemic situation is in both spots, and why. So, maybe.

I think the most important thing is to stay masked and far away. AFAIK surface transmission remains largely theoretical.

ETA - I have perfected the art of entertaining (outdoors) with a different buffet for each family. So, more work. But I certainly am doing it less often.

Exactly Running! I agree it’s the people, not the place.

Running, glad you got a kick out of that comment. You get it! After a year or two off I'm sure I will gladly return to hosting summer guests and all that is involved in that endeavor.

Mtn. We dipped our toes into the art of the socially distanced home entertaining, but on a very small scale. Last month we hosted very close friends (but kept physical distance) to celebrate her 70th birthday. We were going to eat out on the lawn but it rained, so we ate on the porch. Two platters/bowls for each couple. We went to their home Saturday night and ate outside on their deck with the very same protocol. I can't imagine doing that for multiple groups/couples at the same time. I am tired just thinking about it!

We just came back from a memorial pilgrimage for my Mom, to my family's ancestral home to visit her grave and see a completed memorial project there that we funded. It was for Dad, who is almost 89 and not doing too well. It was stressful, but mostly due to Dad having acute anxiety. The motel was annoying because of some maintenance issues, but those would have been a pain even without the pandemic. The mediocre maintenance made me wonder what else they were "just getting by" with. However, the room was small, we brought sanitizer and cleaned every hard surface ourselves so I felt relatively safe. I didn't interact with too much in the room, and we kept the windows open during the day. I wasn't too worried about washed sheets or linens. The carpet was sketchy but they usually are. The air conditioner didn't work very well and had no filter, so we passed on that. The screen was bent so let in mosquitoes at night so we had to close. That was the worst part and some of the maintenance issues I'm talking about. The whole trip was stressful, all the constant mask management and hand sanitizing. We went to a public beach and met some folks out for a stroll. We were talking and one guy said, "Everything just feels uncomfortable." But as for safety, I did not feel I was taking high risks. But then I read science-based recommendations and follow them. But also, we did not eat out, even in our favorite outdoor deli/ice cream parlor. We picnicked on our own at all of the lovely local parks, and there were no crowds, it was nice, regardless of pandemic. I know too many people who have gotten sick by eating out and also flying so not going to risk it. Those venue are too closed in and you share the air with too many variables/people you don't know. I did not have a problem in the stores with not a lot of customers crowded in, and masked employees and customers.

But if you do travel, bring lots of your own water and beverages, maybe even your own coffee maker, and lots of cleaning supplies. They gave us our complimentary breakfast in a brown bag, and had chairs outside the rooms on a little patio for eating. We sanitized our own chairs just to be extra safe.