Vacation travel tips for a calm and kind journey
Holiday travel can be stressful, but kindness and preparation can make it easier for everyone.
- According to a recent report, 61% of Americans prefer staying in a hotel over a relative’s home for vacation.
- Travelers cite the need for privacy and personal space as the main reasons for booking hotels.
- Some families find that having their own space in a hotel makes the holiday season more relaxing and enjoyable.
Home may be where your heart is, but your suitcase is not. Some travelers visiting family for the holidays choose their hotel room instead of their mother’s home.
When New York-based Eric Katzman and his wife had only one child, they used to stay with friends and family, but now that their children are turning 13 and 10, they realized their family needed more space and privacy.
On Thanksgiving or Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, his family heads to a small coastal town in Florida to visit his in-laws, but now they book a nearby hotel for more room and privacy.
“When they were little, it was a little easier,” he told USA TODAY. “As the kids get older, they need more space.”
According to HotelTonight’s first-ever Vacation Trends Report, 61% of Americans would rather stay at a nearby hotel instead of at a friend or family member’s home during their vacation trip.
It may seem harsh at first, given the mainstream idea that holidays should be spent with loved ones. However, the report found that such privacy can be very helpful to vacationers and help avoid the terrible tensions between family members that tend to surface at this time of year.
“With the joy of the holiday season comes the rush of packing, airport congestion and vacation restrictions, so it’s no surprise that travelers seek personal space to escape the chaos,” Hotel Tonight general manager Ron Sandel said in a statement to USA TODAY.
After all, some travelers have found that having more space to themselves leads to a happier, more restful holiday season with family.
This is why some travelers choose hotels over staying with loved ones.
Pursuing more privacy
More than half of travelers choose a hotel room over a family home because they want more privacy, according to a report from HotelTonight.
Katzman and his family were staying at his in-laws’ home, and the rooms still leave a lot of room for improvement.
“I didn’t think it was real. I’d only seen it in movies and TV shows, but there’s a murphy bed,” he said. “If we were to stay there, we would be pulling out the air mattress, folding the couch, moving the coffee table, whatever the configuration.”
About three years ago, he started booking hotel rooms instead. And I realized it was better for the kids that way.
Staying in a hotel during your vacation has additional benefits. “We also asked users what hotel perks they absolutely must have during their stay,” Sandel said. “We found that they value an unparalleled hotel experience: 57% just want their own bed, 41% want quality linens and sheets, and 36% enjoy on-site restaurants and bars.”
Katzman agreed, adding that the pool gives the kids something to do and that for a family of four, “you can’t beat” the hotel’s included continental breakfast. “The free breakfast is a big help,” he said.
“It feels counterintuitive.”
Every Christmas, Chris Overman, his wife, and their 2-year-old son return to their native Netherlands, dividing their time between parents. This year only, for about half of the trip, the South Korean-based family will be staying in a hotel near Oberman’s parents’ home.
“After two trips that disrupted my sleep and constantly making sure (my son) didn’t throw anything breakable, my parents’ home wasn’t completely toddler-safe anymore. We realized we needed our own space,” he told USA TODAY.
Previously, the couple had set up a camping bed for their son at his parents’ home and folded it up when he wasn’t using it. Overman added that it was easier when her son was younger, but dealing with a toddler’s outburst of energy in a packed venue is difficult. By the end of these trips, the couple felt more exhausted than relaxed.
The hotel stay costs about $620 extra, but Overman said it’s worth the extra cost.
“This wasn’t an easy decision and it feels counterintuitive, but it’s allowed us to enjoy time with our family more, we have more energy ourselves, and it’s made our son’s trip a little easier overall,” he said.
