Some home exchange nay-sayers cite the do-it-yourself nature of swapping homes as a turn-off. Hotels are so convenient, they claim. The cleaners make your bed and put a mint on your pillow. Help is just a phone call away at the front desk. The concierge can help make all kinds of arrangements and provide info on local attractions.
Bah, humbug (I'm getting an early start on Christmas this year)!
I was reminded of the virtues of home exchange over hotels last weekend. We booked a night at Pennsylvania's Stroudsmoor Country Inn. When I checked in, I discovered that the suite I had reserved was billed at over $200, more than $75 over the price the reservationist quoted me.
The front desk manager informed me that many people come in saying they were quoted the wrong price for a room but they would never have given me a suite at that price. So here I was, on vacation, being called a liar and being robbed.
The manager had no response to my statement that I had never had this problem in decades of reserving hotel room. Nor was she concerned about the concept that her hotel reservations staff seem to have a problem with communication, since so many customers come in with a lower rate quote. She finally took some money off the price, but my get-away had already gotten off on the wrong foot.
The suite was large, though oddly it contained only a queen-sized bed. What did people do with all of that floorspace, tap dance? As large as the room was for a hotel room, I found myself looking around for the "other rooms" I would have found at any swap home. Nope, no kitchen, no walk-in closet. Game room and laundry room also missing.
The thing that grossed me out more than anything was the carpet. It was perfectly well vacuumed, don't get me wrong. But I imagined the thousands of dirty shoes that had trod the same carpet and I was forced to wear shoes except when in bed.
This was a nice hotel. It had a pool, spa, sauna, fitness room and gourmet restaurant right on the grounds. But it could not hold a candle to even a modest swap home -- one with comfortable furniture, a kitchen and lots of room to spread out.
One reason I prefer a swap home is that exchangers will never try to rip you off for hundreds of dollars. Or could they? We need to look into whether or not swappers are vulnerable to scams that have plagued the vacation home rental industry for years. More on that to come.
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