Long terming in cabins or chalets? (1 Viewer)

[simsy56]

Being motor homeless at the time, we rented an apartment for 10 weeks last winter near Estepona. We are familiar with this area, and have friends there.
A very nice apartment, overlooking the sea, and facing the sunrise. Very nice, but, we got a bit fed up with returning to the same place/area, day after day.
The noises from other apartment users, were a constant pain. Not very loud noises, but the toilet flushing, the furniture movements, and the closing of doors noise got on our nerves.
What would have been a gentle run to a town a couple of hours away, by MH, turned out to be a bit of a tiring day driving there and back and spending most of the day looking around.
When we were in Portugal and Spain the previous year for 18 weeks, it was much more pleasurable. A day or two here, two weeks there, or whatever. We pulled up at a remote parking place in inland PT, by the side of a lake, and the smell of eucalyptus trees was amazing! So, we stayed for 3 days there. Can't do they with a car and apartment.
I agree it's each to their own, but the freedom to wander, or not, as you please, is the attraction of a motorhome for us.
Plus we have grown to detest airports, the endless queues, limited baggage allowances, etc, and flying with little legroom, at an ungodly hour only aeroplanes fly. As opposed to the more relaxed travel when you want, in a MoHo. With more baggage allowance, more legroom, and the knowledge of who has slept in the bed and used the loo previously.

Give me the wheels anyway.

Craig

 

[hilldweller]

Any thoughts?

Snowbird is doing this right now, in the few days someone else has said the same thing. We hired a flat in Benidorm a couple of years ago, it worked well, warm and snug and no worry about gas consumption.

The big problem, especially with a dog, is carrying everything you need for a long stay.

 

[Rapphil]

Perhaps your answer could be a vw size camper you can use as a car (almost) and you can rent chalets as and when you see them and have the occasional camping trip in between in the van.
Answer to "which set up "is only with the persons needs at the time and over the years these can change with us all.

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[Mr Ed]

If you think that's for you then go for it.

 

[CWH]

Perhaps your answer could be a vw size camper you can use as a car (almost) and you can rent chalets as and when you see them and have the occasional camping trip in between in the van.

I like that idea (for me! maybe also for @Jac Sprat ) There are some very nice 5 metre vans around, with full wetrooms - some quite luxurious too!
http://www.signaturemotorhomes.co.uk/globecar/hline/vario-499

 

[Jac Sprat]

Thanks.some great suggestions.
Where we are at with our thinking is a series of cabins or chalets or Airbnbs would be exhausting and unsettling over the long term and most likely too expensive finally.
A caravan would most likely suit us better but having invested a year in learning to drive my Hymer (solo driver) it seems silly to throw that away.
We've decided to give it another year and to rent a car when we feel frustrated at not being able to sight see localy from campsites.
Also it would be very hard to give up Aires.

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[Jac Sprat]

I like that idea (for me! maybe also for @Jac Sprat ) There are some very nice 5 metre vans around, with full wetrooms - some quite luxurious too!
http://www.signaturemotorhomes.co.uk/globecar/hline/vario-499

Yeh tidy
Trouble is the width could still be an issue on narrow roads

 

[Jac Sprat]

..when going around towns

 

[busby]

Thanks I'd love to stay on here regardless !
A few points...
I got the 25e price from looking at one Benidorm campsite.
I would look for cabins with cooking facilities. All the ones we have seen in eastern europe and italy had them.
We have wild camped a lot but prefer sites for showers etc. Our fridge developed a leak if run on LPG which forced us to campsites the last two months which is where we observed all these cabins. Many do sllow dogs and we would do our research carefully first.
I think we would use Airbnbs to see cities and big towns.
I agree losing Aires would be a big drag but there are ample compensations

Have a look at The Travel Club site,,,it used to be Camping Cheque,,,They do a prepaid card system for renting Chalets etc throughout Europe,,BUSBY,,,

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[CWH]

Yeh tidy
Trouble is the width could still be an issue on narrow roads

..when going around towns

I know what you mean. People worry about the narrow lanes here (Cornwall) but I think towns are much worse - streets narrowed by parked cars; car doors opening unexpectedly; people & dogs suddenly appearing from nowhere - and so much worse if the street's very narrow to start with! (I'd rather be scratched by a hedge than by a building...)
Sounds as though you've come to a decision, well done Hope you have another fantastic year

 

[Jac Sprat]

I would be interested in these little vw size campers in the future perhaps with attendant awning or tent for overspill but would need to be convinced they were suitable for day trips all over. Maybe I'll rent one and seek out narrow spots!

 

[simsy56]

Or have you thought of a fifth wheel? I'm not talking about a big one, the ones that are made in Wales are quite stunning. A lot easier to tow than a caravan, very easy to reverse, drop it an you have a nice UK size pick up to tour around in.

Craig

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[The Wino]

A lot easier to move on if you don't like somewhere with a m/h . I envisage us wandering around in ours when we retire then going down the renting an appartment route when we are past travelling all the time as others have said if you are only going to move occasionally a caravan would make more sense.

 

[MR. FUSION]

Not sure why you need to confine yourself to campsite chalets or sheds? There are plenty of apartments and self catering units available cheaply especially in winter and in less touristy places

 

[injebreck99]

WE hired a nice 2 bed apartment in Mojacar Playa last February from a Belgian fella, 400 euro's for the month including all bills except Wifi, that was 25 euros extra, bargain.!

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[GeriatricWanderer]

WE hired a nice 2 bed apartment in Mojacar Playa last February from a Belgian fella, 400 euro's for the month including all bills except Wifi, that was 25 euros extra, bargain.!

@injebreck99 Was that done privately or through a rental website?

 

[Caztur]

sounds a good idea, as you say the costs would work out the same nearly, No darn MOT's , MH insurance or TAX, ....................

Surely they still need MOT, insurance, tax etc for a car?

..................
Reasons would be pure and simply flexibility of having a car and being able to buzz around and explore the area when camped . And not having the running and maintenance cost of the moho.
................................ around £800 in repairs after each 6 months touring (wing mirrors cracked, nearly all the wretched blinds broken, fridge leaking gas needing servicing bla bla). This would mean we could keep travelling within our pension without the expensive moho overheads.
Any thoughts?

My car has cost me nearly that for repairs etc this year already.

I can't see that running a car instead of a motorhome will actually save much money, especially when the fact that cars depreciate a darn sight quicker is taken into account.

Plus I would never pay an average of £25 a night, my limit is £15 and most times I pay a lot less.

 

[Jac Sprat]

Normally we paid around £15 or less
We had an expensive run in france during the ski season plus Riviera area is through the roof!

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[mitzimad]

i think the first year of full timing is expensive as you treat it like a hoiliday after a while you realise that traveling is the drain on your finances and tend to stay longer at economical spots
not done it but have heard this from several ft'ers

 

[Charlie]

Surely the whole thing about buying a motor home is the 100% flexibility of moving exploring and NOT staying in the same place for long .

On site accommodation is an entirely different thing surely ??

 

[injebreck99]

@injebreck99 Was that done privately or through a rental website?

Sorry for the delayed reply, I booked it through Owners Direct online.

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[Jaws]

We prefer campsites to aires once we've arrived in an area we want to stay. Average winter prices have been between 17 and 22. The extra on the chalets would be offset by the overall saving on not having a moho.

Benidorm is the most expensive place we have stayed at long term, and the pitch cost there is currently 14€ a night..
I would want a gold plated pitch for 25€ a night !!!!!!!!!

 

[injebreck99]

We had a month in a hotel in Benidorm in Feb/March, full board for 28 nights including transfers , worked out at £31 per night for the two of us, not bad.
Last time in Benidorm for us though.

 

[Scout]

I think it depends on how much of a "nomad" you are, were all differant, good on you for thinking outside of the (four wheeled) box. personly Im too much of a wonderer to give up my mobil home and to much of gumpy bugger to stay in hotels

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[hilldweller]

I like that idea (for me! maybe also for @Jac Sprat ) There are some very nice 5 metre vans around, with full wetrooms - some quite luxurious too!

Surely not, in only 5m ????

 

[CWH]

Surely not, in only 5m ????

Well I suppose it depends on what you call luxurious. ..

 

[GeriatricWanderer]

Surely not, in only 5m ????

Wildax Pulsar looks "luxurious" to me - well it is when compared to my Devon

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[CWH]

Surely not, in only 5m ????

Wildax Pulsar looks "luxurious" to me - well it is when compared to my Devon

Or the Adria Twin 500, or Globecar Vario 499 - even more so!