Two reasons I prefer timeshares over hotels

[CalGalTraveler]

We just returned from a European ski vacation which brought 2 items to mind as to why I prefer timeshares:

1) Timeshares have laundry facilities. We had to pack more clothes than normal because most hotels did not have facilities. Of course the hotels offered to send out our jeans for cleaning at $30/pair (!) which would have cost more than $200 to clean our clothes! In two cities we had to locate laundromats which took planning and bus rides. The smaller towns had nothing. This took precious time away from our vacation.

2) Kitchens/refrigerator/microwaves - Food was very expensive. Although we packed yogurts and breakfast items in our hotel room, some rooms did not have a mini-fridge and when one existed it was frequently packed as a mini-bar. We also would have loved to buy a rotisserie chicken to eat from a butcher but we didn't have utensils and a microwave to reheat. I am glad it was just the two of us because feeding our family for such a long trip would have been very expensive.

On the positive side, I like the daily maid and turn down service, but would swap this for the items above in a heartbeat. I recognize this is a first world problem though...

 

[Luanne]

1) Timeshares have laundry facilities. We had to pack more clothes than normal because most hotels did not have facilities. Of course the hotels offered to send out our jeans for cleaning at $30/pair (!) which would have cost more than $200 to clean our clothes! In two cities we had to locate laundromats which took planning and bus rides. This took precious time away from our vacation.

Some years back my mother went to Spain with a friend and they stayed in timeshares. The description said "washer and dryer" so Mom brought along the dryer sheets she used at home. To her surprise the "dryer" was a wooden rack. She went ahead and hung her dryer sheet on the rack along with the clothes.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

LOL reminds me that the combo washer/dryer we had in the HGVC in Tuscany, Italy was strange. The washer worked fine but we hung the clothes on a drying rack in the back of the unit because the dryer didn't seem to work. Better than nothing.

 

[WinniWoman]

Yup. Or at least a home/apartment rental. Laundry we could make due if not too long of a vacation. But food- too expensive to eat out. That is why on our first and only trip to Europe- Scotland- we stayed in a timeshare for the week.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

@WinniWoman Agree. Although some have had fabulous finds, I am leery of AirBnB rentals because I don't want to risk our vacation on a poorly maintained or poorly located unit. All of our hotel stays and airfare were using hotel/airline points to stay at top tier hotels so we only had to pay for food and touring expenses. Not all bad.