Accommodation in the USA - Unterkunft in den USA

The announcement of a small motel in Cheektowaga. The abbreviations under the word "motel" stand for popular TV channels that can be received in the rooms free of charge.

Hotels, motels, bed & breakfast

Hotels

The lobby of the posh Hyatt Regency downtown San Francisco.

A large number of American hotels are now owned by large chains. Especially outside of the big cities - apart from small motels - you can hardly find an independently run hotel. American travelers often find this lack of diversity to be an advantage, as the chains offer uniform standards and in many cases reward loyalty with discounts.

Hotel stays are more expensive in the USA than in Central Europe. If a room in the Best Western costs € 112.00 in Berlin-Mitte, € 95.00 in Munich and € 52.00 in Cottbus, a guest for a room in the same chain in Manhattan will be charged at least $ 232.19, in Chicago $ 195.03 and in San Francisco $ 192, 66 calculated. Even in places like Winnsboro, Louisiana or Weedsport, New York, where tourists or business travelers rarely end up, you pay for a room at Best Western at least $ 65.49.

If you travel to the USA for several weeks, so that the accommodation costs will soon pile up, you will probably look carefully for the cheapest possible accommodation. If money is not an issue and you book in good time, on the other hand, you have the freedom to choose hotels that may be more interesting than much of what is on offer in Europe. Many traditional American grand hotels, such as the Waldorf Astoria in, are particularly worth seeing New York City or the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco. Even if a room there is unaffordable, take the opportunity to admire the lobby or have a coffee at the bar. Even large, modern hotels often have breathtaking architecture and form their own sights. In large cities, many luxury hotels are housed in 40- or 50-story high-rise towers, the upper rooms of which offer a fabulous view.

More recently there has also been a trend in big cities too boutique- and Personality-Hotels like Morgan's Hotel in New York, the Hotel Diva in San Francisco or the Hotel Mondrian in los Angeles, which focus on modern design and individually designed rooms. Or you book in a hotel in which famous personalities have stayed before you, like in the New Yorker Chelsea Hotel or in Culver Hotel in Culver City near Los Angeles. Cinema buffs can also find countless hotels in the United States that were the locations of filming and immortalized in famous films. Many people who have seen Stanley Kubrick's film "The Shining" will remember the haunted mountain hotel that is the location of the film. This hotel really does exist; it's called Timberline Lodge and stands east of Portland, Oregon on a slope of Mount Hood. Theme hotels like this are also popular in the USA Adventure Suites in North Conway, New Hampshire, the Maritime Hotel in New York City, the Chateau Avalon in Kansas City or that Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California. in the Terra glamping in California Annapolis You live in a tent, but in the right bed and with all the comforts customary in the industry.

If you are looking for luxury for relatively little money, you might be in one of the spectacular hotel casinos in Las Vegas at the right address.

Hotel chains

The most popular hotel chains in the US are:

Explanation of symbols: $Cheap, $$Medium, $$$Upscale.

Motels

1962 was in California Santa Barbara the first branch of the nationwide operating company today Motel 6Chain opened.

A specialty of the North American continent are motels, i. H. Hotels where (after checking in at reception) you can drive up to your room and park your car. The first motels were built around 1925. In a classic motel, the rooms are not on an inner corridor, but their doors lead directly to the parking lot. The name “motel” originally only referred to single-storey buildings; the rooms were often also housed in structurally separate units. In the course of the industrialization of the hotel industry, however, larger, multi-storey motels prevailed in the late 20th century, the upper rooms of which are located on an open gallery that is connected to the parking lot by stairs.

Today, even such accommodations often refer to themselves as "motels", the rooms of which are located on an inner corridor. The transition has become fluid and when booking it doesn't make much sense to give preference to one type (motel, hotel). Basically, however, “motels” are usually cheaper than “hotels”. On the other hand, they offer less comfort, for example there is often no breakfast. One must also differentiate between free Motels and MotelChains (e.g. Motel 6, Travelodge). In addition to a uniform standard, the latter offer a dense network of branches and enable convenient reservations (online and via toll-free 1-800 numbers). But they are usually a bit more expensive than free motels.

A small number of free motels offer overnight stays in unusual quarters such as B. converted railway wagons (cabooses) or replicas Tipis (= Tents of the North American Indians Great Plains).

Bed & Breakfast

An American bed and breakfast

In Ireland and Great Britain A “Bed & Breakfast” is a simple, small private pension that is an inexpensive alternative to living in a hotel, which is very expensive in these countries. In the USA, where the cheap one belongs to the free small motels, the term “bed and breakfast” has a slightly different meaning. An American bed & breakfast is also a small family business, but offers its guests comfortable living in a more or less expensive renovated Victorian villa. The rooms are stylishly furnished and individually designed, some quarters are even extremely luxurious and correspondingly expensive.

The typical American bed & breakfast has 4-5 rooms, which can normally be occupied by 2, sometimes up to 4 people. You can see whether the rooms have their own bathrooms on the provider's website. Given the delicate interior design, many houses do not accept families with small children. You usually have to expect a cancellation if you are only looking for accommodation for 1 night.

Many American Bed & Breakfasts are on the WWW with special search engines (e.g. www.bedandbreakfast.com, www.bbonline.com, www.bnbfinder.com), others can only be found in the phone book. Room reservations are usually only possible directly through the provider.

Find and book hotels and motels

Advance booking

Room prices in the US are not only subject to seasonal fluctuations. In places of no tourist interest, where only business travelers stay overnight, the prices on weekends (Fri Sat) are usually lower than on working days. Conversely, prices in regions with high tourist demand are significantly higher on weekends than on working days. The rooms are most expensive around the main American holidays (Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas), when virtually the whole country is out to use the long weekend for a short vacation. It is often worth being a little flexible about travel dates.

Since package tour operators negotiate hard with their hotel partners, they often offer significantly lower prices than you would pay if you booked directly with the hotel. A wide range of cheap rooms can be found z. B. at "DER" and "FTI".

Many bargain hunters also appreciate the booking options at "Priceline", an online provider that not only mediates hotel rooms in a conventional way, but also Name Your Own Price Deals offers. For the latter, you choose a district and a quality level (from 1-star economy to 4-Star Deluxe) and then states the room price that you are willing to pay. If Priceline has a hotel partner who accepts these conditions, the booking is made automatically. The disadvantages of Priceline are that you have no influence on the choice of the hotel and that the booking can no longer be canceled. Booking via "Hotwire" is equally interesting. Here, too, you book "blindly", i.e. you only find out the name of the hotel after booking; As with Priceline, however, you have the choice between different parts of the city and different quality levels. Hotwire has a number of advantages over Priceline. You can also book rooms here that are suitable for 3-4 people (Priceline only offers double rooms). Second, you learn a little more about the hotel, e.g. whether there is a swimming pool. In addition, a cancellation insurance is offered, with which you can cancel in the event of illness.

However, if you really want to save, you should book at most in the upper middle class even with Priceline or Hotwire. Much star hotels like a Sheraton or Crowne Plaza namely only offer insignificantly more comfort than z. B. a Quality Inn or a Courtyard Marriott; however, you have to pay extra for all the extras that are included in the price of mid-range hotels (such as breakfast, internet access or movies on TV), and usually with quite a bit of money.

To find out which hotels are available in a particular location and what the rooms cost, you can also do research on online agencies such as "hotels.com", "Expedia" or "www.booking.com". However, you should only book here if the price that the hotel calls up on its own website (you should definitely compare it) is undercut by at least 15% by the agency. The agency charges a placement fee (which you do not pay if you book directly with the hotel or the hotel chain) and may not allow a cancellation (while, if you book directly and adhere to the 48-hour deadline, in can usually cancel free of charge). At some hotels, e.g. in Las Vegas, you can actually save a lot of money by booking through an agency.

It is always helpful to research "Tripadvisor", an independent website where you can see guest ratings, reviews and photos for many hotels. Those who use this site for the first time are usually confused because, even in hotels with good overall ratings, guests regularly report that this was the most miserable hotel of their lives. But if you take the less excited comments seriously, this page is quite useful overall.

When making bookings in the USA, you have to note that hotel room prices are net prices, which are increased again by taxes. These taxes can vary widely from county to county. In New York City and San Francisco e.g. B. they are approx. 15%.

Members of the American automobile club AAA receive a discount in many American hotels. Members of European automobile clubs that cooperate with the AAA can also take advantage of the AAA discount. The best thing to do is simply ask in a friendly manner when booking.

Find hotels and motels on the go

If you are on the road and have not booked in advance, the greatest probability of finding a hotel or motel is in the area of ​​the motorway exits and arterial roads of larger and smaller cities. Already on the motorway, signs that are put up shortly before the respective exit and are marked with "Lodging" indicate the closest accommodation. There are often several hotels and motels located there.

At international airports you will find special telephone terminals where you can contact the reception desk of the nearest hotels free of charge. These airport hotels usually operate their own shuttle buses, with which you can get back and forth between the hotel and the airport free of charge. Only at smaller airports (regional airports) it can happen that you have to call a taxi.

Room facilities

In hotel casinos like that Luxor in Las Vegas you get relatively inexpensive elegant rooms because the operator relies on leaving more money down in the casino.

Since most Americans have a very high need for hygiene, there is rarely much to complain about when it comes to the cleanliness of American hotel and motel rooms. Except for "blind bookings" (Priceline, Hotwire) and bookings at the very last minute, it is usually not a problem to find a non-smoking room. Many American hotels are now completely smoke-free; this is even more true of expensive hotels than of cheap ones. For many European visitors, who consider modern design and bright, friendly rooms to be a matter of common sense, the American taste in interior design takes some getting used to. Many American interior designers consider retro style and old-fashioned design to be an expression of solidity; dark colors should create a feel-good atmosphere. As compensation, you can expect - at least outside of big cities - that the rooms are spacious.

American hotel and motel rooms always have their own bathroom with a sink and toilet, mostly with a bathtub, and in inexpensive quarters there is sometimes only a shower. Towels and washcloths are just as much a part of the basic equipment as a television set and a telephone. Telephone calls made from the room telephone can unfortunately be very expensive; A calling card is likely to save you a lot of money. In middle-class quarters, there is usually a radio alarm clock, a hair dryer, an ironing board, an iron and a coffee machine (including coffee powder and styrofoam cups). If you value a minibar, refrigerator or microwave, you have to pay attention to this when booking. In the case of hotels in the middle price range, you can usually expect a wireless Internet connection. You may have to have it activated at reception for a small fee.

Hotels in the upper category are even better equipped, for example with quilted, multi-layered duvets (usually you only get a mean synthetic wool blanket), a larger number of pillows, a CD player and fun extras like perfume spray for the bed linen or a telephone directly next to the toilet.

If you like it frivolous and are not afraid of the extra charge, in some hotels you can also find rooms with jacuzzi (= oversized bathtub with bubble function) or gas fireplace (fire place) book. Open wood fireplaces, as they are still used in many American private homes, are not to be found in hotels due to the risk of fire.

At least in the southern states, an air conditioner can be expected even in a cheap hotel room. In better hotels, the rooms are definitely air-conditioned. You can usually regulate the room temperature yourself.

beds

Room with 2 queen-size beds in a Hilton (= lower end of the upper class)

American hotel and motel rooms always offer sleeping places for at least two people. You don't pay for a single or double room, as in Europe, but a basic price that increases only slightly when occupied by a second, third or fourth person. For children there is usually no extra charge at all. The following bed sizes are available:

  • Queen (1.53 × 2.03 m), enough for 2 adults; many hotels also offer rooms with 2 queen size beds
  • Full = Double (1.38 × 1.90 m), enough for 2 adults (who like each other very much); In many hotels there are rooms with 2 Full size beds
  • King (1.93 × 2.03 m), enough for 2 adults and possibly 1 child
  • Twin = single (rare; 0.99 × 1.90 m), sufficient for 1 adult; Twin beds are always set up in pairs, but are separated (not for people who have just fallen in love)

Some hotels equip some of the rooms with an additional sofa bed (sofa bed) out. There is enough space for 2 adults; if there is not enough bed linen, please ask at reception. However, if you value a good mattress, you will sleep better on a bed than on one sofa bed. In some hotels there are also rollaway beds for additional beds (rollaway beds) to disposal. However, it is safer to book a room in advance that has enough beds.

Anyone traveling with a baby should arrive on time crib Reserve, this is a (mostly foldable) baby bed that is kept available in all hotels in limited numbers free of charge. A crib comes without blankets and bed linen, but if you convert the folded bedspread of the adult bed into a baby mattress and ask for a few extra towels or sheets at reception, you can easily create a cozy and escape-proof camp for your offspring.

On the other hand, anyone who travels with a senior citizen who may no longer be able to move around can book a room without comment accessible is: this is the usual euphemism in the USA for a handicapped accessible room. In addition to other comforts, e.g. in the bathroom, such rooms have particularly high beds. In addition, they are usually easily accessible on the ground floor.

Suites

Families traveling with children may need a separate bedroom for them. One of the best that American hotels often offer is one of them family room or a interconnected room: this is a real suite with two bedrooms separated by a door. Structurally, these are usually two adjacent hotel rooms (each with its own bathroom), which are connected by a connecting door. In some hotels (e.g. Quality Inn & Suites) one of these rooms is designed as a sleeping area, the other as a living area, whereby the sofa in the living area can be used as a sofa bed. In other hotels it is simply two regular rooms connected by a connecting door (which can just as easily be rented out separately). If you want to book such a room online, you will unfortunately not find out on the hotel website whether one is available. A quick phone call or an email will clarify the matter.

The term “suite” does not mean separate rooms. The majority of all suites are just slightly larger rooms with a sleeping area as well as a living area (with sofa and coffee table). In between there is often not even a room divider, let alone a door. This applies e.g. B. for most rooms in the chain Comfort Suites to.

If you value your own kitchen, you can also have quarters in one Apartment hotel (also: Extended stay hotel; z. B. "Extended Stay America", "SuburbanHome", "Staybridge Suites"). Most apartment hotels have units of different sizes, i.e. 1-room studios with a kitchenette and apartments with 1-2 separate bedrooms. Such hotels are abundant in the United States, especially in cities; but not in pure holiday regions. For travelers looking for appropriately equipped accommodation in a more rural holiday area, there might be a Holiday home (Cottage) in question.

Breakfast and other meals

If you want to have breakfast in the hotel, you have to make sure when booking whether this is possible. Breakfast is only included in the room price at some of the hotels. In cheap motels there is often free coffee (complimentary coffee), but no breakfast offered. Sometimes you also get a dry breakfast cake. If that's not enough, you either have to cater for yourself or have breakfast in the nearest restaurant.

Medium-priced chains like Choice Hotels, Ramada and Travelodge usually have a breakfast room where guests can help themselves to a buffet in the morning at no extra charge. In some hotels you have to prove your access authorization to the breakfast buffet with a voucher that you receive when you check in. Of a continental breakfast you shouldn't expect any culinary revelations, usually only a modest selection of corn flakes, cakes, toast, cream cheese, jam, coffee, tea and milk is hidden behind this name. Nobody will blame you if you also eat one or two groceries you have brought with you.

You should check carefully when booking in a more expensive hotel. Upscale hotels almost always have a chic house restaurant instead of a breakfast room, in which you have to pay indecently high prices for breakfast. In expensive hotels, breakfast can usually be ordered in the room. Meals that you order from the house restaurant into your room often have to be paid for immediately (with a credit card this is not a problem).

Meal packages that go beyond breakfast are only offered in a few hotels:

  • AP = American Plan (breakfast lunch dinner)
  • MAP = Modified American Plan (breakfast lunch or breakfast dinner)

Hotel equipment

Airport hotels and hotels in small towns almost always have their own for their guests parking spot, sometimes a parking garage. In large cities, where parking space is scarce and expensive, fees are often charged for using the in-house parking lot or multi-storey car park. Large city hotels often do not offer any parking spaces at all; this is especially true for cheaper hotels. In this case, you should research in good time where the nearest inexpensive parking garage is located. In tourist centers like Manhattan or San Francisco you can easily get rid of $ 40 per day for parking fees.

The basic equipment of most middle-class hotels and practically all luxury hotels include a small one gym and a swimming pool (Indoor or outdoor pool, often with a whirlpool). If there are no towels at the pool, you can get them at the reception.

Are you traveling with a (passive, non-electric) cool box? In the warmer parts of the country this can be very pleasant, and simple boxes made of Styrofoam, which you simply throw in the trash at the end of the trip, are available for a few dollars in the supermarket, usually near the cash register, where bags with ice cubes are also kept in stock . In the USA, sealable freezer bags are more practical than ice packs (which have to be kept in the refrigerator and are easily forgotten) (zipper bags), which you can buy in the supermarket and fill with ice cubes in the hotel. Ice machines, from which guests can get supplies for free, are part of the basic equipment of American hotels (Americans are crazy about iced drinks, even in winter). Usually they are somewhere in the hallway; In more expensive hotels, the noisy machines are often discreetly hidden, so you may have to ask about them at reception.

Almost all motels and most mid-range hotels have one Coin-operated washing machine and a coin dryer (usage fees usually between $ 1 and $ 1.50). Washing powder and change are available at reception or in the machine. If there is not enough capacity, you can look up the phone book to find out where the nearest self-service laundrette is (laundromat, coin laundry) is located. There, too, there is washing powder and change in the machine, and you can easily load several machines at the same time. Housekeeping is also offered in many mid-range and all expensive hotels.

Check in and out

To check in, you need a credit card; in motels and hotels with their own parking lot, guests are often asked for the brand, color or license number of their car. If you don't have a credit card, you may have to pay for the night in advance. There is normally no need to present identification papers or the booking confirmation. The earliest possible check-in time in most hotels is 2 pm; those who arrive earlier may have to wait in the lobby until the room is ready. Of course, you can also have your luggage locked up and come back later.

It would be grossly impolite to tell the maid (housekeepers) a tip (tip), because that forms a significant part of the income of these not very well paid women. The rate is $ 2-3 per night. The money is either placed on the bed or on one of the tables, the icing on the cake would be a little thank you note. During a multi-day hotel stay, you either "type" a smaller amount every morning or a larger amount only once, on the morning of your departure. That depends on how many dollar bills you usually have in your wallet.

In most hotels you have to check out at 10 or 11 am. If necessary, you can ask in advance whether and under what conditions a late check-out is possible. If you paid for the room with your credit card, you normally don't need to present it when you check out, you just give the keys back. The receipt is either pushed under the door of the room on the morning of departure or it is given when the keys are returned. You only need to be billed in the morning if you have made a phone call from your room or have used other chargeable services (e.g. pay TV on the house TV).

Non-commercial accommodations

Youth Hostels

“Youth Hostels” are youth hostels operated by non-profit organizations. Comfort is poor, often you only rent one place to sleep in one with bunk beds (bunk beds) equipped dormitory. Lots of these dormatories are separated by sex, others are not. There are almost always lockers available in which you can lock your belongings more or less securely against theft. In addition to dormitories, some hostels also offer private rooms, often with 4 beds. You definitely have to share the bathroom, kitchen and living room with the other guests. When booking, you should make sure that bed linen and towels are provided, this is not the case in all hostels.

Especially for those traveling alone, staying in a hostel is much cheaper than staying in a hotel or motel. Even in expensive cities like New York City you hardly pay more than $ 35 per person for an overnight stay, in less popular regions you pay around $ 25.

The two largest hostel networks are the YMCA and the American Youth Hostels operated. Hostel addresses and online booking options can be found on websites such as www.hostels.com, www.hostelworld.com, www.hostelbookers.com or www.hostelz.com.

European guests, who think of the friendly, well-kept facilities when they hear the word “youth hostel”, as they are especially common in Scandinavia, often find the overnight stay in an American hostel to be traumatic. Timely research z. B. on Tripadvisor can prevent the worst.

Guest rooms in monasteries

If a monastery is located at a travel destination, people with close ties to the church should inquire whether guest rooms are rented there. Since these rooms are not run commercially, they are often cheaper than the rooms in local hotels.

University guest houses

Some older universities and colleges have guest houses on their campus, the rooms of which, depending on the occupancy, can usually also be booked by guests who have nothing to do with the school. Such guest houses that have names like Faculty Club or Alumni House are hardly particularly luxurious (e.g. there are usually no televisions), but they are often extremely attractive and one of the most interesting alternatives to the usual hotel chains for travelers with a medium budget. As good quarters are in great demand, early booking is recommended.

Cottages

One finds vacation homes in the USA under the names "vacation cottages", "rental cottages" or "cabins". A holiday in a holiday home is particularly advantageous for families with children and for small groups (4-8 people), because the bottom line is that the rent for a cottage is lower than for corresponding hotel rooms. In the main travel season, however, you have to rent a holiday home for at least a full week.

The most extensive list of addresses and providers can be found on the WWW under "vrbo". Alternatives are:

  • "www.greatrentals.com"
  • "www.homeaway.com"
  • "www.lodging.org"
  • "www.resortsandlodges.com"

However, most of these pages only list a fraction of the holiday homes actually available. To make sure that you don't overlook a provider, you can also google the place where you are looking for a holiday home using the keywords mentioned above. Most providers have a website that gives details about the houses.

Since advertising usually takes the route of word of mouth and the most attractive hotels have regular guests who book well in advance, it is advisable to start researching a suitable accommodation very early on. To book, you usually get in touch with the provider directly.

camping

Camping ist in den – im Vergleich zu Europa sehr dünn besiedelten – USA äußerst populär und für Liebhaber der spektakulären Landschaften besonders des amerikanischen Westens eine sehr naheliegende Option. Die auffälligsten Besonderheiten amerikanischer Campingplätze sind ein erstaunlich großzügiges Platzangebot, Feuerstellen und fest installierte Grillroste. Amerikaner lieben Barbecue und sitzen mit ihren Familien auch gern am Lagerfeuer, vorzugsweise mit Marshmallows, die auf lange Hölzer gespießt und in der Hitze des Feuers geröstet werden. Die Gemeinschaftseinrichtungen – Duschen, Waschräume und Toiletten – sind heillos altmodisch und einfach bis spartanisch, aber sauber. Wer sich vor allzu rustikalen Einrichtungen ekelt, recherchiert am besten online vorab, was andere Besucher gesagt haben. Da Kochgelegenheiten und Spülbecken fürs Geschirr meist fehlen, sollte man einen Gaskocher und eine Plastikschüssel mitbringen. Eine ausreichende Versorgung mit Toilettenpapier und warmem Leitungswasser ist für Amerikaner auch auf dem Campingplatz eine Selbstverständlichkeit, darum braucht man sich nicht zu kümmern. Auf größeren Plätzen gibt es meist auch Münzwaschmaschinen. Trotz des guten Raumangebotes sollten Lärmempfindliche – wie in Europa – für das nie ganz ausschließbare Restrisiko, dass die Nachbarn nächtliche Partys feiern, Ohrenstöpsel bereit halten.

Obwohl man in den meisten State Parks und praktisch jedem Nationalpark zuverlässig Campingmöglichkeiten findet, ist ein Campingplatzverzeichnis unverzichtbar. Am übersichtlichsten sind die Handbücher des amerikanischen Automobilclubs AAA, die Mitglieder europäischer Clubs bei diesen gratis beziehen können. Im Buchhandel erhält man u. a. die folgenden populären Werke:

  • Frommer's Best RV and Tent Campgrounds in the U. S. A., Frommers, 2007. ISBN 0470069295 (beschreibt fast 5.000 Campingplatze in allen amerikanischen Bundesstaaten außer Hawaii)
  • Woodall's North American Campground Directory, Woodall's Publications, 2007. ISBN 0762742690 (nennt mehr als 15.000 staatliche und private Campingplätze im ganzen Land)
  • Don Wright: Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds. Eastern Edition, Cottage Publications, 2005. ISBN 0937877476 (preiswerte und Gratis-Campingplätze im amerikanischen Osten)
  • Don Wright: Guide to Free Campgrounds. Western Edition, Cottage Publications, 2007. ISBN 0937877492 (preiswerte und Gratis-Campingplätze im amerikanischen Westen)

Adressen von Campingplätzen sind auch auf vielen Websites aufgelistet. Hier nur eine kleine Auswahl:

Beachten muss man, dass man sich beim Camping in den USA einer anderen Qualität von „Wildnis“ aussetzt, als dies im dicht besiedelten Europa normalerweise der Fall ist. Nicht nur in den amerikanischen Nationalparks, sondern auch in State Forests und anderen naturnahen Gebieten teilen Wanderer und Camper sich den Lebensraum unter Umständen mit Büffeln, Schwarz- und Grizzlybären, Berglöwen, Luchsen, Wölfen, Koyoten, Klapperschlangen, Schnappschildkröten und anderen Lebewesen, denen man bei aller Liebe zur Natur lieber nicht persönlich begegnen möchte. Das braucht einem das Camping nicht zu verleiden, erfordert jedoch, dass man sich sachkundig macht, wie man mit den solchen Gefahren umgeht.

Camping im Campmobil (RV)

Da Parkraum höchstens in großen Städten ein Problem ist, besitzen viele amerikanische Familien einen eigenen RV.

Das Campen im Campmobil (engl. recreational vehicle, kurz: RV) ist in den USA sehr populär und weit verbreitet. Viele Campingplätze bieten Stellplätze, die mit Strom-, Wasser- und Abwasseranschlüssen ausgestattet sind.

Um ein RV zu mieten, muss man mindestens 21 Jahre alt sein. Trotz der Größe dieser Fahrzeuge benötigt man lediglich einen PKW-Führerschein. Bei der Entscheidung, ob man einen van camper oder ein motor home mieten will, muss man sich mit dem Problem auseinandersetzen, dass ein RV entweder hohen Fahrkomfort oder hohen Wohnkomfort bieten kann – aber niemals beides gemeinsam. Van campers sind klein und anspruchslos ausgestattet, jedoch gut für die Straße geeignet. Motor homes sind wenig wendig und verbrauchen sehr viel Benzin, bieten jedoch Platz und oft eine luxuriöse Ausstattung. Unabhängig vom Typ sind RVs jedoch immer mit einem Gasherd, einer Spüle und einem Kühlschrank ausgestattet. Je nach Größe des Fahrzeugs befindet sich entweder eine Chemietoilette oder eine fest eingebaute Spültoilette an Bord.

Außer in der Nebensaison (Mitte Oktober bis Mitte April) ist die Miete eines RV nicht gerade preiswert. Da bei den Gesamtkosten auch Ausgaben für Benzin und Campingplatzbenutzung zu berücksichtigen sind, sollte man prüfen, ob das Wohnen im Motel nicht vielleicht doch preiswerter ist. Auf jeden Fall ist ein genauer Vergleich der Angebote ebenso zweckmäßig wie frühzeitiges Buchen. Neben lokalen Anbietern gibt es einige landesweit operierende RV-Vermieter:

Wenn man über eine deutsche Agentur buchen will, kann man die Recherche z. B. auf einer der folgenden Websites beginnen:

Literatur zum Thema:

  • Peterson, Brent: The Complete Idiot's Guide to RVing. Alpha, 2006, ISBN 1592574661 .
  • Slater, Shirley; Basch, Harry: RV Vacations for Dummies. For Dummies, 2006, ISBN 0471772585 .

Hütten (Cabins)

Auf vielen Campingplätzen kann man anstelle eines Stellplatzes auch eine Hütte mieten. Diese Cabins – meist rustikale und mehr oder weniger urige Blockhütten – sind uneinheitlich ausgestattet und können bis zu 3 Schlafräume enthalten. Grundsätzlich gilt für Cabins ähnliches wie für Vacation homes. Die meisten Cabins sind jedoch nicht heizbar, und selbst wenn ein Kamin (fire place) vorhanden ist, sollte man nicht darauf bauen, dass man mit diesem an kalten Tagen hinreichende Wärme erzeugen kann.

Auf dem Internet findet man Adressen u. a. at www.cabins.com.

Seltener werden in Nationalparks und auf privaten Campingplätzen auch tent cabins (canvas tent cabins, canvas cabins) vermietet. Dabei handelt es sich um mehr oder weniger große, feststehende Zelte, die mit Bettstellen und anderem minimalen Komfort ausgestattet, aber ebenfalls meist nicht beheizbar sind. Waschgelegenheiten und Toiletten stehen in Gemeinschaftsgebäuden zur Verfügung.

Web links

Hotels, Motels, Bed & Breakfast

Jugendherbergen

camping

Campmobile

Tent Cabins

Empfehlenswerter ReiseführerDieser Artikel wird von der Gemeinschaft als besonders gelungen betrachtet und wurde daher am 8. November 2008 zum Empfehlenswerten Reiseführer gewählt.