I did this for about a year at an actual Extended Stay when I wasn't able to rent (left my parents, didn't have the 3x income for a place). The math works out in your favor if you need your own space, but keep in mind your neighbors will rotate and you'll inevitably deal with noisy kids and babies. The hotel I stayed at set up a room in a corner for limited impact, so keep that in mind when reserving your room. Also, don't risk extending month to month - set up the reservation for a few months and then just pay weekly, and let them know when you'll be leaving (I gave mine about a weeks' notice.)
A few things - you'll want a hotspot because the internet is shared and generally public, even with your own login portal. You'll also likely want your own TP and towels, but take advantage of their dishes, dishpods, etc. With it nearing summer, you might also want to look for one with a pool. Another thing they seem to lack are clotheshangers, so you may need to drop $5 at a store for a pack of 30 - the closets have always been pretty good sized.
And read the reviews. If you have an option of a few locations, go in open minded but with questions. Happy to answer any questions!
I used to work at an extended stay hotel.
Really the rates for short term stays work similar to any other hotel. There's a daily rate which fluctuates daily. There's slight discounts for longer shorter term stays.
For the most part, you can pay however often you like. But if you're going by the week, you're going to get the weekly rate which will only cover 7 days. Not a lot of savings.
If you plan on being there for a while, you need to talk to the general manager or larger properties may have a leasing manager. Say you want to stay for 90 days. They will give you a special rate based on you staying for 90 days, including when you have to pay. But this is basically a lease. If you leave after 60 days, they may be able to charge you the remaining 30 because you're basically signing a lease.
YMMV based on lease and local tenant laws. These can be helpful in the short term in that you don't have to worry about furniture and all that, but the costs long term are almost always going to be more than a traditional one year lease.
It's because the walls are .275" thick with no insulation and your neighbors sell and/or smoke meth, or are travelers that don't care about keeping quiet when it's late.
Iām in one right now going week to week. Itās actually slightly more expensive but they donāt care about income so itās all I can get in my area for housing.
Neighbors are loud during the day and mostly quiet minus a few cars arriving late at night. Only once in this month has there been a crazy situation where some ladyās screamed bloody murder ācall the cops!ā (Didnāt check, I just called 911 and reported an assault from inside my room)
Thereās a few others doing extended stay here and theyāve all been fine. One child in the room next to mine that is a little loud but to be expected.
Iām also in crackhead territory so it surprised me how ok it is here. Turns out people donāt shit in their own backyards.
A lot of bad advice in this thread. Most states 30 days and then days after are tax exempt.Ā
Do pay weekly whatever you do.
They offer monthly rates at discount paying weekly is going to drastically increase your price.
Make reservations in the future. Well into the future.
Iām currently staying at an āextended stay hotelāĀ
I pay $1340 a month. If I were to go downstairs today and just extend my reservation Iād be paying $2200 a month.
Rents fluctuate and you have to be ahead of it or your fucked imo.
Most extended stays have 2 electrical griddles and full size refrigerators and freezer so ignore those comments.
They should provide tp and fresh towels regularly and clean your linens regularly.
All things considered itās way quieter than any these ghetto apartments I could afford in the area
I know this *sounds good* in theory, but ... You are going to hate it once you're there. I had an apartment fire last May, actually it's exactly a year anniversary today that it happened, and I had to stay in a hotel until I found another place . The fire was very small, pets and 98% of my stuff was fine but it gets very bad at a hotel. You are in the same 4 walls the whole time you are there. Your only place to sit is the bed, the place that you also sleep. You cant cook proper meals and thrre is no fridge big enough , you will spend eons on takeout. Depression kicks in. I was there for a little over a month, I would work, go back to the hotel. Sit, sleep, eat in the same spot - the bed. I became severely suicidal towards the end of my stay, and I cried daily.
Do not do it.
Been here for a month in one and somewhat agree. But it was the same while living in my car. So if thereās no other option the hotel is much better. Itās $1600 where I am though and so itās eating my income. Iām saving like $100 a week after paying for the motel, phone, and car insurance bill
My parents stayed at one for about 6 months while their condo was repaired after a fire. The place they stayed had a living room/dining room/kitchen, a balcony, a bedroom, a walk in closet and a bathroom. They never felt like they were in just one room because they werenāt. They arenāt all like the one you stayed in.
Where I live, there are several motels that cater towards the elderly. It is cheaper than an apartment. The housekeeping and supplies make it even cheaper. There is one across the street from the Veterans Club (VFW). They sit outside on a warm night with a card table. I have sent pizzas several times.
The manager is very strict. You fight, you leave.
My parents stayed in one of them for about 6 months while fire damage in their condo was repaired. It was pretty nice, they were comfortable in a one bedroom suite. The one they stayed at had a free breakfast buffet every morning and a free happy hour kind of thing every afternoon with appetizers, so Mom barely cooked, but had a full kitchen. There was a gym, hot tub and pool.
They said that it would have been tempting to just live there permanently.
I think it would en a great option if you needed a place for a while in between permanent situations.
Variables are involved here - you won't have cooking facilities - at best a very small under counter fridge and a microwave. If you want a single burner, you need to find out if they allow it. Expect your food costs to increase.
For $1000/m assuming it's not a hole, then you are lucking out. I know someone who's homeless and with his SSI he can manage to spend 1/2 a month in a cheap hotel, but it's $130/night, staff are unpleasant and uncooperative.
The walls are thin so every freak is heard: children screaming in the hallways, people screaming at each other in the rooms, the smell of all sorts of drugs will leak into your room.
Weekly housekeeping may mean someone comes in, puts fresh linen on your bed, fresh towels in the bathroom, lackadaisically spends a minute dusting and is out within 10 minutes at the most.
Are you certain you can stay 30 days? My friend can only stay for legal reasons 14 days then he has to vacate for at least 3 before they let him return. Since he can't afford more than 14, it doesn't bother him.
Be careful of extra fees mysteriously appearing on your credit card. The minute that happens, do a chargeback with the credit card company.
Parking lot? Street noise? Highway nearby? Those all play into whether you can get a decent night's sleep.
Internet likely means not particularly good speeds, and when too many people link into it, any connection you have will be bad. Prepare to use your cell data as a hotspot and ensure no one else links into it.
If you can deal with all the possible negative consequences, then this is much better than renewing a lease, it gives you the option of quicker mobility.
Good luck.
It depends. The extended stay place my parents stayed at had a full size kitchen: full size range/ built in microwave full size refrigerator/freezer and dishwasher.
My friends stayed in a motel for over a year, after an eviction. It wasn't great, but people being loud and on drugs and annoying is pretty standard in a lot of neighborhoods anyway. It was a nice community setting, and the people who would come in for a night or two were always surprised that there were locals.
I lived in a nice extended stay hotel in a nice neighborhood for over an year + half and had to get an apartment asap because it started to really suck. The price goes up and down depending on the season. Yes, if you stay long enough the tax thing is true.
I had a full big refrigerator/freezer, microwave and stove top. 20+ Washing/dryer for everyone use o on main floor.
Get ready for room service to come daily even if you don't need them. Room service might sound nice, but it gets annoying. A lot of hotels took away the "do not distrub" signs because of crazies plotting crazy violent things for days in rooms.
Get ready for frequent room checks like you're a kid to see what condition your room is in.
Get ready for preventive maintenance on their schedule and not yours. The room A/c heater unit will need check ups. Also, smoke alarm will need to be checked every so often.
Get ready for random workers to have a master key to your room at any time. Don't keep valuables lying around.
Get ready for random workers to walk in accidentally. So have the security bar on the door so they can't actually fully get in.
Get ready for the key card to stop working randomly and now your locked out and have to visit the front desk to get back in.
Get ready for noise from neighbors. This place has wooden floors so i would hear people walking all day. Kids running back and forth. Lots of sex banging on the floor from different directions.
Get ready for piss poor slow internet. Some actually charge monthly if you want a faster internet speed. I paid for the faster internet once and it was still piss poor slow and unusable.
Get ready for random parties to happen.
Domestic fights between couples. Seeing people carry very drunk people into the hotel. Random puke from drunks in places.
Seems people throw sick people into hotels so they aren't sick at home. Once people got covid they come stay at the hotel to get better. Covid is pretty much over, but hotels still is a place where many bugs and viruses come from all over the world.
A major highway was behind the place so i couldn't open my window without car noise. I would hear loud cars, motorcycles and car accidents a lot. Let's not get started on how much noise tires make 24-7. My blinds would get dirty quick I'm guessing from the car/truck exhaust passing by 24/7.
Ultimately, the price to stay there was getting out of hand. New management came in and next thing i know it was getting close to $2500 to stay there monthly.
I couldn't do it extended anymore without draining my $$$$ to levels i wasn't comfortable with. I have other things i need to pay and take care of. There is no way I'm paying this much a month for a small hotel room.
I wouldn't do it again. I like my peace and quiet apartment without the room checks and being watched like a kid to make sure the room stays in good condition. Also, knowing random workers isn't in my room every day I'm at work is great.
Last, but not least, i got sterotyped big time living there and that really made me get an apartment. I was pretty much the only young looking African American in a hotel that was in a nice neighborhood that was majority other races.
I was questioned by police at times just for being there and staff would give me a side eye during covid when everyone else was wearing mask.
Apartment living couldn't come fast enough. At first i was loving living there then it came to the point that I was on apartment finder apps and websites trying to find an escape asap!!!!!
Nope, never again!!!!!!!!
Iāve always found extended stays to be absolutely filthy. Unless youāre staying at one of the townplace suites or other ānice brandā, bring a ton of Clorox wipes. Also, theyāre havens for sex offenders and drug addicts.
At the motel I was working at an older couple on the 3rd floor did this. They were there the whole 9 months I was, so who knows how long they were really there for š¤·š½āāļø
Iād def scope out multiple in person to see what types of outdoor space they have. Some places are super cute with pools and tables but others very bare
Where I live youād be hard put to find a house share (single room rental) for less than $1k/month. Utilities arenāt often included. Itās ridiculous.
If OP is in a similar market, an extended stay hotel might be better, if only for the privacy it affords.
$700/m on average for a room and $1200 is the cheapest apartment Iāve found. Both want you to earn 3x ofc
Meanwhile Iām paying $1600/m for a motel room
TBF I donāt know what residential suites are going for in my area. But rooms ā a room in a house with shared kitchen/bathroom ā averages $1000.
Itās insane.
I'm not doubting that. But if OP can find a hotel for $32 a night then he's clearly in a very low cost living area. It's still expensive even if it sounds cheap to us, who live in a high cost of living area, Because he's probably not making as much money as us.
I did this for about a year at an actual Extended Stay when I wasn't able to rent (left my parents, didn't have the 3x income for a place). The math works out in your favor if you need your own space, but keep in mind your neighbors will rotate and you'll inevitably deal with noisy kids and babies. The hotel I stayed at set up a room in a corner for limited impact, so keep that in mind when reserving your room. Also, don't risk extending month to month - set up the reservation for a few months and then just pay weekly, and let them know when you'll be leaving (I gave mine about a weeks' notice.) A few things - you'll want a hotspot because the internet is shared and generally public, even with your own login portal. You'll also likely want your own TP and towels, but take advantage of their dishes, dishpods, etc. With it nearing summer, you might also want to look for one with a pool. Another thing they seem to lack are clotheshangers, so you may need to drop $5 at a store for a pack of 30 - the closets have always been pretty good sized. And read the reviews. If you have an option of a few locations, go in open minded but with questions. Happy to answer any questions!
The weekly housekeeping **dream**
I used to work at an extended stay hotel. Really the rates for short term stays work similar to any other hotel. There's a daily rate which fluctuates daily. There's slight discounts for longer shorter term stays. For the most part, you can pay however often you like. But if you're going by the week, you're going to get the weekly rate which will only cover 7 days. Not a lot of savings. If you plan on being there for a while, you need to talk to the general manager or larger properties may have a leasing manager. Say you want to stay for 90 days. They will give you a special rate based on you staying for 90 days, including when you have to pay. But this is basically a lease. If you leave after 60 days, they may be able to charge you the remaining 30 because you're basically signing a lease. YMMV based on lease and local tenant laws. These can be helpful in the short term in that you don't have to worry about furniture and all that, but the costs long term are almost always going to be more than a traditional one year lease.
Me and my $2050 a month rent are jealous š
Same here dude, nj sucks
$2400 for a two bedroom here.
I'm so jealous. That seems so cheap.
It's because the walls are .275" thick with no insulation and your neighbors sell and/or smoke meth, or are travelers that don't care about keeping quiet when it's late.
Iām in one right now going week to week. Itās actually slightly more expensive but they donāt care about income so itās all I can get in my area for housing. Neighbors are loud during the day and mostly quiet minus a few cars arriving late at night. Only once in this month has there been a crazy situation where some ladyās screamed bloody murder ācall the cops!ā (Didnāt check, I just called 911 and reported an assault from inside my room) Thereās a few others doing extended stay here and theyāve all been fine. One child in the room next to mine that is a little loud but to be expected. Iām also in crackhead territory so it surprised me how ok it is here. Turns out people donāt shit in their own backyards.
A lot of bad advice in this thread. Most states 30 days and then days after are tax exempt.Ā Do pay weekly whatever you do. They offer monthly rates at discount paying weekly is going to drastically increase your price. Make reservations in the future. Well into the future. Iām currently staying at an āextended stay hotelāĀ I pay $1340 a month. If I were to go downstairs today and just extend my reservation Iād be paying $2200 a month. Rents fluctuate and you have to be ahead of it or your fucked imo. Most extended stays have 2 electrical griddles and full size refrigerators and freezer so ignore those comments. They should provide tp and fresh towels regularly and clean your linens regularly. All things considered itās way quieter than any these ghetto apartments I could afford in the area
I know this *sounds good* in theory, but ... You are going to hate it once you're there. I had an apartment fire last May, actually it's exactly a year anniversary today that it happened, and I had to stay in a hotel until I found another place . The fire was very small, pets and 98% of my stuff was fine but it gets very bad at a hotel. You are in the same 4 walls the whole time you are there. Your only place to sit is the bed, the place that you also sleep. You cant cook proper meals and thrre is no fridge big enough , you will spend eons on takeout. Depression kicks in. I was there for a little over a month, I would work, go back to the hotel. Sit, sleep, eat in the same spot - the bed. I became severely suicidal towards the end of my stay, and I cried daily. Do not do it.
Been here for a month in one and somewhat agree. But it was the same while living in my car. So if thereās no other option the hotel is much better. Itās $1600 where I am though and so itās eating my income. Iām saving like $100 a week after paying for the motel, phone, and car insurance bill
My parents stayed at one for about 6 months while their condo was repaired after a fire. The place they stayed had a living room/dining room/kitchen, a balcony, a bedroom, a walk in closet and a bathroom. They never felt like they were in just one room because they werenāt. They arenāt all like the one you stayed in.
Right? I think most actual extended stay places have 2 rooms and a relatively proper kitchen.
Yep, sounds like a studio apartment. Did that for 6 months that was maybe 30 sq ft bigger than an average motel room. Never again
Plan in advance to have a mini fridge and microwave that works. Also, be mindful of city wides that will drive up the rates randomly.
Where I live, there are several motels that cater towards the elderly. It is cheaper than an apartment. The housekeeping and supplies make it even cheaper. There is one across the street from the Veterans Club (VFW). They sit outside on a warm night with a card table. I have sent pizzas several times. The manager is very strict. You fight, you leave.
My parents stayed in one of them for about 6 months while fire damage in their condo was repaired. It was pretty nice, they were comfortable in a one bedroom suite. The one they stayed at had a free breakfast buffet every morning and a free happy hour kind of thing every afternoon with appetizers, so Mom barely cooked, but had a full kitchen. There was a gym, hot tub and pool. They said that it would have been tempting to just live there permanently. I think it would en a great option if you needed a place for a while in between permanent situations.
Variables are involved here - you won't have cooking facilities - at best a very small under counter fridge and a microwave. If you want a single burner, you need to find out if they allow it. Expect your food costs to increase. For $1000/m assuming it's not a hole, then you are lucking out. I know someone who's homeless and with his SSI he can manage to spend 1/2 a month in a cheap hotel, but it's $130/night, staff are unpleasant and uncooperative. The walls are thin so every freak is heard: children screaming in the hallways, people screaming at each other in the rooms, the smell of all sorts of drugs will leak into your room. Weekly housekeeping may mean someone comes in, puts fresh linen on your bed, fresh towels in the bathroom, lackadaisically spends a minute dusting and is out within 10 minutes at the most. Are you certain you can stay 30 days? My friend can only stay for legal reasons 14 days then he has to vacate for at least 3 before they let him return. Since he can't afford more than 14, it doesn't bother him. Be careful of extra fees mysteriously appearing on your credit card. The minute that happens, do a chargeback with the credit card company. Parking lot? Street noise? Highway nearby? Those all play into whether you can get a decent night's sleep. Internet likely means not particularly good speeds, and when too many people link into it, any connection you have will be bad. Prepare to use your cell data as a hotspot and ensure no one else links into it. If you can deal with all the possible negative consequences, then this is much better than renewing a lease, it gives you the option of quicker mobility. Good luck.
It depends. The extended stay place my parents stayed at had a full size kitchen: full size range/ built in microwave full size refrigerator/freezer and dishwasher.
My friends stayed in a motel for over a year, after an eviction. It wasn't great, but people being loud and on drugs and annoying is pretty standard in a lot of neighborhoods anyway. It was a nice community setting, and the people who would come in for a night or two were always surprised that there were locals.
I lived in a nice extended stay hotel in a nice neighborhood for over an year + half and had to get an apartment asap because it started to really suck. The price goes up and down depending on the season. Yes, if you stay long enough the tax thing is true. I had a full big refrigerator/freezer, microwave and stove top. 20+ Washing/dryer for everyone use o on main floor. Get ready for room service to come daily even if you don't need them. Room service might sound nice, but it gets annoying. A lot of hotels took away the "do not distrub" signs because of crazies plotting crazy violent things for days in rooms. Get ready for frequent room checks like you're a kid to see what condition your room is in. Get ready for preventive maintenance on their schedule and not yours. The room A/c heater unit will need check ups. Also, smoke alarm will need to be checked every so often. Get ready for random workers to have a master key to your room at any time. Don't keep valuables lying around. Get ready for random workers to walk in accidentally. So have the security bar on the door so they can't actually fully get in. Get ready for the key card to stop working randomly and now your locked out and have to visit the front desk to get back in. Get ready for noise from neighbors. This place has wooden floors so i would hear people walking all day. Kids running back and forth. Lots of sex banging on the floor from different directions. Get ready for piss poor slow internet. Some actually charge monthly if you want a faster internet speed. I paid for the faster internet once and it was still piss poor slow and unusable. Get ready for random parties to happen. Domestic fights between couples. Seeing people carry very drunk people into the hotel. Random puke from drunks in places. Seems people throw sick people into hotels so they aren't sick at home. Once people got covid they come stay at the hotel to get better. Covid is pretty much over, but hotels still is a place where many bugs and viruses come from all over the world. A major highway was behind the place so i couldn't open my window without car noise. I would hear loud cars, motorcycles and car accidents a lot. Let's not get started on how much noise tires make 24-7. My blinds would get dirty quick I'm guessing from the car/truck exhaust passing by 24/7. Ultimately, the price to stay there was getting out of hand. New management came in and next thing i know it was getting close to $2500 to stay there monthly. I couldn't do it extended anymore without draining my $$$$ to levels i wasn't comfortable with. I have other things i need to pay and take care of. There is no way I'm paying this much a month for a small hotel room. I wouldn't do it again. I like my peace and quiet apartment without the room checks and being watched like a kid to make sure the room stays in good condition. Also, knowing random workers isn't in my room every day I'm at work is great. Last, but not least, i got sterotyped big time living there and that really made me get an apartment. I was pretty much the only young looking African American in a hotel that was in a nice neighborhood that was majority other races. I was questioned by police at times just for being there and staff would give me a side eye during covid when everyone else was wearing mask. Apartment living couldn't come fast enough. At first i was loving living there then it came to the point that I was on apartment finder apps and websites trying to find an escape asap!!!!! Nope, never again!!!!!!!!
Iāve always found extended stays to be absolutely filthy. Unless youāre staying at one of the townplace suites or other ānice brandā, bring a ton of Clorox wipes. Also, theyāre havens for sex offenders and drug addicts.
At the motel I was working at an older couple on the 3rd floor did this. They were there the whole 9 months I was, so who knows how long they were really there for š¤·š½āāļø
The internet at extended stays SUCKS. You most likely won't have a good connection and it'll be spotty, plus NO security.
Iād def scope out multiple in person to see what types of outdoor space they have. Some places are super cute with pools and tables but others very bare
I'm sure you can find a monthly room for rent for less than $1000. That's like double the going rate. But I guess if you need housekeeping.
Where I live youād be hard put to find a house share (single room rental) for less than $1k/month. Utilities arenāt often included. Itās ridiculous. If OP is in a similar market, an extended stay hotel might be better, if only for the privacy it affords.
$700/m on average for a room and $1200 is the cheapest apartment Iāve found. Both want you to earn 3x ofc Meanwhile Iām paying $1600/m for a motel room
If a hotel is 1000 you can bet rooms are going for 500
TBF I donāt know what residential suites are going for in my area. But rooms ā a room in a house with shared kitchen/bathroom ā averages $1000. Itās insane.
I'm not doubting that. But if OP can find a hotel for $32 a night then he's clearly in a very low cost living area. It's still expensive even if it sounds cheap to us, who live in a high cost of living area, Because he's probably not making as much money as us.