Six week lodging & cutting costs

[SeansMom]

I'm hoping someone on these boards has experience/advice. My next clinical rotation is 4 hours from my home (in Yakima WA) and I need housing. I emailed the "sister" church and have housing from October 14th onwards, but I still need a place to stay for 10 nights. Hotels there are pretty spendy, about $100/night, and although I looked for a short-term rental/room to share most people have pets or want you to stay for at least a month. Does anyone have any ideas on securing relatively inexpensive short-term housing?

Also, I'm wondering how business travellers manage their meals. Eating out every day would get very expensive. I think I can manage breakfast okay, but lunch/dinner with only a microwave seems tough.

I guess I'm in the same situation as those that travel for work, but I've never actually been away from home for 6 weeks (ever) and in the past many years, only been away with family on vacation.

ANY ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated .

 

[mrsklamc]

VRBO.com

 

[happily single]

How about: 1. The Name our own hotel price?
2. Extended Stay America type hotels?
3. Some large apartment complexes can rent for short term.
4. Ask the hospital where you are working, they must deal with this everytime a new nurse is there.

Good luck

 

[Tink-aholic]

I spent five months in a Homewood Suites earlier this year. We had a 2BR/2BTH room with a full kitchen for roughly $80 per night. Would have been $65 for an efficiency (full fridge, microwave, cooking top). They serve a large hot breakfast buffet and dinner four nights a week. They even took our dog out for us when we couldn't make it home on time.

After that stay, I have enough Hilton Honors Points (like frequent flier miles and totally FREE) to pay for five days at the Pasadena Hilton for the Rose Bowl Parade and three nights at the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC, free of charge.

Good luck.

 

[mrsklamc]

The thing with name your own price hotels is there would be no gaurantee of a microwave.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

You're going to Yakima?

This is kind of an off the wall suggestion, and I don't know if you would be eligible or interested, but I'm going to suggest it anyways. Yakima has a lot of migrant workers and therefore likely has some migrant worker housing. I don't think late October is not peak season for agriculture, so there may be some of that available. I'm not even sure who you would contact for information on that.

You could look on the Chamber of Commerce website to see what's available in the area also, if you haven't done so already. You could look in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick) for short term apartments, but it'd be a long commute (about an hour) and vacancy rates are very low there right now.

I agree with PPs, though. I think extended-stay type hotels will likely be your best choice. If you can't get one with a microwave, you can often find cheap ones at Walmart.

 

[Nicolepa]

You're going to Yakima?

This is kind of an off the wall suggestion, and I don't know if you would be eligible or interested, but I'm going to suggest it anyways. Yakima has a lot of migrant workers and therefore likely has some migrant worker housing. I don't think late October is not peak season for agriculture, so there may be some of that available. I'm not even sure who you would contact for information on that.

September/October is apple season in Washington.

OP I would suggest trying maybe find someone to house sit for? I don't know how you'd go about doing that, but it may be an option. The other option that was sugested already was to do an extended stay place where you would have a full kitchen. W/O a kitchen I don't see you spending less then $25 a day if you eat out every meal.

Business travelers typically eat out every meal. The company either pays for their meals or gives them an allowance for the day. They are not cooking while they are traveling.

 

[pamlet]

I don't have any suggestions for lodging other than google for "extended stay" "yakima, wa" .. that might direct you to some places that offer a cut rate for over a week ..

As to eating .. while you may only have a microwave and fridge .. you CAN get creative in eating.. Not the greatest meals - but you can eat ..

I use to travel a LOT .. and be in one place for weeks at a time. I got very tired of eating out. I'd get salami, cheese, crackers .. canned soup .. instant oatmeal, precooked bacon .. (breakfast, blt's (on bread not toast tho') .. ).. grapes, apples, oranges .. I'd buy my own coffee and 4 cup filters .. I'd take sandwiches for lunch .. Not the greatest eating - but it saved on expenses .. (I'd also splurge a bit .. Pepperidge Farm cookied .. laugh) ..

 

[MartinaC]

Here is another thought. Look into campgrounds that rent cabins or trailers. Maybe a KOA. Sometimes there per night rate is cheaper. But, of course I enjoy camping so I wouldn't mind it. Just a thought.

 

[swilshire]

2. Extended Stay America type hotels?

Another vote for them. They're very basic but a good value. Sign up on their website and they'll send you discount offers.

When I travel, I always get a place with a fridge and microwave. Free breakfast is good too. I buy groceries just like I would at home.

In addition to breakfast, Homewood Suites also have evening food that is usually sufficient for dinner. Residence Inn's have cut back on evening offerings, but a few of them are still good.

Sheila

 

[ajh88]

You may have thought of this already but when I had to stay out of town for rotations (5 weeks), I was able to use my mom's loyalty points to stay at a Candlewood Suites. My mom travels for her job and she was able to gift the points to me and I ended up with 8 free nights. Different chains have different rules, but I had no issues. The hotel had a full kitchen (including dishwasher!) and laundry on-site. They did not do daily housekeeping, but I went home on weekends, so I could live for 4 nights at a time without housekeeping service.

Maybe you know someone who would have points like this accumulated? For the nights when I couldn't get a free room, I used discounts through my job and got a pretty good deal at La Quinta ($65/night) and I had a microwave and fridge. They offered breakfast, I ate lunch "out", and I had a Lean Cuisine meal for dinner, along with maybe some other easy snacks from the fridge. I was able to get a similar price at a Sleep Inn and they offered breakfast and an appetizer hour in the evenings...but no microwave or refrigerator.


So, I'd ask around to see if anyone has access to discounts. Most large employers offer something - or AAA discounts, or sometimes schools have discount arrangements with local hotels. Worst case, you could find a couple of hotels you like and just call to see what they offer you. And wherever you end up staying, see if they have a loyalty program - I think it would take less than 10 nights to accumulate a free night (for some places anyway).

Oh, and I stayed at a lovely B&B in Yakima many years ago - I believe Orchard something. I think it has changed proprietors, but it was not terribly expensive (at the time) and they (of course) had a delicious breakfast.

 

[mrsklamc]

Here is another thought. Look into campgrounds that rent cabins or trailers. Maybe a KOA. Sometimes there per night rate is cheaper. But, of course I enjoy camping so I wouldn't mind it. Just a thought.

I actually did look this up last night after I realized my VRBO.com suggestion wasn't going to pan out- only 3 listings there, $300 per night. Looks like the federal government bought out the Yakima KOA a few years ago. There is a Yakima state park if she's really interested though.

Surely there's a nurse at the hospital that wouldn't mind a roommate for 10 days?

 

[Halle]

I'd bring a small crock pot to make dinner in.

 

[SeansMom]

Thanks for everyone's input. These are some great ideas .

Surely there's a nurse at the hospital that wouldn't mind a roommate for 10 days?

This is SUCH a great thought; maybe I'll contact HR on Monday and see if there is a way to reach the nurses.

Oh, and I stayed at a lovely B&B in Yakima many years ago - I believe Orchard something. I think it has changed proprietors, but it was not terribly expensive (at the time) and they (of course) had a delicious breakfast.

I have actually contacted two or three b&b's and am waiting to hear back. One I think it was the Orchard one, did offer a reduced rate without breakfast. It may be my best option.

I'd bring a small crock pot to make dinner in.

Good plan...Do these have some kind of timed shut offs?