The Benefits of Staying in Cabins or Cottages Vs. Staying in Motels

By Marcella S. Meeks

10/21/23

I’ve traveled a lot in my lifetime throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. I’ve stayed in 1 star hotels/motels that didn’t have much to offer except a bed to sleep in and that wasn’t much. I’ve stayed in 2, 3, 4 and 5 star hotels/motels as well and have been treated kindly in each place I’ve stayed in a hostel before and was treated with kindness and respect and a fairly decent bed to sleep in. I’ve stayed at B & B’\s and at cabins, cottages and condos and have camped out out in primitive camp sites with no amenities and at KOA’s where we had access to showers and bathrooms. In a sense, I’ve had a taste of a little bit of both worlds.

The last 19 years, I’ve traveled with grandchildren quite a bit and in the beginning I always made sure our motel had a pool. When the pandemic hit full force a few years ago, that changed things drastically for us because no mater what hotel/motel we stayed at, the pool was always closed. I thought it would make a huge impact with the kids but it didn’t. I honestly believed they’d be disappointed without a swimming pool. But looking back on the last few trips we took before the pandemic, the kids hardly went swimming at all. They were getting older and the pool was too much trouble for them and took them away from their smart phones and games.

Since then, I started booking 2 and 3 bedroom cabins. Most of these cabins didn’t have pools but no one seemed to miss them at all. At some of the places there was a swim beach close by or a community pool in town that had giant slides and such. The best part about the cabins is easy to figure out. Depending on where we were and how big the cabin needed to be, it costed about the same as a five star motel. The cabins that we stayed at had linen, towels, a kitchen and stocked with dishes and pots and pans – all the conveniences of home and then some. With a kitchen, I am able to cook full meals for the family and we don’t have to eat take out or go to expensive restaurants except when we want a special treat or outing.

Not only have I saved a few dollars on food, but I’m able to sit around the dinner table after the meal and talk and play cards or board games with the kids. I’d like to call it quality time. Then we can venture outside and whenever available, we can build a fire in the fire pit and sit around and roast marshmallows and eat s’mores.

The good thing about staying in cabins or cottages rather than a one room motel/hotel or even a suite is the ability to feel at home, and do the things that really matters. A pool night be an added bonus but in my opinion, spending quality time with your family is much more important whether it’s twenty or thirty minutes or an hour. The best part is, the privacy of multiple bedrooms and usually a front or back porch to sit out on after a long day of touring and having fun. Depending on where you are, there might be fly fishing or some other type of sport offered at the cabin/resort like hiking, kayaking or even rafting expeditions. It’s simply the best!

There is a couple of places in Lake City that you might find appealing to you.

The TEXAN RESORT . Reservations (970) 944-2246 • Toll free (877) 220-1179. The Texan has a place for fishing onsite and swimming. There is horseshoe games and a basketball goal for the older kids and a park for the little ones. There are hiking trails everywhere. It is not far from town and there are different size cabins to fit your needs. You can contact The Texan Resort at

Another cabin in town that some of you will really enjoy is G & M CABINS, 331 Gunnison Avenue, Lake City, CO. 970 944 2282. There’s no place to fish or swim but you can do either of the two about five minutes away. I love their beautiful cabins and OMG – the flowers Ms. Jacqui is famous for will honestly take your breath away. Just remember though, they don’t allow fur babies here. But families are always welcome.

I’ve had the pleasure of staying in cabins and motels but the benefits of the cabins are much greater to me than that of motels in most cases. I usually rent a motel for a night coming in and a night going out but my preference would honestly have to be for cabins or resorts. Again, it depends on where I am and what I am doing that really makes the difference. And it also depends on how much money I’m willing to pay for food whether it’s take out or dine or or home cooked.

It’s your choice – you have to decide which is better for your family. If you’re not willing to cook and clean just like you would at home, then motels/hotels might be the better choice for you.

Tonight, it’s chicken fried pork chops, gravy and rice and little red potatoes seasoned and simmered to perfection and home made biscuits. And home made peach cobbler for desert. So, no motel for this family this trip! Are you hungry?There’s room at my table for one more…