It has been about three months now that I am technically “homeless” and living in hotels. There are so many things I want to write about this process. Like the fact that I expected to love it and in reality I really don’t like moving. You definitely learn so much about yourself in the process of downsizing to the point of living in hotels.
But today I will keep it simple and positive, it is all about the reasons I love living in hotels.
#1 It works out cheaper
I mentioned before that Doha is very expensive for rent, and it does work out better to live in hotels, especially for a couple not looking for a massive apartment. On some occasions, it might not work cheaper by much, but it will work about the same, without the hassle of dealing with the below options.
#2 Earning miles
This is my biggest happy moment. We earn miles for the rent by using our credit card to pay for it. Since if we were in an apartment, we would have to give post-dated checks, and the money would be taken from our bank account, so this is so much better. We can earn a decent amount of miles by doing this.
Update: We lived in hotels for almost a year and I earned over 1 million points which I used for a trip to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives which saved me almost $30,000 for a 5-night stay during peak-time.
Check out how I earned and spent the 1 million points
#3 Don’t have to worry about bills
Bills are included, and I love it. We don’t have to worry to pay them, and they are included in the rent, which is great.
#4 Enjoy the hotel’s facilities
If we were living in a regular apartment block, it would be pretty basic, or it would have a community pool for a large number of villas etc. This way, we have a nice, regularly maintained pool as well as a ladies-only gym! Yay, going to the gym more often now. Saves on gym membership too.
#5 Housekeeping is here
Right, not to say I don’t like cleaning the house, but really it is not my number one choice. So having housekeeping, it’s great. I don’t have to worry about laundry or the bed linen or even changing them.
#6 Maintenance is included
When we moved, many people were saying that some of the apartment buildings are not well maintained or they will take months. Seriously in my friend’s flat, it took them 3 months to change the lightbulb. Coincidentally I had the same issue and the hotel’s maintenance people came within a few hours. This is definitely worth the price you pay. Hotels usually respond faster and fix things fast which is great.
#7 No expensive furniture to buy
I just came back from the UK and If you follow me on social media, you know I have been packing our house. I hate packing and moving. We also sold our furniture, and most of our belongings went into the charity store. Now in Doha, I don’t have to worry about buying new furniture but rather stay in the hotel which is obviously fully furnished. Saves you money and hassle.
#8 Living in a nice area
One of my requirements, when we were looking to relocate, was that I have a lovely sea view room. I have to say living in hotels does provide that, as well as a nice area to walk, spend most of your time and enjoy Doha. If we were to be renting a house in a similar area, it would have cost us either similar or more, and the hassle would not be worth it.
#9 Minimalistic life
After parting with my worldly possessions, I have to say I felt liberated, which according to this article, is normal for a woman. I know there is a ‘minimalist culture’ out there working towards downsizing and being more stress-free, and after doing some of that, I can say it feels good. The fact that my life fits in about 3 suitcases does have that ‘freeing’ feeling. I am less stressed about tidying the room or wondering if I should keep this ornament. We developed a system from 1 – 10 for things we like, and if it reaches 9 or 10, that is when we buy it. It is not worth it otherwise. If you want to start this process, check out Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever
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#10 Space is not an issue
We live in one room essentially but what this has done is to bring us closer and makes us more active. We won’t spend the time after coming from work sitting on the sofa watching TV, but rather we will go out for a meal and walk. We do quite a lot of walking here, not sure how we will manage during the summer, but we will see.
So far, I have enjoyed living in hotels. However, we decided not to move as often since I just moved a whole house in the UK, and I do not need to make the monthly move. I really thought I would love the variety and all the options, and I do, but I prefer to take it slow.
I discovered that what I thought was my dream goal of moving every month is actually kind of a nightmare in reality. But loving the hotel living part of this journey is definitely an experience.