I'm about to tell DH to plan our vacation so I can just sit back and complain about everything. Here are his dumbassed parameters:
1) must be a direct flight 2) cannot be too long of a flight (but no answer to what is too long) 3) must be a hotel, not a condo because he wants fresh towels every day and doesn't want to do laundry 4) must not be "too expensive" though again no definition of what is too expensive 5) must have 2 bathrooms. Or not. Depending on his colon's mood I guess. 6) must not require passports. Maybe. Could be negotiable. 7) must not require a long car ride after the flight
I did a table today with destinations, hotel prices for a suite, flight times, drive times from airport, and notes. So what seems to pique his interest? Hilton Head. Which doesn't have a direct flight, requires a drive, was among the most expensive hotel options, and just generally met zero of his criteria. What the Actual F. Does he just like the name? No idea. Hands officially thrown up.
Hilton Head hotels are super expensive. I could get a condo for a week in Panama City for the price I spent for 4 days in a regular, average hotel room there.
Wow, the towel thing would have me seeing red. A hotel with 2 bathrooms will cost SOOOO much more than a condo, and otherwise probably have less to offer. I'm ok with hotels for a couple nights but for a week or almost a week I am VRBO all the way (assuming we can't get in free or cheap at MIL's timeshare).
Wow, the towel thing would have me seeing red. A hotel with 2 bathrooms will cost SOOOO much more than a condo, and otherwise probably have less to offer. I'm ok with hotels for a couple nights but for a week or almost a week I am VRBO all the way (assuming we can't get in free or cheap at MIL's timeshare).
Me too! VRBO was a game changer for us now that we have small kids. I can not stand staying in a hotel for more than one night. Renting a condo/house is so much more relaxing to me because of all the extra room, it's usually cheaper and it's nice to have the option to prepare some meals there.
Could he just bring enough towels so that he'd have a fresh one every day? lol. We were planning to go to HHI for Memorial Day and there were so many good options on VRBO.
Post by indyrowergirl on Apr 26, 2017 8:03:34 GMT -5
My love for HHI is deep. We went for the first time when DS1 was about 7 mo old, and have been back several times. At this point I love it because it's the no research/planning vacation. I already know where to stay, what to do, where to eat, etc. On HHI, the hotels are crazy expensive, and not always in the best locations. I'd VRBO a condo, or most plantations have rental offices (basically property management companies for their homeowners) that you can rent from directly. You can ask whoever you're renting that condo from for daily housekeeping service. We have never done this because (a) I don't mind doing a load of laundry mid-vacation in the unit one night while the kids are sleeping (this also allows us to pack fewer clothes) and (b) My kids are usually down for a mid-afternoon break/rest/nap so I didn't want to have to schedule my day around a housekeeper.
mommyatty, I've got an entire word doc saved with HHI info/tips that I've shared with other friends, PM me and I can PM it to you.
Post by indyrowergirl on Apr 26, 2017 8:04:31 GMT -5
Also wanted to add, I feel you on the DH frustration. I can.not.stand.it when DH can't articulate what it is he wants, but can find a reason to shoot down every idea I come up with. It makes me ragey (and he knows this, yet continues to do it).
+1 on the picky Dh. He wants direct beach front, walking distance to restaurants and activities, near an active beach so he can people watch? But not too crowded as to not be able to set up camp directly on the water, but not too close to other people. Plus, he has banned Gulf Shores because they dared to have an influx of jellyfish last time we were there. No as he calls it 1970s decor, which is really just beach decor. I narrowed down a couple of condo buildings told him to pick one he deemed worthy of his presence.
I thought of something else. If y'all are planning to go to the pool/beach, you'll probably need to wash a load of beach towels anyways, right? He can just throw his in there too!
Also wanted to add, I feel you on the DH frustration. I can.not.stand.it when DH can't articulate what it is he wants, but can find a reason to shoot down every idea I come up with. It makes me ragey (and he knows this, yet continues to do it).
This is like every "what's for dinner" conversation I've ever had with my H. Makes me crazy.
On the vacation front, he keeps planning this amazing Disney vacation he wants to take DS on. Only a few problems with his plan:
1. We never have enough vac time at the same time. 2. We can't afford it. 3. He hates crowds. He turns into a cranky beast in crowds. He won't even come to our small town carnival with me.
So even when we solve 1 & 2, there's still #3. Even Disney at an "off" time is likely to send him over the edge. He's never been there, and doesn't quite believe me, despite photo evidence. Save
Delegate, delegate, delegate! If you are really just trying to meet his criteria, delegate it to him.
Look at Ritz Carlton resorts - spendy, but not crazily so especially if you can use points for part of it. Or Grand Hyatts are typically in pretty mainstream locations and may give you some ideas?
I thought of something else. If y'all are planning to go to the pool/beach, you'll probably need to wash a load of beach towels anyways, right? He can just throw his in there too!
His concern is the beach towels. He wants maid service to handle those and wants perfectly fresh beach towels every stinking day. I'm more a "shake out the sand and hang it up for tomorrow" girl.
mommyatty, I do have a suggestion! Fly to San Juan (may not be direct, but no passport and it TOO long a flight from the east coast) and stay at the Caribe Hilton. They have 2 bath suites and are reasonably priced in the "off" season (like late summer is off season).
sudokufan, I am your H's twin. I am dying to take our kids to WDW, but I hate crowds with the fire of a thousand suns and I am cheap. DH thinks we should wait until our kids are much older, but I don't waaaannna wait!
mommyatty , I do have a suggestion! Fly to San Juan (may not be direct, but no passport and it TOO long a flight from the east coast) and stay at the Caribe Hilton. They have 2 bath suites and are reasonably priced in the "off" season (like late summer is off season).
... And now I'm off to research PR. Lol. Thank you!
Book Cancun! If he wants top service, those resorts are the place - in Playa we used an absurd number of towels and were handed bottled water constantly.
sudokufan, I am your H's twin. I am dying to take our kids to WDW, but I hate crowds with the fire of a thousand suns and I am cheap. DH thinks we should wait until our kids are much older, but I don't waaaannna wait!
I say that about the fire of 1000 suns all the time.
My H is not the problem but his family is and now that we have kids H wants to invite them on all of our bigger trips. In the end, having a hot tub at our VRBO seemed to trump everything else because the hot tub has proven to be the perfect place for the kids to hang out after we were done with the beach for the day.
Lurker here with tons of Hilton head experience. You can get someone to come into a Condo to clean and replace towels / it just costs you.
We just came back from Puerto Rico and stayed at the las casitas village - we loved it.
The Hilton caribe / the rooms were too small for our family.
We've stayed at Caribe Hilton twice, each time in a 1br suite, but both with 2 bathrooms. The first was in the main building. The second was in one of the way back buildings but OMG that room was enormous. It was like a small apartment. And not that small an apartment really.
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