How motels can meet your temporary accommodation needs

by Cheryl Dunn

It isn't always possible to have a seamless transition from home to home. For various reasons, your new place may not be available until after the lease is up on your current abode.

Yet life must go on, so you need somewhere to live. But it's not always possible to stay with friends or family, and hotels can be expensive. So why not consider motels? They offer an affordable, practical solution to temporary housing problems.

Motels meet all your basic needs – and more

You don't need luxury while you're between houses or apartments for a few days or weeks; you simply need temporary lodgings. You're looking for somewhere to sleep, eat and wash, and a motel offers just that.

Usually located on highways, away from busy city centres, motels are easily accessible. They also have on-site parking, so there's no need to search for a safe parking place: simply pull up your car and walk straight to your room.

The basic facilities

Motel rooms have a bed and a bathroom, with a shower, toilet and sink. There are also tea and coffee making facilities, so you can have a cuppa at your convenience.

There should be sufficient space for a suitcase or two, as well as any boxes of essentials that you couldn't put into storage.

Worried about creased shirts? Motel rooms usually contain an iron, but if you're going to need accommodation for more than a week, why not look for motels with self-serve laundry facilities on site? Do this and you won't have wash your clothes at expensive laundromats.

Where to eat when you're staying in a motel

You can drive to a nearby restaurant or order a takeaway to be delivered to your room, but this could prove expensive if you do it every day for a week or more.

Fortunately, motels often provide microwaves and toasters, so you can make toast or ready meals in your room. Some have restaurants on site, which offer reasonably priced meals. If your room has a kitchenette with an oven and a refrigerator, you can prepare your own food.

What about families?

Motels don't just suit single people or couples needing temporary accommodation. There are family rooms available, too, which make the perfect short-term living space for families waiting to move into their new home.

If you have a family, choose somewhere with family-friendly facilities, such as a play area or a swimming pool. Look for motels offering family suites with interconnecting rooms, so that both children and adults can have privacy.

Your situation might not be ideal – but a motel could be!

To begin your search, contact a motel like Ashfield's Philip Lodge Motel.

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