ROUND 1: COMFORT CONTROVERSY
CAMPING: To camp or not to camp? That is the question. It’s the time of year when families pack their bags and board planes, trains, and automobiles to reach their summer holiday destinations. If you choose to go camping, you can look forward to sleeping on the cold, hard ground in a cramped tent and damp sleeping bag. Sounds uncomfortable? It could be.
HOTELS: If you opt for a private, cozy hotel room instead, you’ll have the luxury of sleeping on a bed with all the amenities you would expect to find on a relaxing getaway, including a hot shower, pillows, and someone to clean up after you! A good night’s sleep is virtually guaranteed.
Camping doesn’t have to be uncomfortable, but a hotel is like a castle next to a tent. Hotels win the first point!
SCORE: CAMPING – 0
HOTELS – 1
ROUND 2: MONEY MADNESS
CAMPING: You get what you pay for and accommodations are no exception. Depending on the campground you stay at, a family can camp in a tent overnight for less than $35. Water and electricity might cost extra.
HOTELS: Meanwhile, a hotel room is more comfortable, but it’s also more expensive. A single room will usually run you at least $100 a night and, if you’re a big spender, there’s no limit as to how much you can pay for a swanky space.
You might have to sleep on the floor if you go camping, but at least the price tag won’t put you in the ground! Camping makes a comeback!
SCORE: CAMPING – 1
HOTELS – 1
ROUND 3: PEST PROBLEM
CAMPING: No matter how much one enjoys roughing it out in the wilderness, no one likes being eaten alive by mosquitoes, sucking and gnawing away at you despite however many layers of bug spray you coat yourself with. Plus, you might also have to contend with thunderstorms and unwanted visitors such as bears, skunks, or raccoons digging through your garbage.
HOTELS: When you stay at a hotel abroad, there is always the possibility that you’ll be greeted by a cockroach, but chances are the most incessant pests that you’ll encounter at any hotel are noisy neighbouring guests. Hey, at least you won’t get soaking wet if it starts to rain!
Camping rains on its own parade. Hotels snag another point!
SCORE: CAMPING – 1
HOTELS – 2
ROUND 4: TOP ACTIVITIES
CAMPING: From canoeing and fishing to swimming in a lake and hiking through the woods, there is no shortage of activities at camp. Many campgrounds also have courts to play badminton, horseshoes, tennis, volleyball, and more!
HOTELS: Conversely, hotels are just a place to sleep at. They don’t provide as many activities to keep you occupied, although many do have a swimming pool, an exercise room, TV, and internet access. Of course, these are precisely the kinds of distractions people want to escape when they go on vacation!
You snooze, you lose. Camping reels in Round 4 to tie the game…
SCORE: CAMPING – 2
HOTELS – 2
ROUND 5: FOOD FIGHT
CAMPING: You’re the cook when you go camping, which means that everything is made to order by you. Camp food is not gourmet, but it is oh-so-good. There’s nothing that tastes quite like a hot dog or marshmallow roasted over an open fire and washed down with an ice-cold Coke from the cooler.
HOTELS: On the other hand, hotels offer room service with a variety of menu items, including bacon and eggs, pasta, sandwiches, seafood, steaks, and everything in between! Still, there’s nothing special at a hotel kitchen that you can’t already get at any average restaurant.
Camp food is so good that you’ll want “S’more”! Camping clinches the last point!
SCORE: CAMPING – 3
HOTELS – 2
ROUND UP: Inns are officially out. Hotels may be more comfortable and virtually pest-free, but camping is a cost-effective alternative that offers more fun activities, tasty treats, and a unique outdoor experience that everyone should try at least once. So, say farewell to the old hotel because camp is the new summer holiday champ.
Web Links: Visit these websites to find a campground or hotel near you!
www.campcanada.com
www.hotels.ca