One of my treats to myself is to book a hotel room for one night just so I can feel like I'm on vacation. With all the stressors of work, home etc sometimes I need a little vacation without having to spend major bucks for a real one. I normally order room service, get a spa treatment and enjoy the other hotel amenities. Sometimes I sit by the pool while enjoying a frilly drink and completely feel like I'm on a vacation. Occassionaly people will ask where I'm visiting from and I will go along with it...LOL.

Posted By Donna L. on May 20, 2010, 5:17 PM

I don't consider this silly but when my children where smaller and I was attending school and working full-time, I used to book a room just for uninterrupted study and "whatever" time once a month. I've stopped doing it but realize maybe it's not such a bad idea and may start doing it again (even though the "kids" are much older now).

Posted By Yolanda Jones on May 20, 2010, 9:24 PM

To me it's not silly, anyway but if I'm planning a date with my wife, I'll often get a hotel room rather than going home. That way, we can both have a drink or two and not have to worry about driving home. Not only that, but even late at night, going home can make us think about things like laundry, dishes, pets, kids, and all those other daily concerns that aren't very conducive to romance.

Posted By David B on May 21, 2010, 1:28 PM

1. So I could get a hot shower when I was backpacking in Europe.
2. So I didn't have to drive home from the bar/wedding festivities...even though I only live 15 minutes away.

Posted By JenA on May 21, 2010, 3:35 PM

1. To get away from my family and unwind
2.Sleep in the morning past 5am and not have the kids jumping on the bed.
3. To soak in the tub and read a book in the tub.

Posted By Shannon K. on May 21, 2010, 10:42 PM

We booked a motel room to get away from the horrible odor in our house after I had a "stove error." I left a burner on high to sterilize baby bottle nipples - while we went out for an afternoon of visiting. When we got home, the house was filled with black smoke and the terrible smell! We were lucky we still had a house!

Posted By A. Merritt on May 24, 2010, 10:24 AM

Because my room (where the wedding was) wouldn't take a pet that I wanted to bring.

Posted By shbro on May 24, 2010, 10:24 AM

I had a friend coming to visit and thought my house was too messy, so rather than cleaning, I booked us into a nearby hotel.

Posted By jen on May 24, 2010, 10:54 AM

When in the Peace Corps in Lesotho , Africa I paid for a hotel room several times just so I could see and talk to other Americans , I eventually found out that PC had an apt where Volunteers could stay for free when in Maseru

Posted By mary ellen jones on May 24, 2010, 11:13 AM

We booked a room in our hometown so our teenage daughters could have a slumber party with their girlfriends at our house without having their day come out of the bedroom every 20 minutes to tell them to be quiet. Yes, our house was still intact when we got home the next morning.

Posted By M Conley on May 24, 2010, 11:16 AM

1. This one is not really silly, but about 10 years ago, we were hosting our (very large) family reunion. Well my grandfather, the consumte host that did no real work, invited about 8 people to stay in our 4 bedroom home. We only had 1 guest room. Well, by the time I was done that first night at about 2 in the morning, I dragged my absolutely exhausted self up to my room, only to find 3 of my cousins there waiting for me so that we could "catch up". I just turned around and got in my car and drove to the nearest hotel which served as my home until the reunion was over. No one knew where I slept those nights-thank God!
2. I was in another city on a day-business trip and as I was driving home, I passed a hotel that looked cute and charming. So I stopped, got a room and drove home in the morning!

Posted By A Milas on May 24, 2010, 12:00 PM

In my hometown of Portland, many houses (including mine) do not come equipped with AC due to the general mild weather. At the height of a 5-day heat wave last summer, we booked a room just to be able to have a night of cool sleep and some refreshing pool time. Got a great rate on Hotwire and it was totally worth it!

Posted By A.Green on May 24, 2010, 12:13 PM

I was curious about Priceline, and I wanted to see how it worked. I wasn't planning a vacation at the time.

I played around with it until, to my surprise and shock, my bid was accepted.

I ended up at the Westin Copley in Boston for $55 a night. I was quite impressed and have been a satisfied Priceline customer ever since.

Posted By Donna Cuervo on May 24, 2010, 12:51 PM

So far, none are as silly as yours Valerie ;)

Posted By Jim Steltenpohl on May 24, 2010, 6:14 PM

Silly? I don't think so...a performer was having a show at a local hotel. I thought it would be neat if I just got a room at the hotel that night so I wouldn't have to get out after the show and drive home in the middle of the night. We could just go to the room and relax, take a dip in the pool, etc. Well, maybe not totally relax. This hotel was on the list of a company I "secret shop" for, so I would get the room for free plus get a fee for checking out the hotel and filling out a report. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

Posted By David on May 24, 2010, 10:04 PM

I went to Buffalo Bills Casino in State Line Nevada, just to ride there roller coaster. My actual vacation was in Arizona (Grand Canyon, Sedona, etc....) and I have no real interest in gambling, so it was a bit of a ride for a ride! BTW, I would still return to Arizona,"just because they are enforcing immigration law."

Posted By Neal on May 25, 2010, 7:50 AM

Years before NFL games could all be viewed in a bar, my now husband and I drove to another state where the game was not blacked out and got a hotel room (after checking that the game was on) with a late check-out. This was a last minute decision and a fun and memorable trip.

Posted By Donna Ozark on May 25, 2010, 9:46 AM

Wow! Such fascinating (and funny!) responses. Thanks for sharing, everyone!

Posted By Valerie on May 25, 2010, 11:55 AM

when the kids were young we booked a suite at an airport hotel just to watch the planes land and takeoff

Posted By elainep on May 27, 2010, 10:23 AM

I booked a hotel room (about 5 miles from my home) on a cold Canadian winter day in order to use the sauna, hot tub and the pool. I had all to myself as others were likely snowed in. I spent hours enjoying the heat and steam and the water and felt like I was on my own little tropical vacation for a day. It was the best $100 I ever spent.

Posted By Barb B on May 28, 2010, 1:35 PM

Valerie - you're not alone! I saw the headline and started giggling when I read your reason. Last fall for the LOST season premiere my boyfriend and I were ready to watch when 30 minutes before showtime the electricity went out. After 15 minutes of being in the dark and realizing the entire neighborhood was pitch black, we high-tailed it over to the Embassy Suites. We got to our room just in time to see the opening credits.

Posted By Kim on May 29, 2010, 11:33 AM

We live on an island and booked a room inland about 3 hours away to avoid a strong hurricane. With our coastal home secured, we snuggled down in the hotel safely. About 11 PM, the whole town lost power so the only communication we had was my portable radio (& poor service)! The next morning we were still without power. When we ventured out, we discovered the storm had flooded one of our routes home. We were forced to go even further away from our destination to circumvent the damages.
As we finally approached our island home, we found little damage. We wondered if we would have been better off staying home. We'll never know!

Posted By Linda on May 29, 2010, 8:22 PM

The best "silly" reason to book a hotel room? Too keep your stays up and qualify for your rewards program. I've done it more than once. I've also gone on a two day weekend trip to Europe to keep my miles up for my reward program. My wife doesn't call it "silly." She calls it foolish! But when upgraded to Business, or FIrst on an International flight, on a coach ticket (it's happened three times), or when upgraded to the most amazing suites in Europe while on vacation, she then thinks I'm pretty cool. It's those times I remind her there is a fine line between "silly" and "cool."

Posted By Jason on June 1, 2010, 5:08 PM

Television shows are a great reason to get a hotel room. I get a hotel room to watch the Oscars, but before I book it I call ahead to make sure they have E! Not only is it important to be comfortable in a hotel, but I also must have E!, since they do have the best red carpet show! Cheers!

Posted By Sam on June 3, 2010, 3:34 PM

My favorite has to be yours Donna! I have always been leary of trying Priceline (although I have used Hotwire on occasion) but I might just take a page from Donna's book and 'take a trip' to downtown Seattle via Priceline!

Posted By Laura on June 3, 2010, 9:19 PM

I used to be assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and would often book a hotel room during times we were in our homeport of Norfolk, Va. I'm not sure if this is silly but a nice relaxing sleep was welcomed after spending time underway and amongst machinary and aircraft landing/taking off from our flight deck.

Posted By Brian on June 6, 2010, 10:26 AM

I didn't book it but my parents did. We had a family dog that we all adored. We (dog and all)went to visit distant relatives out of state and discovered that it was best not to have the dog stay at the relative's home so my parents rented the dog a hotel room for the night. We went back to stay overnight at the relative's house.

Posted By HL on June 7, 2010, 3:34 PM

We once rented a room at the Radisson just to try out the Sleep Number bed!

Posted By Pat on June 7, 2010, 4:27 PM

I rented a hotel room once just to drink as much alcohol as I could without any conflict from family members...

Posted By Paul Johnson on June 7, 2010, 8:24 PM

During my husband's tour in Vietnam, I had to live with my parents. My two preschool age children were with me. We had two bedrooms upstairs and my mother worked. However, I think she was experiencing menopause because she was miserable to be with. She took all her frustrations out on ME as usual. I am her oldest child and only daughter. I have 4 younger brothers but only one was living at home. She was so mean to me, I packed and checked into a motel 40 miles away. I gave my children baths, got them ready for bed, tried to watch tv and ended up going home after my dad would be home from work. She was/and is very difficult to be around (me). She does not give any consideration at all. I still don't know what I ever did to make her dislike me so much, since I was born. Cost me the little money I had for the entire month. It was difficult enough having a husband in VietNam but dealing with her, I was ready to live on welfare.

Posted By Rhona Davis on June 8, 2010, 2:51 AM

One of my favorite vacations was driving up and down the coast in Goa and just staying where I happened to be at night. I finally drove back to my aunt and uncle's place, my 'base camp'. It was, however, past midnight and the lights were off, so I checked into a hotel across the road. My uncle being an early riser saw my car parked there and said I was silly not to wake them up!

Posted By Arthur T on June 10, 2010, 11:55 AM

Not so silly. We had no choice but book a room. The gas in our truck FROZE driving through North Dakota one winter.

Posted By Lin on June 10, 2010, 10:02 PM

One time on a car trip to south Carolina from North Carolina The air conditioner on the car quit. I would have turned around and gone home but my friend was determined to go on. I stopped at a motel some where in South Carolina and waited to be picked up on the return trip. It was only 3 hours but it was nice and cool.

Posted By Dinah on June 11, 2010, 10:19 AM

I've booked hotel rooms to avoid colliding with my roommate's friends during her parties and get-togethers. Since we live in a small apartment, it is often difficult to avoid becoming a part of the party, especially when it conflicts with my schedule.

Posted By nicole on June 11, 2010, 1:25 PM