Travel vlogger lives in hotels full time and never pays rent

The part-time travel agent shared how living in hotels full-time is cheaper than paying rent in California. Photo / Unsplash

The end of a holiday is always difficult, not just because the vacation is over but because we have to leave the crisp white sheets, fluffy bathrobes and invisible cleaning services we get at a hotel.

So, you would think living in luxurious five-star hotels full time would be the dream.

Not exactly, according to American travel influencer Ashley McCurdy.

In a Youtube video that has gained almost 13,700 views, McCurdy explained how, after losing her corporate job in 2019, she did the math and realised it was cheaper to live in hotels full time than pay "expensive Southern California rent."

McCurdy admitted it may sound crazy, but in 2020 she was able to "stay 103 nights at Marriott properties for $4356 or about $42 a night."

These weren't your super cheap hostels either, but hotels like "the Ritz Carlton in Cancun & W in Midtown Atlanta," she said.

In the vlog, McCurdy filmed a typical day in her life, while staying at the Marriott hotel, which included a free breakfast.

After her chicken enchiladas, fruit plate, herbal tea and coffee were brought to the room for free, she did a Facebook Live for her followers.

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A post shared by Ashley - Travel Expert (@insearchoftraveler)

The rest of the day may have been spent at a hotel but the video showed it wasn't a holiday.

After breakfast was placed outside the room for housekeeping to tidy, she filmed the work she did.

"A lot of people are confused as to what work looks like for me," she said in the video.

"I travel full-time but there's a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that you guys don't see. But honestly, it's not that exciting."

Most of McCurdy's work involves editing vlogs, which are uploaded to YouTube for over 3,400 subscribers.

On the side, she also sells travel-related self-help courses on her blog and works part-time as a travel agent.

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A post shared by Ashley - Travel Expert (@insearchoftraveler)

Meanwhile, she also works part-time as a travel agent and will often organise trips for her followers inspired by holidays she's shared online.

"You guys see me having fun and travelling," she said. "That's just a small percentage of what I do every day."