I have a passion for luxury hotels, yet I decided to rent an RV and came away with quite a story to share.

For me, camping is when a hotel surprises my children with an adorable tent set up right in the room.

I dislike bugs, heat, stickiness, cramped spaces, and sleeping on anything other than a mattress. I enjoy hiking, making s'mores by the fire, or exploring nature, but when it’s time to sleep and shower, I prefer to do so in a house or hotel equipped with running water and air conditioning, thank you very much.

This year has led many of us to unfamiliar places, both mentally and physically, that we never planned to visit. Recently, 2020 brought my kids and me — the declared non-camper — to our rented RV in a bustling campground. At one point, I was spending hundreds per night just to shower in a shared bathroom, questioning what choices had led me here.

Spoiler alert: I didn't enjoy every single moment of our camping trip. In fact, there were several aspects I truly disliked. But I would definitely do it again. Here’s how and why I found myself in an RV in one of the busiest campgrounds in the country.

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Joining the RV trend

Why would someone who despises camping and has ample points to book nice hotels (like I did just the night before at the new JW Marriott Bonnet Creek) spend a fortune on a rented RV? That’s a fair question.

Two of my close friends purchased RVs during the pandemic to keep their families safe while still exploring the country. When they both decided to camp at Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground simultaneously, I knew my kids would have a fantastic time with theirs. Plus, the thought of enjoying wine and watching movies by the campfire sounded appealing for the adults as well.

While I have no desire to own an RV, the concept of renting one sparked when two of my favorite families set up their campers at one of my top spots: Disney. Whether it was fate or just my friends being a bad influence, that’s how a non-camper like me began exploring RV rentals online.

My first RV rental experience

I won’t say never, but driving an RV isn’t in my future. I recognize my limits and knew I needed an RV that could be delivered, set up, and picked up after our adventure.

I kicked off my online search for RV rentals in the Disney World area, specifically looking for those that offered full-service delivery and setup. Fortunately, thanks to the size and popularity of Disney's Fort Wilderness, there are many companies that cater to this need.

To ensure we had a great time, I ultimately aimed for the most luxurious RV I could find within my budget. The more it resembled a house, the better. My best luck came from the website Outdoorsy, which is like Airbnb but specifically for RV rentals, perfect for those who, like me, are new to the RV rental scene.

Many RV owners list their vehicles on platforms like Outdoorsy or RVShare when they’re not using them. The options range from budget-friendly small campers costing under $100 per night to luxurious homes on wheels.

It's easy to guess which option I favored.

In addition to the $375 nightly fee for the rental itself, Outdoorsy also charged a mandatory protection and insurance fee along with a service charge. While this might seem like an unnecessary expense, I was actually relieved to use a platform with built-in support for my first rental, rather than going in unprepared. Plus, given the unpredictability of 2020, I appreciated the cancellation policy: I could get a full refund (minus the service fee) up to five days before my trip.

I’m clueless about how to empty a black or gray water tank, but I understand the importance of having insurance and support when handling something as costly and intricate as a travel trailer. Booking through Outdoorsy meant making payments and communicating with the owner directly on the platform, which was both straightforward and secure.

Experiencing luxury living on wheels

It turns out that living in an RV can be quite luxurious, as demonstrated by our three-night stay in a 2020 41-foot Class A Fleetwood Discovery that accommodates up to 10 people. (Here’s the actual listing if you’re interested in renting it.)

During this trip, I had just two kids with me, which felt like more than enough space—even though I’m skeptical that any RV could truly sleep 10 people comfortably. While almost every surface can transform into a sleeping area, the designated beds included a king-sized bed and a set of bunks.

According to my RV-savvy friends, this setup costs around a quarter of a million dollars, so I was relieved to be renting it. I must say, it definitely had the look of a rockstar's tour bus as soon as we stepped inside.

There were countless televisions, along with a washing machine, dryer, shower, toilet, stovetop, sink, and every other appliance you would typically find in a conventional vacation rental.

You could easily live in this RV.

The owners included a generous amount of padding (and undoubtedly some magic) to ensure the bed was incredibly comfortable, with all linens, including towels, provided. Just keep in mind that, as with any vacation rental, each RV is unique and some might be quite basic.

Fear of the unknown

Unfortunately, I couldn't meet the owner in person, so I arrived at the fully equipped house on wheels at Fort Wilderness without much insight into the nuances of RV living — like how to actually operate an RV.

Seeing my friends managing hoses and emptying their tanks daily made me anxious about doing the same. To mitigate this, I avoided using unnecessary water in the RV since the tank sensor was malfunctioning. Consequently, we trekked over to the campground’s comfort stations for showers, which turned out to be a good choice since the water pressure and space are always better on solid ground than in a mobile home.

I felt a bit overwhelmed by the thought of cooking due to the potential for a mountain of dishes, and I struggled to get the televisions set up with my devices for streaming shows — and don’t even get me started on my anxiety about the washing machine, which I tried to use on our final night (with plenty of moral support) after one of my kids had a "situation" that required laundry.

I’m sure most campers would have been far more adept and self-assured in the RV than I was, but my goal was simply to leave without breaking or emptying anything. Let’s be real: Being warned that I’d know right away if the tanks were full because things wouldn’t drain or would spew gray water back at me wasn’t exactly reassuring.

Classic family fun

I didn’t make full use of all the RV’s features, and driving it was definitely off the table. Honestly, I tried to keep my interactions to a minimum while inside. Regardless, the trip turned out to be amazing. The essentials functioned perfectly, even in the hands of the most clueless novice at the campground. We had restful nights, running water when needed, a full-sized refrigerator keeping our drinks chilled, and the air conditioner helped me stay cool, even outside my comfort zone.

However, the highlight of RV living wasn’t the RV itself — and it never would be for me, even if I had the chance to rent Beyoncé’s actual tour bus, which I might have considered.

Ultimately, the experience was about sharing moments with friends: laughing as the rain poured down while my friend, Ed Pizza, was grilling chicken for eleven people, finishing up with the help of an iPhone flashlight; watching six kids laugh as they moved from one RV to another in our little temporary paradise; loading the kids into a golf cart to check out Halloween decorations at other campsites, while my kids brainstormed ways to create their own decorations with disposable tablecloths; enjoying boxed wine with friends by the campfire while streaming the baseball playoffs on a laptop after the kids pretended to be asleep.

Of course, I’ll likely also recall the sand flea bites that sneaked in to ruin an otherwise flawless evening.

After three nights in the RV, I was eager to return to a room with four solid walls and endless hot water that vanishes into the sewer, never to return. Yet, as a non-camper who vastly prefers the luxuries of upscale hotels over any semblance of roughing it, I would definitely rent an RV again in similar circumstances.

While home rentals are wonderful and nice hotels can be fantastic, witnessing kids simply being kids with three RVs lined up next to each other is a travel memory I cherish adding to my collection.

I’m definitely a non-camper with almost no RV expertise, yet I had a blast spending a few nights in a rented RV. If I can enjoy it, pretty much anyone can.