Your lodgings are a critical part of any locum tenens position. You need the right environment to rest, refresh, and launch your next shift. The longer your stay, the more important your home environment becomes. Luckily, there are plenty of long- and short-term housing options available to meet the needs of any locum tenens provider. In this post we’ll weigh the pros and cons of a few of those options, to hopefully help you figure out the best possible accommodations for your assignment.
Locum Tenens Lodgings Considerations:
- Sleep Quality - Many things can affect sleep quality, such as uncomfortable bedding, excessive light from windows, or a noisy ventilation system.
- Kitchen & Meals - Eating out every day can be unhealthy and expensive, so it’s ideal to have the ability to prepare your own meals.
- Laundry - Having access to laundry services gives you the advantage of being able to pack less, and is especially crucial for long-term assignments.
- Amenities - Extra perks like room service, a swimming pool and/or fitness center, free breakfast, and other amenities can provide an additional level of comfortability to your experience.
- Privacy - Something as simple as a “Do Not Disturb” sign or contactless check-in can do so much to make your housing feel more private.
Standard Hotels
- Sleep Quality: ★★★☆☆
- Kitchen and Meals: ★★☆☆☆
- Laundry: ★★☆☆☆
- Amenities: ★★★★★
- Privacy: ★★★☆☆
- Overall: 3/5
If an assignment is only a few days, then you will most likely be staying at a hotel. With over 50,000 throughout the US, hotels are extremely widespread and even the smallest communities have a nearby hotel with rooms for let. Hotels also boast a wide selection of amenities, like fitness centers, pools, room service, free toiletries, continental breakfast, and more. Another perk is a hotel rewards program. Every large hotel chain has one. You get free points that you can use later for your personal travel expenses, room upgrades, etc. However, without easily accessible laundry and access to a full kitchen, longer-term locum tenens roles may be more comfortable in lodgings designed for extended residence.
Extended Stay Hotels
- Sleep Quality: ★★★☆☆
- Kitchen and Meals: ★★★☆☆
- Laundry: ★★★☆☆
- Amenities: ★★★☆☆
- Privacy: ★★★☆☆
- Overall: 3/5
Extended stay hotels are designed to support weekly and monthly guests, and have services that are more supportive of long-term stay. For example, you’ll trade less frequent housekeeping for laundry service or nearby coin laundry. While your bedroom and living space are all-in-one in a traditional hotel, extended stay suites tend to be more like an apartment with a separate bedroom and living space, plus full kitchens and bathrooms. Additionally, many extended stay hotels are pet-friendly since they provide temporary housing, unlike traditional hotels which are typically off-limits to your four-legged friends.
Vacation Rentals
- Sleep Quality: ★★★★☆
- Kitchen and Meals: ★★★★☆
- Laundry: ★★★★☆
- Amenities: ★☆☆☆☆
- Privacy: ★★★★★
- Overall: 3.6/5
Vacation rentals are private properties that are rented by individual owners through sites like Airbnb and VRBO. This option gives you a more spacious place to stay, a better-equipped kitchen, and overall a more private, home-like experience than a hotel, but you’ll miss out on traditional hotel amenities like room service and continental breakfast. Additionally, vacation rentals offer fewer protections and less flexibility, which can be a huge headache in the event that you need to cancel or modify your reservation. Still, many providers prefer a vacation rental's privacy and complete home “amenities” for locum tenens roles that stretch into weeks or months.
Corporate Housing
- Sleep Quality: ★★★★☆
- Kitchen and Meals: ★★★★☆
- Laundry: ★★★☆☆
- Amenities: ★★★☆☆
- Privacy: ★★★★★
- Overall: 3.8/5
If your assignment spans longer than 90 days, you might consider corporate housing as a happy medium between a hotel stay and renting a furnished apartment. Like a house or apartment, corporate housing is typically located in a residential area and offers a high level of privacy. Corporate housing is also fully-furnished and the monthly fee is generally all-inclusive; internet, television, washer/dryer, bathroom towels and bedroom linens tend to be part of the deal. The main drawback of corporate housing is that lease terms start at 30 days minimum, and they are typically fewer options to choose from compared to Airbnb housing.
Choosing Your Housing for Locum Tenens Relocation
Doctors willing to travel for locum tenens positions are a vital part of the system. Whether you are relocating for a few days or several months, your choice of lodging will shape your experience and ability to refresh when you're off work. Our dedicated travel team will make every effort to ensure the quality, safety, and comfortability of your accommodations. By working together with your locum tenens agent, you can find the best lodgings for your needs with every position.
Interested in travel opportunities with locum tenens? Reach out to begin discovering locum tenens career and travel opportunities.
