I am 37, been living in HOTELS for the last two decades, TRUE FREEDOM!!!

I read a lot and I came across this article written by a woman in Austin, Texas who said she took the drastic step of moving out of her rented house into a HOTEL and was afraid what people would think, but then grew to love it, even saving money.

Reading it made me think, in this day and age, especially in the Western world, Why would you care what anyone thought for a start? I have been living her lifestyle for the last 20 years and didn't even realize there was a 'stigma' so to speak, to ditch the traditional 2000sq feet house and backyard and live in a hotel. So I felt compelled to write this article to dispel any myths or notions and encourage someone who is thinking of this lifestyle to first, don't give a damn about what others think and second, how awesome it is to live in a hotel.

First off though, I must warn you, this lifestyle is not for everybody. I have long believed in the 'Live and let live' philosophy, to each his or her own. In that spirit, I want to root for people like me, who eschew traditional lifestyles and live a life free of boundaries and what other people may or may not think.

A little back story first, I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and had an amazing childhood in all respects. There was a great roof over my head, lot of food on the table, plenty of vacations, nothing lacking at all. But I always knew I was different from others and what I mean from that is in my thoughts, in my values and the way I conduct myself. At a very young age, 4 or 5 years, I questioned religion, God and became an Atheist. I wondered who created this institution of marriage, who decided that we had to settle down at 25, have kids, then grand kids. Who proclaimed that one should have a home, maybe 2 nice cars, a pet preferably a German shepherd ( I hate dogs by the way) and a nice lawn to boot. There was a cacophony of rules and none that made sense to me. I am an atheist, I don't believe in the concept of marriage, kids don't make sense to me and as I mentioned earlier I loathe dogs. Also, I have never owned a car nor do I drive and I am averse to living in houses. For all intent and purposes, the focus is on the last one, houses.

Where does my aversion to living in a house, be it rented or owned come from? Primarily, two reasons. First being, FREEDOM is most important to me. Be it the freedom of speech, to speak your mind, live your life the way you want to, be unattached, so on and so forth. Signing a rental deed for 12 months, tying you to an apartment didn't sound like 'Freedom' to me. What if I wanted to move suddenly, for a change of pace, different scenery? In theory, its possible, but the hefty penalty is burdensome. Secondly, I have always loved the idea of a hotel, especially 5 star luxury. Check in and check out at your convenience, room service, housekeeping that involves the bed being made and the trash taken care off and most importantly, you can pack your bags and leave at a moment's notice. Now that sound's like freedom to my ears.

Like any other young man, I left home when I was 17 and was forced to be a Dentist ( That's a story for another time, out of the parameters for this topic). Suffice to say, I was given the option of renting an apartment, but I refused. Instead, I chose what is vernacularly known as a paying guest accommodation, in other words, your typical motel but more of a homestyle motel. That was my first taste of freedom. Years went by and then I moved to the United States of America to do my MBA and I had the option of renting a really cool apartment in downtown with river walk views, but I chose the option of a good old fashioned motel and boy, did I have a great time. The freedom of not signing a lease, not worrying about getting your room cleaned, packing your bag and just heading off to another city, state or country. That feeling was priceless.

In 2021, I decided to travel the world and live in 5 star hotels full time. After much research, with its big portfolio and viable loyalty program, I chose Marriott and have never looked back. I have been to Dubai, Maldives, Oman, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Abu Dhabi, Indonesia, Singapore, Qatar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Sharjah among others and staying weeks, sometimes months at a time in various Marriott hotels and loving it. That feeling I get when I am sitting in the couch, staring at the skyline, a plan formulates in my head and I get the sudden urge to go somewhere new, pack my bag immediately and leave is euphoric.

Would I recommend this lifestyle to others? Sure, but with caveats. Be sure that this is what you want to do, not because of what society would say but because it should suit your lifestyle and personality. Some people like the security that a house, car, family, wife, kids, dog bring and I can understand that. So just make sure you know what you want, otherwise you may regret it.

I am turning 37 next month and living the life of my dreams. I have been living this amazing lifestyle for the last two decades and I am excited to see what the next few decades hold. Whatever adventures life has in store for me, I welcome it with open arms as someone who is truly free could say so. Indeed, the world is my oyster and I intend to explore every bit of it until my last breath.

Orbis Non Sufficit or as James Bond would say, 'The World is not enough'!!!