Traveling: Family Style

I hate hotels, I can't ever fall asleep or feel at home or relax.  They are just so crowded, noisy, impersonal, and uncomfortable (at least the cheaper ones in which we can afford to stay).  I much prefer to stay with friends or family, or the next best thing: renting one.  I'd much rather stay in someone's spare bedroom than even the poshest hotel of my personal experience, well maybe not my husband's aunt where the cat pees everywhere, but that would be the only exception.  Even better is finding a whole house/apartment/condo to rent.  We've done this several times now, often for the price of a bad hotel we get a whole condo to ourselves with multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, and even laundry.  It is especially nice when traveling with young kids.  Have you ever tried to get a baby to nap in a hotel?  Or tried to hang out with said baby when she won't nap?  It's nice to spend part of the day hiking or sightseeing and then come home for a homey meal and a nap and then off to more adventures in the evening.  I was a little leery at first, but we've had great experiences with many of the rent my house/apartment/yurt/cabin/sofa websites and won't hesitate to do so again!