"I'm not found of crowds, loathe camping, have a bad knee, like real food, and am more than content to let military training be my final experience in dorm life."
And here I thought I was the only one ….. lol
My current motel choice is some 50 miles from the airfield. Even factoring in fuel over my nine day stay, I calculate I'm 'saving' near a buck a mile vs staying someplace close to the event. Nuthin' anyone would call fancy, in fact it's run by a nice young man named Norman and his mother (haven't ever seen her though).
If close-by is the goal, I'd second the notion of using Airbnb if in a group to share the tithing.