Travel Bug Hotel Question

March 24, 2010

Ok, I have a newbie question... What exactly is the point of a Travel Bug Hotel? As far as I can figure out, it is a simply a cache to hold Travel Bugs. But how does it differ from other traditional caches. Obviously you can't fit a TB in a micro but how about a standard ammo can? It could hold many TBs. Why are some caches "designated" hotels and others(that are large enough) are not? TIA and happy caching!

8.6k · March 25, 2010

A 'Hotel' is merely a cache that the CO wants to house Travelers for their trips. Generally they do not want swag placed/traded within the cache, but that is only what they want. They don't always get what they want. :surprise:

They like to have the cache full of Travelers to attract cachers. You know, like nectar and bees?

4.2k · March 25, 2010

its just a choice made by the CO to designated as a TB Hotel

of course anything other than a micro will hold a TB, some micro caches can also hold a micro coin

22k · March 25, 2010

From one of my favorite travel bug forum posters. (After Eartha)

Here is a link to my favorite "travel bug hotel": Robin Hill Cemetery Cache.

The things that make it perfect for bugs are:

It is not listed as a TB hotel. It's just listed as a regular cache, and has other trade items in it as well.

If you look at the yahoo map on the bug page, you can see that it is right near the intersection of two major interstate highways, so it is convenient for people who are traveling long distances and who want to take a short caching break. (Since it's so close to the two highways, it will appear on "Caches Along a Route" lists pretty frequently.)

Although it is very near these two highways, it is not directly accessible from either one; it's not in a rest area that hundreds of people pass through every day. You have to take an exit off of one of the highways and then drive away from the cache before coming back toward it on a side road. No one is likely to find this cache unless they are looking specifically for it.

It's in a wonderful location, back at the far edge of an almost-vacant cemetery from the 1800's. What few gravestones there are make for very interesting reading. A short walk from parking, and suddenly you feel like you're back in time, in the middle of nowhere, even though there are cars and buildings and highways just a short distance away.

It's an ammo can, so it has plenty of room for bugs, and it keeps them safe and dry.

Since it's just listed as a regular cache, there is never that big buildup of bugs that sometimes accumulate in "official" TB hotels. So the chance of multiple TBs getting lost at once is very low.

Since it's just listed as a regular cache, people feel free to pick up bugs or drop them there all the time without worrying about angering the cache owner for not trading. There's often a bug or two there, and they tend to move very regularly. When I have pick up a bug that wants to go somewhere far off, I'll often drop it in this cache, and more often than not, its next stop is in a new state.

Since it's just listed as a regular cache, no one ever gets bent out of shape when there happens to be no bugs in it. Finders don't complain about an "empty hotel". No one calls the previous cacher "greedy" for taking the last bug. And the cache owner never restocks the cache with more bugs. All of the bug throughput is natural, not forced.

This cache has been in existence for four years. It gets visited several times every month, all year long. It has had over 250 finders, and more than 100 bugs have passed through. Unlike other local caches at which visits drop off significantly after all of the locals have found it, this one continues to attract people at a steady pace. As far as I am aware, the cache has never been muggled or vandalized.

So, if you can manage to make a cache like this one, it'll be perfect

March 25, 2010

Thanks BD! That was exactly what I was looking for. Sage advice. :surprise:

22k · March 25, 2010

Thanks BD! That was exactly what I was looking for. Sage advice.

Yep. Unfortunately I can only take credit for the Markwell.

March 25, 2010

In my opinion TB are out there to travel... hence I don't like TB hotels as they can restrict travel... Yesterday for example, I found a TB hotel, the owners wishes were to only take a travel bug if you put one in.. ie swap... now I didn't have a TB with me to swap, so I didn't take one... that means the TB in that hotel are stuck their without continuing their journey until another cacher with TB's comes along.

However, I did check the TB pages and found that I couldn't really have helped them on their journey anyway.. so me leaving them there wouldn't have been an problem. If I could have helped them on their way then swap or no swap I would have taken them!

4.2k · March 25, 2010

I suppose it depends on the CO. I have a "mini TB Hotel" near my place of work. The rationale

- it is a big enough container to handle a good few TB's (even some of the medium sized ones).

- It is close to my place of work - so I can maintain it and check that nothing happens to the site.

- It is right next to the international airport - so visiting and transit cachers can pop out and find both a cache - and assist TB's with missions like going to Egypt; Australia; USA.

- It is a big cache in an otherwise micro landscape (urban).

No other rules etc. and swag is welcomed too.

I keep TB hotel in the name of the cache - so that visiting cachers can see that it is big enough to hold coins and bugs.

8.6k · March 25, 2010

In my opinion TB are out there to travel... hence I don't like TB hotels as they can restrict travel... Yesterday for example, I found a TB hotel, the owners wishes were to only take a travel bug if you put one in.. ie swap... now I didn't have a TB with me to swap, so I didn't take one... that means the TB in that hotel are stuck their without continuing their journey until another cacher with TB's comes along.

However, I did check the TB pages and found that I couldn't really have helped them on their journey anyway.. so me leaving them there wouldn't have been an problem. If I could have helped them on their way then swap or no swap I would have taken them!

The cache owners of 'TB Hotels' are not supposed to put any restrictions on the movements of trackables in and out of these caches. Groundspeak do their best to discourage the practice and I believe that many reviewers who find such restrictions in new cache submissions will ask for them to be removed before the cache can be listed. However, there are older 'Hotels' out there where the call for 'free movement for all trackables' has yet to be heard...

If you come across such a restriction in future please feel free to ignore it and move along any/all TBs that you feel you can help.

MrsB :surprise:

6k · March 25, 2010

the owners wishes were to only take a travel bug if you put one in..

That violates Groundspeak guidelines. Feel free to take as many TB's as you want anytime you see them

22k · March 25, 2010

However, I did check the TB pages and found that I couldn't really have helped them on their journey anyway.. so me leaving them there wouldn't have been an problem. If I could have helped them on their way then swap or no swap I would have taken them!

Sometimes just getting them out of the prison and into another cache is exactly what will help them move towards their goal.

March 25, 2010

However, I did check the TB pages and found that I couldn't really have helped them on their journey anyway.. so me leaving them there wouldn't have been an problem. If I could have helped them on their way then swap or no swap I would have taken them!

Open question to all... Do you check the mission of each TB that is listed in the caches you plan to visit before you leave home? How do you determine if you can help it or not? If I am in NY and the TB goal is to go to CA, would you consider moving it to another cache in NY helpful?

There is the great info and insight here. Thanks for all your help! :smile:

22k · March 25, 2010

Open question to all... Do you check the mission of each TB that is listed in the caches you plan to visit before you leave home? How do you determine if you can help it or not?

Ideally the owner includes a mission tag with the bug but I tend to review the mission online before I go to the cache. If you don't know the mission while you are at the cache as long as you are not traveling 500 miles before you check it online you probably are not going to cause any problems.

If I am in NY and the TB goal is to go to CA, would you consider moving it to another cache in NY helpful?

Absolutely 100%. The point is mainly the journey not just reaching the goal. It's not much fun if my bug is done in one big jump. I had a bug that people constantly said they didn't pick it up because they weren't able to take it all the way. If all those people had just moved it .10 of a mile it would have been that much closer.

Take pictures, tell stories and have fun.

March 26, 2010

However, I did check the TB pages and found that I couldn't really have helped them on their journey anyway.. so me leaving them there wouldn't have been an problem. If I could have helped them on their way then swap or no swap I would have taken them!

Open question to all... Do you check the mission of each TB that is listed in the caches you plan to visit before you leave home? How do you determine if you can help it or not? If I am in NY and the TB goal is to go to CA, would you consider moving it to another cache in NY helpful?

There is the great info and insight here. Thanks for all your help!

If you move the TB in a way that may speed up the travel like placing it by an airport or highway....thats really cool..... but even 30 miles west would indeed be helping the TB's goal....... and yes i do check most of the time... but if I find a bug with no sheet or baggie I try to take them to freshen them up and put them back out ASAP.....just my thoughts on the TB questions!!!! hope they help.

March 26, 2010

The cache owners of 'TB Hotels' are not supposed to put any restrictions on the movements of trackables in and out of these caches. Groundspeak do their best to discourage the practice and I believe that many reviewers who find such restrictions in new cache submissions will ask for them to be removed before the cache can be listed. However, there are older 'Hotels' out there where the call for 'free movement for all trackables' has yet to be heard...

If you come across such a restriction in future please feel free to ignore it and move along any/all TBs that you feel you can help.

MrsB

Just double checked the cache and It actually says "bring and swap your travel bugs here" but nothing saying you must swap... my mistake....

I do agree that even if you can't help with the specific mission, it's good to move bugs and coins along especially if a caches isn't frequented so often!

March 27, 2010

Unlike the statement "As a designated trackables trading cache, trading of TB's or other trackables one-for-one is EXPECTED"

Like this cache http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...12-7a01567f499f

:rolleyes:

22k · March 27, 2010

Unlike the statement "As a designated trackables trading cache, trading of TB's or other trackables one-for-one is EXPECTED"

Like this cache http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...12-7a01567f499f

It looks like they've been stocking it with newly activated bugs instead of ones harvested from other caches. I wouldn't worry to much about it. They just need someone like me to come along and take all the fun out of a cache like that.

March 27, 2010

Unlike the statement "As a designated trackables trading cache, trading of TB's or other trackables one-for-one is EXPECTED"

Like this cache http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...12-7a01567f499f

It looks like they've been stocking it with newly activated bugs instead of ones harvested from other caches. I wouldn't worry to much about it. They just need someone like me to come along and take all the fun out of a cache like that.

I was actually just going through the list of trackables, and most have been sitting 2 months or more. This one even has a couple notes from the owner. http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.as...ea-b4403837f260

Tempted to drive out there and pick up all the TB's that have sat for 2mo or more(which is most of them).

22k · March 27, 2010

Yeah. These things tend to slow down in the winter time but it appears the trade rule aren't helping much. Feel free to assist any of the bugs. If the owner wants to complain send them my way.

March 27, 2010

TB-Hotel to me means:

- Easy to get to. Ideally near a major transportation system. (Highway, Airport, Railway station)

- Big enough container

- Traditional

- No, absolutely no "trading rules", those a bogus anyway.

- Hidden in a way, so it doesn't get muggled, but also in a way so you can do it with business clothes.

GermanSailor

4.2k · March 28, 2010

TB-Hotel to me means:

- Easy to get to. Ideally near a major transportation system. (Highway, Airport, Railway station)

- Big enough container

- Traditional

- No, absolutely no "trading rules", those a bogus anyway.

- Hidden in a way, so it doesn't get muggled, but also in a way so you can do it with business clothes.

GermanSailor

Yep - I agree

Travel Bug Hotel Question

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