I stayed in an RV for the first time and here are 7 things that surprised me

I’d never stayed in an RV before. Talia Lakritz/Insider I stayed in an RV for the first time — a Dolly Parton-themed trailer in Tennessee booked via Airbnb. I was surprised by the creative uses of cabinets and the chilly temperature.

I felt a bit exposed, but also enjoyed having the outdoors as an extension of my living space. On a recent trip to Tennessee, I stayed in a Dolly Parton-themed RV through Airbnb. I stayed in an RV.

Talia Lakritz/Insider”Dolly’s Fantasy Camper” is located in Maryville, Tennessee, about an hour’s drive away from Dollywood. Booking a one-night stay cost $218. 81 including taxes and a $45 cleaning fee.

You can read more about my experience here. I’d never been inside an RV before, much less spent a night in one, so I found a few aspects of my stay surprising. Cabinets were more than just storage.

The RV made the most of every space. Talia Lakritz/InsiderI was surprised to find that cabinets throughout the RV weren’t just for storage — they also held household essentials like toilet paper roll holders. In a setting that small (the camper measures 20 feet long), even the insides of cabinet doors helped maximize the utility of the space.

The bathroom needed daily maintenance. The bathroom in the Dolly Parton-themed RV. Talia Lakritz/InsiderIn this RV, the wastewater tanks needed to be emptied every day.

My hosts messaged me through the Airbnb app to ask if they could drop in and handle that while I was out, which was fine with me. I found it similar to housekeeping at a hotel, but it was still different than the non-mobile places I’ve stayed before. In such a small space, even a few stray items made it feel cluttered.

The sitting area. Talia Lakritz/InsiderAs I started settling into my RV for the night, I found that unpacking even a few things immediately took up more space than I anticipated and made it look messy. My backpack alone took up an entire booth in the small seating area.

I opted to unpack just the things I needed to cut down on the clutter. It was colder than I expected. I was glad I brought a sweater.

Talia Lakritz/InsiderI was grateful for the RV’s air conditioning unit during the blisteringly hot Tennessee summer day, but the weather cooled down significantly at night and made my mobile home a bit chilly. I was glad I’d thrown a sweater into my suitcase at the last minute just in case, and wore it over my pajamas. A flashlight would have come in handy.

The RV at night. Talia Lakritz/InsiderThere was plenty of light inside the RV, but walking to and from the car would have been difficult without my phone’s flashlight. Next time, I’ll bring a stronger light source.

I felt a bit exposed, like I was sleeping out in the wilderness. The sleeping area in the Dolly Parton-themed RV. Talia Lakritz/InsiderWhile staying in an RV with air conditioning and running water probably qualifies more as “glamping” than camping, it was a bit unnerving knowing there wasn’t as much distance between me and the elements.

The outdoors felt like an extension of my living space. The outdoor seating area. Talia Lakritz/InsiderI found that an advantage of staying in an RV is that the outdoors feels so close and accessible, almost like another room.

And with a skylight above the bed, I felt like I was sleeping under the stars. Read the original article on Insider.