I looked for any mentions of anyone living and working at the same place (employee housing) and didn't find any mentions, so I decided to share a post of my own. My first long term job was at a resort several miles from my home in Minnesota. I was not going to get my drivers license and get a car so I wanted to live where I worked. As luck would have it the first and only place I applied at I was hired.
The housing was a shared living room kitchen area, a large bathroom with stalls and a row of sinks, and 4 separate bedrooms. I moved in and had a roommate for 2 short weeks before she was kicked out for smoking inside, and then ended up with the entire place to myself the rest of my 9 months there. I lived 30 feet from the lake, and it was a 10 minute walk to work.
Rent was 7.00$ a night and was taken out of my paychecks. I was paid 8.00$ per hour, and did have some pretty long work days at times. That place turned out so well because I had it to myself for my first experience moving out on my own. Living with roommates varies of course. The place was fairly isolated for someone who didn't have a car, so I did rely on my family for rides to the grocery store, and/or coworkers. The upside was all that money I made wasn't spent on anything but groceries, which came to about 30$ per week. I worked, I slept, and kept myself entertained with my laptop/fishing/skiing. I would have saved a nice chunk of cash if I hadn't been paying my mom back for 2800$ crowns.
The second resort I worked at seasonally was after I graduated from college for massage therapy. It was 25 miles from hometown and my mom's house (I was so happy to move out of her house the 5 days I was transitioned back from college) The pay there was commission plus hourly, so it ranged from 23.50-32.00$ depending on the type of my massage I did. The rent was 6.50$ a night, but this space came with more frustrations.
The room was a cube with enough space for bunk beds and a couch, with a bathroom. We barely had space for our stuff. It was fantastic on my own, I didn't mind the space, but once I ended up with a roommate a few months in who snored, blegh. (Must not silence roommates with pillows)
The upside was the 4 minute walk to work if I walked very slow, although getting calls for last minute bookings while I was asleep, before or after my shifts, or on my days off could be frustrating. It was a 30 minute bike ride into the closet town, and I was too lazy and afraid of biking near the road, so I rarely spent money, besides paying my mom back once again and my student loans. The best part of living there, 3 free meals a day :) (I'm a foodie and they usually had good tasting food, and I didn't have to spend money on it)
Pros to employee housing-
Cheaper rent
Isolated for non drivers so they spend less
Short commute
Free internet and cable depending on the room and how far you are from the router. The router at the first place was a mile away and worked most times.
Good way to check out a resort and do some activities discounted (renting boats, skiiing, ice skating, basically what guests could rent out, and be close to nature and water.
Possible meal plans or free meals.
Cons-
Roommates can be terrible and you have no choice on who is with you.
A semi on call status, different places have different polices. I could have said no while doing massage, and was never asking doing housekeeping.
Small space and night/morning schedules conflicting with roommates
Lower pay depending on the job
Being very isolated from town.
If the employee housing is clustered or built in rows, noise can be very aggravating. One time my next door people had 8 people in their cube while drinking and hanging out. I had to work in 7 hours, knocked on their door and as I was about to yell through it I'm trying sleep, they opened the door and I yelled I sleep in 7 hours I'm trying to work XD
I had to buy and get help installing my own AC at the second place.
If they offer free bikes for employee use, the bikes poke you in the butt and crotch in the most uncomfortable way while being old and cheap. Another reason I didn't bike with them to town.
These were my pros and cons but I'm sure people could think of more. I heard people doing similar things to live on a ski resort working and skiing to their hearts content. Any else have some experiences or thoughts they want to share?
