How to Choose the Best Accommodations
(Without Breaking the Bank!)
Where you stay can make or break a trip. Maybe it’s due to an unfortunate overnight stay I once had, but accommodations are the main area that I am willing to spend a little extra to ensure that I have a comfortable & secure home-away-from-home. This does not mean that you need to book luxury accommodations at only 5-star resorts (though if you have the funds, by all means have at it!). Keeping a few extra things in mind will be helpful in finding good quality accommodations that will help enhance your trip.
After you book your accommodations, make sure you’re fully ready for your trip with our Ultimate Vacation Packing List!
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Know What to Look For
In order to find the best accommodations for you, it’s important to know what you are looking for in a hotel. I personally prefer a hotel that emphasizes cleanliness and offers me the best location for exploring the areas I want to explore while on the trip. Here are a few things to keep in mind when searching for your perfect hotel fit:
Location. If you don’t have a car and anticipate walking or using public transportation, make sure your accommodations are situated in a neighborhood that is walkable to the sites or to a public transportation stop. For example, when we stayed in London in 2023, we stayed in the Paddington neighborhood which was farther from the main city sites, but just around the corner from a stop on the tube. This removed us from the city noise, but allowed us quick transportation to the areas we wanted to see.
The activities you are planning to do on your trip. Depending on your destination, some types of lodging may give you front row access to the types of activities you are planning. If you plan to focus your trip around activities like skiing, visiting theme parks, or resort excursions, make sure to look into lodging that prioritizes these activities. Having quick access to the activities you are prioritizing may make the trip all the more luxurious!
Noise. The reality is that some streets are going to have more street noise than others. If you’re a person who finds it difficult to rest with noise, make sure to book lodging in an area with less nightlife. Even a hotel a block away from the main drag can help dampen street noise.
Proximity to food. When traveling, you have to plan out your meal times a bit more than you do in your daily routine. Make sure your accommodation is accessible to the types of meals you want to have on your trip. If you are planning to cook, make sure you are staying in an area that contains grocery stores. If you want to eat at the best restaurants, search for a hotel in close proximity to dining areas.
Paying for the views. A view from your accommodation may not be important to you, but there have been times that an amazing view off our hotel balcony has made our trip absolutely magical. Though an alpine view room in Murren, Switzerland and an oceanfront room in Kona, Hawaii increased our bill, the extra cost was completely worth it to us as we were able to soak up the natural beauty of our destination from the moment we opened our eyes each morning.
Reviews Reviews Reviews
I will go down an absolute rabbit hole looking through reviews for accommodations and I firmly believe that this is what has given us so many top-tier stays. I find the hotel with the best reviews for the lowest price and book. It’s as simple as that.
We all have our top concerns when it comes to booking hotels: Is it in a “safe” neighborhood? Is the bed comfortable? Will I be kept awake by street noise? Are there bedbugs? (This one is my personal number one concern). Reviews will help ease these concerns and help you find a place that best matches the type of lodging that you want for your trip.
I use Google & TripAdvisor to filter by ratings and read a sampling of the best & worst reviews, searching for specific terms that are important to me. It’s important to note that there are several issues that may be reflected in the reviews that may not be the hotel’s fault (city construction, unfair expectations of guests, etc.) and there may be issues reflected in reviews that would not impact your personal experience. It’s best to keep a fair mindset when reading reviews so that you don’t miss a gem whose score is dropped by one person who didn’t do their research and left a poor review!
Contact the Hotel Directly
There are several services available on the Internet that allow you to book cheaper rates on hotel rooms. These work wonderfully on large chain hotels. If you are booking with a small hotel or a bed-and-breakfast, however, you are almost always going to get a better rate if you reach out to the hotel directly (even if their website has different rates published). Even if the rate does not come down, they may give you additional perks if you reach out to them. We have received champagne for our birthdays, extra snacks, and friendly notes (with future discounts) just because we managed our communication directly with the hotel.
Send an email or give them a call (via WhatsApp if the hotel is outside of your home country) and inquire about their rates directly, even if the listed price on their website matches what you see on booking services.
Consider Splitting Accommodations with Friends
If you want to have a great trip, but you are on a tight budget, consider bringing friends along! Oftentimes, a suite or a townhome is cheaper than a single room when you split it between several people. Some of our favorite accommodations we have stayed at have been more affordable because we have split the cost with some of our dear friends.
This alternative can make your trip less expensive and give you and your friends a shared adventure that you will talk about for years to come!
Go in the Off Season
Much like flight prices, off season rates tend to run significantly cheaper when it comes to accommodations. If you are visiting Telluride, CO during ski season or Barcelona during the summer, you are going to find that it is difficult to secure a good hotel deal. If you’re flexible and you can time your trip when the weather is nice, but the tourists are not out in droves, you will have a much less expensive and much less crowded trip.
Also, make sure Taylor Swift isn’t touring at your destination when you’re planning your trip unless you plan to go to the show. Hotel prices will, in fact, be through the roof. And so will everything else! This goes for any large events.
Compare Types of Accommodations
I have stayed in exceptional hotels and incredible AirBnB/VRBOs, as well as not-so-exceptional hotels and not-so-incredible AirBnB/VRBOs. Keeping an open mind about the types of accommodations that you can find will give you more opportunities to find a good quality stay!
As a note, there are ethical concerns about short-term rentals in places where it is difficult for locals to find housing. Because of this, I prefer to ensure that the short-term rental I am booking is being offered by someone who lives on the property at least for a portion of the year. I have also found that when you rent from a local who owns the property, you have a more personable experience, as well. Nothing can top the time Philip & Linda in Rural Retreat, VA gave us a tour of their farm, taught us how to milk cows, and fed us an all-local farm-fresh breakfast. That’s the beauty of staying with locals.