How to Pick the Right Travel Accommodation

Share now or save for later

When it comes to finding the perfect accommodation for your next holiday or vacation, there are many aspects to consider. Deciding which option might best suit you will likely depend on how big your budget is. However, while you might want to save money, you should avoid staying anywhere that could potentially ruin your trip.

Read on to discover some of the things I consider when choosing the right kind of travel accommodation for my getaways.

What makes for good accommodation

When it comes to finding somewhere to stay with the right atmosphere, think about what type of trip you’re going on.  If you’re going away with a group of friends, for example, you’ll no doubt be looking for somewhere lively with a varied entertainment programme, whereas if it’s a family holiday, you’ll probably be looking for somewhere quieter.

When picking the right accommodation, it’s important to check that all your needs will be met. Study the facilities closely to ensure the place you’re considering staying will be suitable for you. Are you looking for a pool for the kids? Late night bar? Need air conditioning? These are just a few things worth thinking about if you want to get the most out of your trip.

If anyone in your group is disabled, you’ll also need to consider whether they’ll require a wheel-chair accessible room with a disabled toilet, possibly on the ground floor. Similarly, if there is a member of your party who normally gets around using a walking stick or walking frame, you might wish to consider investing in a wheelchair, as it can make it much easier and more enjoyable to get around while travelling. Wheelchairs from Fenetic Wellbeing are a great starting point if you’re looking for some inspiration, as they’re manufactured to a high quality and tend to be extremely durable.

We often tend to overlook food, but it’s an important consideration when you’re about to book a holiday. It’s very common to eat out in restaurants while travelling, but it’s handy to be able to access good food without leaving your hotel or to be able to cook for yourself. Most contemporary establishments will cater for any dietary requirements, but it’s always best to check this prior to booking. Checking reviews written by previous guests will give you a much better idea of what to expect.  

Accommodation is only as good as the person managing it and the staff hired to help run it. Regardless of whether you’re renting a hotel or an apartment, knowing that the owner or manager is doing a good job will mean they take pride in their work. The knock-on effect is clean rooms and a friendly service, all making for a more pleasant trip.

Nature of your trip

The nature of your trip is a huge factor when it comes to deciding which type of accommodation works best for you. For a business trip, you’ll probably want to find somewhere comfortable and quiet where you can guarantee yourself a good night’s sleep. In addition, you’ll need to stay relatively close to your place of work.  

Whenever I’m travelling for work, I book a room on a quiet floor if I’m staying in a hotel and I like to bring a pair of ear plugs to avoid being kept up through the night in the event of noisy neighbours. Another useful piece of advice is to check that your room has blackout blinds. In any case, bring an eye mask and if all else fails you could try out some of these sleep tips for frequent travellers.  

If you’re a solo traveller, the chances are you’ll be looking for somewhere to stay that has a good atmosphere, while remaining within budget.  The best options will be to find yourself a hostel or low- to mid-range-hotel. You can also check the best motels at Motelmatcher.com. Staying in a hostel is also a great way to meet like-minded people and share travel experiences. Read some reviews and you should be able to find somewhere to stay that suits you.

For a romantic getaway, you might prefer to go all out and try and book somewhere extra special for you and your partner. Ideally, you’ll be working with a slightly larger budget so you can splash out on this kind of trip. Features to look out for include room service, a luxury room with a mini-bar and a comfy bed.

Budget  

If you’re working with a small budget, you won’t be booking any five-star hotels, but you can still find a pleasant hotel room that offers great value for money. There are various types of accommodation to consider, from hostels to apartments and holiday homes.

For a low budget, a hostel is always going to be the cheapest option, although it often comes with a lack of privacy and poor commodities. In a hostel, it’s likely you won’t get a particularly nice bed and often you’ll be sharing rooms with other people, meaning it can be difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Personal preference comes into play here as some people love staying in hostels as it enables them to meet new people and save money, while others truly don’t enjoy it and have had some pretty awkward hostel experiences. 

If you’re working with a mid-range budget and looking to find somewhere pleasant that doesn’t cost too much, consider going all-inclusive.  This can help you to save on additional expenses for your trip, enabling you to allow that little bit more for accommodation. Alternatively, if travelling with a group of people, find yourself a holiday apartment or home to rent for your trip. Air BnB is great for this kind of thing.  The shared price for these is usually relatively affordable and offers privacy for you and your travelling party. It should be noted, however, that although these apartments and homes are usually very nice, they usually don’t offer the same facilities you’d find in a hotel.

With a high budget, no doubt you’ll be spoilt for choice, but this doesn’t mean you should spend a fortune unnecessarily.  It still pays to shop around for the best value for money!

Check the reviews

When it comes to trying to find the right accommodation, there’s a lot of information to process.  The most important thing is to take your time when it comes to picking your accommodation. Check the accommodation site and scan review sites to get a sense of what past guests thought of the accommodation. 

What are your top tips for finding somewhere decent to stay? Share your ideas with other readers below.

If you enjoyed this post, take a look at these other posts to further support you in planning your next getaway!

• 5 Travel Insurance Benefits to Look Out For
• 5 Tips for Ethical Travel
• 5 Reasons to Book a Holiday ASAP

Share now or save for later