How to Find The Best Accommodation For Your Vacation
How to book a perfect stay for your holiday?
In this article, I will list ten tips to find the best accommodation for your trip. Whether you are traveling to Europe, Asia, or Australia, these tips will help you plan your trip easily.
1. Use trustworthy booking sites
Safety first!
Imagine that you almost get to the city and realize that your host canceled at the last minute or the hotel declined your booking request? You can receive excellent support and the best deal by using trustworthy sites.
I have traveled to 31 countries and stayed at different types of accommodation. Here are a few trusted websites that help me to save money and time searching:
- Booking.com
- Hotels.com
- Airbnb
- Expedia
2. Choose the location carefully
Location is an important factor in choosing accommodation. Before booking any place, you should consider:
- How to go there from the airport? Does the hotel provide an airport shuttle?
- Is it near the center/ train station/ bus station?
- Are there any restaurants and shops around?
- Is it easy to reach the main attractions of accommodation?
There are several cheap accommodations on booking sites, but many are far away and not convenient to reach or commute.
Unless you’d like to take a cab or get on a long bus/ train ride every time, you should stay in the central area close to public transport, airports, local attractions, restaurants, and can get out and walk to most things.
How to choose the best hotel location?
Unfortunately, you can choose the location wisely with Booking.com interactive map. Using Booking.com‘s map view to compare options and prices, you will be able to find the best accommodation that fits your needs.
3. Read reviews
Reviews written by other guests are informative and helpful. Text reviews and scores are two factors you should consider when looking for accommodation.
The best way to read reviews is to check reviews from travelers who have similar trips like you – solo travel, family travel, couple travel, and which type of room that they booked – Dorm bed, Dingle room, Double room, Twin room, Triple room (for family), etc.
Also, you can read reviews from different booking sites if you have more spare time –Booking.com, Hotels.com, TripAdvisor, and Expedia.
4. Consider scores in all features
You should consider the overall rating of the accommodation and take a closer look at other scores such as Cleanliness, Comfort, Facilities, Staff, Value for Money, Location.
5. Use stars as a guide only
You should not consider much about the hotel’s star because it can vary from country to country.
One 3-star-hotel in one country can be better than a 4-star-hotel in another country. You should consider the facilities and services to choose the best accommodation.
6. Look for extra hidden cost
Sometimes the accommodation does not show all the prices as their “final cost.” The most common hidden charge is a tax (per night/ per stay).
Also, you may need to pay extra for service, facilities such as towels, bedsheets, property service charges, etc.
Therefore, you should check whether there is an extra cost, so the actual price will not add up than you expected.
7. Check the facilities & services
It is worth checking the facilities and services carefully before booking your stay. Some accommodations may charge for necessary facilities such as wifi although major places don’t.
Some places may have a restriction on using time of services.
For example, you cannot use the hairdryer after midnight till 6 am, or you will need to leave the hostel from 10 am to 2 pm during the stay for cleaning purposes (It happens a lot in Osaka, Japan).
Also, you should check other facilities such as parking, swimming pool, spa, gym, washing machine, etc., to have a great stay.
8. Book early
Don’t book at the last minute because the price can go up or the place is sold out. The worst thing is opening the browser to book your dream place and realizing that it is sold out on the day you intend to stay.
Also, you can cancel at no cost before arrival day withBooking.com, so even when you change your mind, it will not matter much.
9. Sign up for the loyalty program
When you sign up as a member on any booking sites such as Booking.com, Hotels.com, or Airbnb, you will get a discount or deals from them.
For example, you will get one free stay after ten stays at Hotels.com. Isn’t it great? Check it out here.
10. Don’t hesitate to ask
If you have any questions or inquiries regarding the facilities, services, etc., don’t hesitate to email or call the property. Sometimes you can even add more services with discounts by negotiating with the hotel.
Also, it is recommended to double-check with the property to make sure that your booking is correct.
My mom has been thinking about going on vacation so that she can relax and get away from the chaos of her home. Staying in a home that she can rent from a professional could be really useful and allow her to bring her husband with her. I’ll be sure to tell her about how cleanliness, comfort, facilities, staff, location can all have a rating and not just pay attention to the stars.
I like that this post reminded us of only source for accommodations from reliable sources. My wife and I are planning to go away for the weekend. I will definitely look at reliable booking sites to avoid scams.
I liked that it would be smart to consider if a hotel has all of the features that you want. I would like to go to a hotel that is quiet and has some transportation methods that I could use. A shuttle to and from the airport would be really nice to have.
It really helped when you said it’s important to read the reviews of your potential hotel option. My fiance and I are thinking about where to go for our honeymoon. We want to travel somewhere with a wonderful beach view, and we’re thinking about booking a hotel for a week or two. That’s why we think your article will help us find the right hotel for us. Thanks for the tips about how to find the best vacation accommodation.
I do agree that it is important to book accommodation from a reliable booking website. My wife and I are going on a vacation. I will remember to book a hotel from a reliable source.
You made a good point when you shared that it is great to rely on reviews from previous customers when looking for accommodation during your vacation. My mother just mentioned the other day that she is thinking of taking the whole family for a trip during the school holidays so everyone will get to bond with each other. I will suggest to her looking for a vacation cabin that has excellent reviews.
I’m going to be heading out on a business trip, so I want to make sure that I have a cozy place to stay. It makes sense that I would want to book early when I choose one! That way, I don’t have to worry about them being too full when I get there.
This is such a nice blog on how to find out the best accommodation. In order to get better information and guidance can be taken from this blog specifically. It plays a vital role in taking us through. It can be really great for people like me who are looking for grabbing more knowledge about it.
It really helped when you talked about the importance of booking a hotel room with anticipation. In a few months, my wife and I will have our vacation from work. We want to get away from our same old routine, so we want to find a place with a beach and a casino, and we think your article will guide us. Thanks for the tips on how to choose the best accommodation for our vacation!
Thanks for explaining that trustworthy booking sites are a good way to find the best deals for accommodation. I hope to travel this summer for when I visit my parents who live on the other side of the country. I’ll start looking for accommodations where I can get good deals.