A great hotel room, vacation rental, or B&B can make or break a trip, and though you’ll hopefully spend most of your time outside your accommodation while traveling, it’s important to make sure you’ve got all the essentials for when your head hits the pillow.
When booking accommodations, whether you’re using platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, Expedia, or even HostelWorld, you’ll want to make sure your lodging of choice checks all these boxes.
Check the reviews!
Before you even think about pulling out a credit card, check your accommodations reviews. These are honest accounts of previous stays from other travelers and they are incredibly useful. Wondering how comfy the beds are? How clean are the bathrooms? Bedbugs? Helpful staff? You’ll probably find this info in the reviews, so don’t skimp out. Get reading! Ratings often cover categories ranging from comfortability of the accommodation to amenities, staff, and other features. So filter based on what’s most important to you. Maybe you need a hotel with a gym during your stay, but you can compromise on fluffy pillows and fancy furniture. Reviews can tell you all this and more (and they’re fun to read anyway).
Amenities
Amenities can also make or break a trip, especially if you like extra comforts when you travel. For those who enjoy extra services at their accommodation, such as laundry, room service, gym and pool access, or in-house spas and restaurants, it’s important to check with your accommodation to see what they offer. Foodies might be drawn to hotels with renowned restaurants, while the introverted traveler might just want to order room service after a long day exploring the city. Backpackers hoping to save money will want to make sure their hostel or accommodation has a functional kitchen and working washing machines so they can prepare their own meals and do their laundry after working up a sweat on the city streets.
Safety and security
When reading the reviews, also pay attention to what previous guests are saying about how comfortable they felt in terms of safety and security. Was it located in a safe neighborhood? Did anyone experience discrimination or harassment? These are essential details, especially for solo travelers. Before your stay, ensure your accommodation has appropriate locks and no obvious hazards. And double check upon arrival.
If you decide to book through third-party apps like Vrbo or Airbnb, you’ll want to make sure your accommodation has been vetted. On Airbnb, make sure your host is legit by checking reviews. Many tourists have horror stories about arriving at an Airbnb only to find they had been scammed. So take your time, and stick to Superhosts and hosts with plenty of good reviews.
Location
Depending on what type of trip you’re planning to have, location is a crucial detail. Maybe you’re a laid back traveler who likes to avoid tourist traps, so if you’re going to Paris you probably won’t want to stay right next to the Eiffel Tower. Attending a work conference? Ensure you’re staying close to the convention center. Hoping to see all the sites in a short period of time? Stay centrally located and check to make sure there is public transport within an accessible distance from your hotel. Many travelers arrive at their lodging only to find they need to take three trains and two buses just to get to the city’s main attractions. Don’t be that person.
It’s also important to consider the accessibility of your accommodation. Do you have to trek upward through sloping streets and countless staircases to get there? This might not be so fun when you’re lugging heavy suitcases with you after a red eye flight.
