There are many interesting variables that come to mind when we make the decision to travel. After all, it’s a big, varied world out there, and depending on our intent or capabilities, our experience could look vastly different. Such variables can include the types of cultures you visit and what might be expected of you there, the experiences on hand, and the current political realities of the country. For instance, it’s a deep shame and an outrage, but it’s unlikely that those who wish to Ukraine, despite its beautiful flatlands, will be able to do so anytime soon.
Thankfully, there are some solid basics you can rely on. For instance – you’re most likely going to require accommodation. That can provide the anchor point you need to situate yourself within a culture. Moreover, you can determine just how much of ‘the tourist experience’ you wish for, and what the main purpose of visiting a location will be. For example, visiting a location of historical relevance can be a good way to get right in to the historical action, learning about a culture in the best way.
Let’s focus on travel accommodation first, because it’s such an essential measure to get right.
How should you seek out the right travel accommodation for you? With the following tips, you’ll find yourself most of the way there.
Location & Convenience
Of course, the price of your accommodation will depend on the location. Oftentimes, paying for a central location, in a beautiful area, with access to some great tourist areas can be more than worth it. For instance, enjoying Amsterdam hotels in a beautiful area can help you truly connect with the culture there, and of course, find your way back to your room when you’ve been having fun out all night.
Conveniences can determine just how much you’re willing to pay, or where you’re willing to reside. Staying on the strip that you intend to spend time in, on the waterfront, or near transport links can be ideal. If you’re renting a car, you might be more than happy to book a hotel a little further out, as driving into the town each day or exploring the whole coast can be a fun experience for you.
Location is always the first consideration to make, provided the following aspects appeal to you also:
Room Rate, Fees & Surcharges
The room rate of a given location is of course something to consider. What you can afford is what you can afford, as is what you’re willing to pay for. That said, it’s important to consider what other stipulations hotels might have.
For example, it might be that to hold a room there could be a fee. Alternatively, it can’t hurt to check the room service cost of a particular accommodation before you get there. Sometimes, extra fees may be required if staying in a particular location, for example, an AirBnB owner may be happy to prepare and clean the use of the garden hottub for you, but it might cost $20.
Keep this in mind, because surcharges can make a bill look very different. In some cases, they can work in your favor, like checking into a hotel sooner than the official time on a cost per hour basis, signifying to the housekeeping staff that they should prioritize your room first.
Intra-Hotel Facilities
It’s good to consider what facilities might be available at the location. This could be a location, or of course a bed and breakfast or another kind of traveller’s rest.
Perhaps your chosen hotel as a high-quality gym and pool, as well as a sauna you can use to get all the stress from that business meeting out of your pores. Room service, daily housekeeping, a large bathroom, event spaces, meeting rooms, a cocktail bar, or even an asian fusion restaurant can all be reasons to choose one place over another.
Of course, for many, being able to park is important too. So make sure you look at all the features provided and make sure they’re included with the particular room you’re opting for, or how much they will cost to use.
Reviews & Online Scores
Now, reviews and online scores aren’t particularly definitive, but they do give you a good impression of where to try first, and certainly where to avoid. If a place gets 3.5/5 star ratings, it’s probably an acceptable place to stay, and may be very nice.
If certain issues come up time and time again, you know they’re relevant. It might be that a cheap hotel’s guests always point out that the decors is drab and could use an update, but overall, they’re happy with the value of the stay and the provisions afforded to them. This is a good sign that an issue which may be bringing down the score is something you could tolerate.
After all – accommodation is accommodation, and you’re probably not going to be spending your entire stay within those four walls.
Accessibility
Accessibility is not particularly important to some, but everything to others. Wheelchair access, space in the elevators for wheelchairs, room service menus that offer braille, staff that can accommodate those with extra needs, all of this makes a difference.
If you’re unsure if a hotel is able to provide for you, then contacting the front desk is key. In some cases, they may be happy to make preparations that accommodate you even if they rarely need to accommodate this request.
After all, the benefit of hospitality businesses is that they’re incentivized to be hospitable. So don’t be afraid to ask.
Cultural Relevance
Now that all of the practical realities are out of the way, you might consider the cultural relevance of staying in a particular area, and what this provides access to. In Venice there are many hotels worth staying in, but some of them have a storied history. Some of the most popular hotels have been converted from old monasteries, and are swimming in history thanks to that.
Moreover, staying near museums, the art or food scene of a city, on the waterfront, near the action during carnival time, or where you deem most relevant to you can be a great time. Just remember that sometimes being mindful of cultural relevance can help you choose where not to stay. For instance, if a huge festival is in town, and you want to attend it, you might choose to sleep in a place two or so miles away to be free from the 24/7, week-long noise that will surely be present.
Luxury Experiences
There are certain luxury fixtures that can be perfect for the purpose of a focused trip. For example, a honeymoon in a penthouse suite overlooking the city can be a fantastic place to stay for one night.
Alternatively, for your parent’s seventieth, perhaps you could take them on a cruise for a few days. A little luxury is not tasteless, not overdone, and not something you should have to justify, but having a special idea of this kind of experience and what it’s for can make a massive difference. For example, the height of a cultural, luxury experience could involve travelling from country to country on the Grand Orient Express. You’d be amazed at the results.
In the long run, a little luxury goes a long way, and can be something you remember for some time to come.
Special Privileges
Some accommodations can provide neat features that are totally unique, and as such, could be worth staying in. Hotels that have been converted from old schoolhouses or other unique buildings, those that give you access to certain event spaces that are being used for conventions you wish to attend, or, of course, the way that Las Vegas hotels are often casinos too, so you never have to leave the building to sleep well, eat well, attend shows and play the slots should you wish to, will all make a difference.
A special privilege doesn’t have to be as grand as this – it might just be that you’re right on the waterfront and can attend surfing lessons for fun without long commutes to and from that location is important to you. That said, a hotel or accommodation, by virtue of where it’s placed, might grant you access to an experience you will never get elsewhere. It’s in the hotel’s best interest to preserve this access for would-be guests, so you’ll usually find them well-maintained.
On top of this, you can scour the online reviews of a location to see if the promises do actually hold up, allowing you to be certain in your investment if this is truly what distinguishes one option from another as far as you’re concerned.
With this advice, we hope you can not only seek the right travel accommodation for you, but also the right accommodation with high-quality standards in general. You deserve to stay in a clean, safe, and ultimately peaceful location on your travels, as a little respite can make or break the entire experience.
