The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Perfect Travel Accommodations

Accommodations are one of the biggest travel expenses and they have a huge impact on your trip experience. Choosing the wrong place can ruin a vacation. More expensive does not always mean better for you. This is an area of trip planning that requires a bit of a time investment and some research, but it pays off. In this post I share my method and tips to find the right place to stay for your next trip. Get ready to open up a few tabs in your browser.

Defining Your Stay

The important first step is to get an idea of what you want in a place to stay.
Consider:
– how many beds and/or rooms you’ll need.
– where you want to be
– does the location need to be near an activity or people you’re visiting
– do you want to be in the middle of things or in a quieter location?
– waterfront or a water view?
The clearer you are on what is important to you for this trip, the easier it is to pick a place to stay.

Amenities Matter

In addition to where, figure out what amenities you need and what you prefer.
– does anyone you’re travelling have mobility challenges or any other special needs?
– do you need parking?
– are there babies/children/toddlers in your group?
– do you want access to a pool or a gym?
– do you need separate bedroom(s), a kitchen, or living space?
– is free wifi important?
If you have any mobility challenges or are travelling with babies or small children, an elevator may be important. Some people need a gym in their accommodations (I am not one of those people.) One thing I look for when booking a place to stay is free breakfast. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. I’m happy to make my own waffle and grab some fruit. The size of the room is dependent on who is travelling. If I’m travelling alone, I don’t need a bedroom. If we’re travelling as a family, then I try to get bedrooms.

Loyalty Can Save You Money

I start with sites that have a good rewards program. Hotels.com was my favourite with a free night after 10 nights, but they’re in the process of changing it to a points program that is joint with Expedia and the rewards are not as good as the old program. I also use Booking.com which rewards you with a status that provides bigger discounts. Most hotel chains have their own points or reward programs. Being brand loyal can pay off.

Navigating Booking Platforms

We have so many options now. If it’s only my husband and I or I’m travelling alone, I will look at hotels and apartments or homes. If it’s a family trip I search apartments and homes first, then larger suites at hotels with at least one bedroom. One of my favourite sites is Booking.com because it offers both hotels and homes. They also have flexible booking options with cancellation (although it is becoming less common to get this for free) and pay at the property. If I only want to compare hotel prices and locations, I use a simple google search as my starting point.

Filtering For Success

Search your location and dates. Then to make things easier, use filters to narrow down the options to the places that meet your needs. I like to list the properties by price from lowest to highest price. Then I scroll down until I get to the higher ratings. This allows me to see the highest rated, lowest priced options. If location is important, I switch to map view so I can see where they are.

The Power of Ratings and Reviews

Ratings are important and now we are lucky to have so many people providing ratings. I set a number that I am comfortable with and I rarely book anywhere that is below that number. Sites have different rating scales. Booking.com uses a 10 point scale and I try to stick to properties with a rating of 8 or higher.

Now comes the hard part – the reviews! A little brag – I have never been surprised by a room or a place I have stayed. This is because I spend time reading reviews. This takes time because you cannot rely on the first one or two. Scroll through and read multiple reviews for the property, then check the lowest rated reviews. It is amazing how many people will give a poor rating for something that is out of their control, like noisy neighbours or weather.

Bad reviews can also be from people who never stayed there but had an issue with booking etc. Heed the warning if there are a lot of bad reviews but if there are a few from frustrated people, it probably won’t impact your stay. Also pay attention to low ratings for reasons that are not a concern for you. I admit I like my room to be clean but I am not super picky. I do not check for dust on the top of the windowsill etc. If people complain about cleanliness, I consider what I am okay with because people have different standards.

If it is something only one person mentioned, remember that everyone makes mistakes. Maybe the hotel was short staffed, had new employees etc. I try not to judge too harshly. I’m definitely not perfect at my job.

There are times I have booked a hotel with a lower rating and understood that the room is going to be dated and there is no elevator. This is usually in an expensive city or when travelling during high season. The important thing is to set your expectations accordingly and you won’t be disappointed. Sometimes the budget trumps everything else and that’s ok – travelling is a privilege. The money you save on accommodations can be spent on experiences!

Apartment or Homestay

If you decide to go with an apartment or homestay, make sure you check the total price because they add all sorts of fees and read the conditions carefully. All of the hosts I have dealt with have been awesome. They have all answered all questions and genuinely wanted to help. This place on Valentia Island, in Ireland, was amazing! The pictures did not do the place justice, and the owner knocked on the door one morning with fresh scones, jam and clotted cream.

On the other end, one house we stayed in had damage from the previous tenants who obviously partied there for a few days and we found empty bottles in cupboards and other places around the house. I felt bad for the owners, seeing what people can do to someone else’s property but I was also frustrated that they did not do a better job cleaning up before we got there. Although Airbnb is the most popular, I do not like the way properties are listed there. The price is always a lot more than what you see when you search. I prefer Home To Go or VRBO when looking for larger accommodations.

Booking with Confidence

I will compare houses and hotels unless I have specific needs for a trip. To book accommodations, decide what is important, what your budget is, and what rating you’re comfortable with, open a couple of sites (Expedia, Trivago, Booking, Home To Go etc.) and search the location and dates. Then filter to meet your needs, list by price, and scroll to the lowest price with the highest rating. Check the map to understand locations, and read through a selection of reviews. Then it’s time to hit the “book” button! Make sure you get a confirmation.