When you plan to travel somewhere, one of the first things you ascertain is where you will stay. Your accommodation is one of the integral parts of your entire travel experience. Undoubtedly, your choice of where to stay can make or break your entire trip!
Deciding where you will stay is an integral part of planning your trip. You need to consider several factors when determining the place of stay. These factors range from the type of accommodation – for instance, whether to stay in a 5-star hotel or an Airbnb – to the relatively minor stuff, such as the view from your room.
Therefore, below are some reasons you should give great importance to planning your temporary residence.
Comfort
It is a given that your place of stay needs to be comfortable. It is where you will come to rest after a long day of sightseeing and exploring. You need such a place to be well-stocked with the necessary amenities such as soft bedding, proper air-conditioning or heating, and room service, among other things. Not getting adequate rest will hamper your daytime activities as you will be tired throughout the time, making your trip less enjoyable.
Secondly, the place of residence should have some taste of local culture incorporated into its environment, without it being too overwhelming for the foreigners. So, you can enjoy the culture even as you rest.
Proximity
Undoubtedly, the location of your stay is the most defining feature of your trip. If your accommodation of choice is close to important tourist attractions, you’ll be wasting little time and money on conveyance. The location would also determine the views you would get from your room. For instance, if you visit a serene place like the Smoky Mountains, you need to explore smoky mountain rentals with a great view near the amazing tourist spots. You need to choose suitable resorts that give quick and easy access to all the fun activities your destination offers.
Price
Highly rated resorts, hotels, or rentals usually get praise for being situated at an ideal location close to tourist attractions, well equipped with world-class amenities, and providing exquisite views of the iconic mountains, greenery, or cityscapes. An accommodation that checks off all those points and more is a tourist’s ultimate dream, but they often come with a hefty price tag. Choosing to spend a large chunk of your budget on fancy accommodation may leave little room for spending elsewhere if you are traveling on a tight budget.
Considering you are not going to a different country to live in a fancy hotel or resort, this decision will likely waste your cash. To get the best bang for your buck, thoroughly research your available accommodation options. Condos, bed-n-breakfast, AirBnB are some options where you can find good deals.
It would also help to know the most important factors to you in an accommodation. For example, if you prioritize being close to attractions to save money on transport, you can narrow down your search location to the center of the town. Additionally, considering you know that you will be saving on transportation, you could perhaps adjust the saved amount and treat yourself to a slightly pricier accommodation alternative.
Safety
One of the primary reasons you need accommodation is shelter and safety! It would help if you had a safe and trustworthy place to store your possessions while enjoying the site and a safe place to rest when you come back at the end of the day. However, that is not all. It would be best to take safety precautions when selecting the accommodation. It is advisable to choose a place that has positive reviews. You could look it up on popular reviewing sites. It should be situated in a well-lit, busy place. Make sure that you feel safe when walking around the area you stay in, for instance, to catch a bus.
Most importantly, make sure you feel comfortable with the management of your place of stay. Do check for the safety measures that the hotel management provides. For instance, check if there is a proper CCTV camera system available or if there are adequate fire and emergency exits in place. Take into account what type of people are staying around you, whether visitors come and go round the clock or is it time-bound, whether burglary is likely, etc. Issues regarding safety can give rise to unnecessary stress that would inevitably dampen your mood and spoil your trip.
Things to consider when choosing an accommodation
It is crucial to consider the hygiene levels of the place you are staying. For instance, a bed full of bugs would not be ideal. Additionally, you do not want to get allergies and illnesses during your trip and after you go home due to the poor hygiene of the hotel.
Secondly, while word of mouth isn’t always reliable, it is still worth paying attention. If a particular place does not have a single positive review despite checking all the boxes on the list of criteria, it is best to stay away from that place.
Furthermore, when deciding where to live, keep your itinerary in mind. The place you are choosing to stay at should align with your daily schedule. For instance, you plan on hiking and exploring the fields and mountains for the duration of your stay. Then it is okay if you choose to stay at a rental in the countryside, with only small restaurants and coffee shops and local stores nearby. Similarly, you need to be near the city's center if you prioritize shopping. In this scenario, the high level of luxury may not be as important as access to malls; hence, you could opt for an Airbnb apartment.
To conclude, accommodation is the backbone of your trip. It is best to do extensive research and plan ahead of time. The right decision will help you save precious time and cash, and it will also save you from unnecessary stress and anxiety, enabling you to enjoy your trip genuinely. It is a tedious process, but rest assured, it will be gratifying!
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About the Author:
Jennifer Anders is a freelance writer who has traveled extensively and enjoys exploring off-the-beaten-path locations around the world.
She loves hiking national parks, windsurfing, and photographing wildlife.
Aside from all those crazy activities, you'll also find her eating plenty of local street food. She is absolutely fearless when it comes to trying new things.