So you've got your flight booked and now it's time to sift through the thousands upon thousands of accommodations options available in your destination. For some, the accommodation is simply a place to sleep at night while, for others, it IS the vacation. Either way, picking the best accommodation is critical to your budget, your comfort, and your overall experience. Here's a rundown of a couple of different options as well as the pros and cons of each.
Hostels
A hostel in a low-priced hotel that offers basic and often shared accommodations. While some hostels do have a select number of private rooms available, most bookings will be for a single bed in a shared room. Most hostel rooms, especially the lower-priced ones, will have a room with multiple bunk beds, a shared bathroom, and access to a communal kitchen. Hostels are really popular among young travelers and backpackers, but they can be a great option for a wide range of people.
Pros:
Typically the least expensive out of all accommodation options. Depending on the destination, you can rent a bed in a hostel for literally $10 a night.
They can be great social hubs. Between the shared arrangements, scheduled tours and events, and solo travelers galore, it's really easy to meet people from all over the world.
They often have a lot of amenities to make your stay more enjoyable (breakfast, shared kitchens, pools, wifi, laundry, etc.)
Cons:
Because of the shared sleeping arrangements, you won't have much privacy.
Security is a major concern in shared facilities so it is crucial to keep your personal possessions locked away.
The rooms and bathrooms may or may not be the cleanest depending on the other people staying in the facility.
Some hostels have a nightly curfew so if you are caught out too late, you may be stuck.
Hotels
Hotels are the most common accommodation type and can range from low budget to top dollar and from culturally specific to more westernized, depending on your preference. Although hotel styles can vary, you can typically expect a private room and bathroom, TVs, housekeeping, room service, pools, fitness centers, wifi, 24-hour front desk, attached restaurants, free toiletries and towels, and a lot of other amenities.
If you are looking to save money, there are plenty of hotels that offer the basics at an affordable rate. For a more culturally immersive/personalized experience, boutique hotels are a great option. For those who like consistency (and for those who have reward accounts), chains like Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental, and Wyndham have locations all over the world. And those willing to pay top dollar can experience luxury at its finest in some of the world's most expensive hotels.
Pros:
For many, the comfort, consistency, and convenience of hotels are worth the extra dollars spent per night.
Most hotels take extra precautions and provide increased security to make guests feel comfortable.
Hotels amenities can significantly add to your overall travel experience. Pools, spas, gyms, restaurants, etc. are pretty standard.
Repeatedly staying at chain hotels can add up in the long run through their rewards programs. You can earn free nights, upgraded rooms, exclusive rate discounts, welcome gifts during your stays, and redeem points for free meals, spa treatments, experiences, etc.
Cons:
Hotels can get pricey depending on where you stay so choose wisely.
If you are looking for a personal or intimate experience, large hotels will typically not provide that. The bigger the hotel, the less likely they will even remember your name.
Unless you stay in a locally owned boutique hotel, most hotels are going to be extremely westernized. So if you are looking for a cultural experience, most hotels may not fit that goal.
All-Inclusive Resorts
All-Inclusive typically means ultimate relaxation. They are most common in tropical and seaside destinations. It's basically a hotel where all food, drinks (regular and alcoholic), and many activities are included in your nightly price. Many all-inclusive resorts are beachfront, with multiple pools, restaurants, and bars to choose from. They often have lots of activities available on-site for free, including shows, nightly entertainment, non-motorized water sports, etc.
Pros:
These are the best options for those looking for a hassle-free getaway. Because everything is included and convenient, you don't necessarily have to think or plan anything out.
From my experience, all-inclusive resorts have a variety of food available (Caribbean, American, Italian, Asian, Barbeque, etc.) so they can cater well to a variety of personal tastes.
Depending on what you decide to do once at your destination, all-inclusive can be very cost-effective. Because everything is included, you are more likely to know the final cost of your entire trip before you even get on the plane, which means it's easy to confirm your budget. Plus, for heavy drinkers, alcohol can be a major expense on vacation so having it included can save money in the long run.
Cons:
These are the least culturally immersive of them all. The only locals you interact with will be the resort staff, you don't experience a lot of true local cuisine, and because it's kind of like its own little island, most people don't actually explore much of their surroundings.
For those whose travel styles are more adventure and exploration, for non-drinkers, and for those who don't really care for beaches and pools too much, you will probably get bored at all-inclusive resorts.
Staying at an all-inclusive means you aren't really supporting the local economy in any way. Not to shame anyone but for those looking to be more thoughtful, responsible, or sustainable in your travels, all-inclusive should be avoided. They are typically internationally owned meaning the revenue flows out of the country, because most people stay on the property, you are not supporting any local businesses, and because everything is "free," guests rarely remember to tip employees.
Short Term Rentals (Airbnbs, VRBO, etc.)
Private rentals are the most customizable in that you can search for a private room for 1, an apartment for a small family, or a villa for an entire party. They can also have a wide range in prices to fit any budget. Because of these factors, short-term rentals can cater to almost anybody.
Pros:
Because you are in a local home, you may have a unique experience representative of the culture of your destination.
They can be a great bang for your buck. $150 in a rental can get you a private home with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, etc. whereas $150 in a hotel can get you 1 or 2 beds, 1 small bathroom, and barely any walking space.
It's much easier to cater to large groups wanting to spend a lot of time together.
They can feel more "homey" than a hotel room.
Cons:
Because these are individual homes, it's much harder to ensure consistency. Much more research is needed to confirm that the home will meet your standards of quality, offerings, convenience, assistance, etc.
Sometimes safety is a bigger concern with Airbnbs. You are typically in a local neighborhood away from most of the people and the action, there is nobody checking behind the owner to ensure they are doing what they need to do, there isn't usually security guards available, and you never know what kind of host you will end up with. Reading reviews beforehand is very important.
You probably won't have access to any of the amenities that can come with the other accommodation styles (on-site restaurants, spas, gyms, 24/7 assistance, housekeeping, etc) so you will have to fend for yourself.
Based on your travel style, what type of accommodation do you prefer?
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