“People don’t take trips; trips take people.”
– John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America.
It was a sunny afternoon in the middle of the week when I was thumbing through a copy of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley. It reminded me how we are vagabond and also revealed the length of time we have spent cooped up at home due to the pandemic.
During the pandemic, travel restrictions and social distancing measures were imposed. The hardest-hit industries were the airline and tourism. Flights were canceled, events called off, and people were not allowed to step out of their homes.
However, the world is gradually recovering from the pandemic, and countries are opening up. Unimpeded travel is still a distant dream; people have, however, started stepping out of their houses and are going to picnic spots to enjoy some good time.
So as we are moving towards normalcy, we decided to write a little guide on finding the best accommodations for your next trip. After all, the first trip after the lockdown will be a celebration of life and love, how can we expect anything less than the best.
In this blog, we have mentioned six things you should consider when choosing accommodations for your trip to the yonder side.
Not all trips are the same. This is why you need to understand the type of trip you are about to take.
If you’re going to a city bustling with activity, where you will be traveling a lot, you should find an accommodation closest to your places of interest. It will enable you to spend less time in cabs and buses, and more time for sight-seeing.
For example, if you are going to Buffalo, New York, a simple search like hotels in Buffalo, NY on Yelp or TripAdvisor will help you find accommodations that are closest to famous tourist spots in the city and also offer the best service.
If you are going on a little staycation to detox your mind from all the negative energy and stress, then you are more likely to visit a country-side town. If this is the intention of your trip, then it is better to choose a hotel that has great room service, a spa, and souvenirs other than the bill.
We would highly recommend our readers to be mindful of the intents and purposes of the trip before deciding accommodation.
Understand the type of trip: location, purpose, requirements
Be aware of your budget
Being aware of your budget is the 101 of planning a trip. You must be sure of the amount you can spend on the trip. You can make the best of your limited finances by cutting down on a budget hotel.
A few hacks such as carrying your bedsheet, pillowcase, and towel, or carrying your snacks can help you out big time.
There are times when we have personally spent a little extra on accommodation for the sake of satisfaction. When hotels, hostels, or Airbnb charges a lot higher than their competition, they must be offering something unique.
To have a great trip without spending too much on accommodation, you can keep an eye on promotional packages. Even you can get get good deals on luxury villas, if you start planning in advance. Majority hotels have specific seasons of celebration. If your itinerary allows, then utilizing these seasonal discount offers will help you save a few dollars.
The few dollars you saved here; you can use them to go for a trip to the spa to pamper your skin on the trip.
The right companion on the trip makes all the difference when it comes to sharing accommodation. When traveling with family, it is important to understand their needs and plans for the trip. It will help if you accommodate their needs a little to have a sound trip.
For example, if you want to stay in a hotel room, and your companion wants to book a resort, you can find a middle ground by dividing your journey into two parts. One in which you can stay in a hotel room, and the other where you go and spend a few days in a resort.
Going on a honeymoon, one would ask for a secluded, romantic space as opposed to going to a conference in the heart of London. This is where looking for things for the convenience of your travel partners is important.
Decide your companions and convenience
Access to the internet
Having access to the internet on trips is has become even more important after the novel coronavirus hit the globe. If you are going on a trip and find it hard to stay in touch with people over cellular data, then the internet connection of your accommodation is your only means of communication.
Check out the availability of the internet at the hotel before booking. Make sure that you do not disappear from the face of the earth if you choose to stay at an accommodation with poor internet access.
While we are still on the subject of the internet, it is indeed the best idea to find out all the details about the place you will be staying in. Spend a few minutes on Google reviews, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Expedia to ensure the quality of service.
Find out about their hygiene, food, and staff. You don’t want any hassles away from home when the pandemic is enough to make you pull your hair and bite your nails.
Know more about the service through reviews
Judge your needs
When we talk about needs here, we refer to the type of service you are looking for. Would you need a personalized service that makes you feel like the monarch of the room? Or would you rather live alone with little to no interaction with anyone else?
Ask yourself about these questions and keep ticking things off the needs list while reading the reviews online.
Trips are more about the experience you seek rather than the amount you spend on them. Looking for the perfect accommodation for your next trip may be a concern for you now, but if you know all the right ways to find an ideal hotel, we are sure that you will feel a lot more decisive about the accommodation you have chosen for yourself.
