How to Choose the Right Travel Accommodation
Where you sleep can make or break your trip budget (and trip itself)
It’s a great time to be a traveler.
Why? Options, my friend! Lots and lots of options! It’s a bad time to be an indecisive traveler.
When I started planning my first backpacking trip in 2014, I almost couldn’t believe how many choices I had to make. Destinations were just the start…
Should I go to Europe or South America?
Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower or take a cruise down the Seine?
Travel by train or bus?
Sleep in a hostel or hotel?
Eat jamón ibérico or paella?
Wait, wait! Back up a bit! No, not the food (you obv want jamón). Yes, accommodation!
Where you hang your hat (and by “hat” I mean the underwear you hand-wash in the sink) is among the most important decisions you must make before departing on your grand adventure.
If you made a pie chart of your travel expenses, accommodation costs would be the slice you want to cut for yourself but would be way too embarrassed to actually do. BIG. That’s one reason it’s vital you know your options.
Also, pie=yum.
But, money isn’t everything (or so “they” (and sometimes I) say). I don’t recommend going with the cheapest option simply because it’s the cheapest.
When choosing your accommodation, you should take into account the type of experience you’re looking for. I’ve fallen in love with cities all because I was staying in the right place.
Accommodation can make or break your trip budget. Accommodation can make or your break your trip.
All this talk of options, but what exactly are they…?
Couchsurfing
What is it? Couchsurfing is a social networking site which primarily serves to connect travelers with hosts in cities around the world.
Approximate cost: There is no monetary exchange between hosts and guests. That’s right. You stay for free!
Pros: You get the chance to discover a city from a local’s point of view. I used Couchsurfing when I was traveling solo because I wanted to make new friends. I had amazing hosts who went out of their way to make me feel at home!
Cons: I’ve slept on some comfy couches, but I’ve also slept on the floor. As a solo female traveler, I only felt comfortable staying with other women which significantly cut down the host pool. I wanted to use Couchsurfing in Berlin but never found a host.
Hostels
What is it? Since my first backpacking trip in 2014, I’ve stayed in nearly 100 hostels. In a standard hostel, it’s dorm-style sleeping (aka bunk beds) and community bathrooms. However, times be changing. If you’re willing to pay a bit extra, options include single-sex and private rooms.
Approximate cost: It depends on the city and how many people you’re sharing a room with. In Europe, the cheapest hostel I ever stayed in was in Munich. I only paid 9 euros a night! Keep in mind, though, it was a giant circus tent with 200 beds.
Pros: Hostels are a fun environment for travelers to meet and interact. I’ve had some of the best nights of my life with people I met in hostels! Staying in a hostel is an experience I think every traveler should have.
Cons: Before you book a hostel, read the recommendations to get a feel for its vibe. If you need a good night’s sleep, don’t stay somewhere that has a party reputation. If you’re a solo traveler looking to make friends, stay somewhere that cultivates a friendly atmosphere. Regardless of where you stay, LOCK YOUR SHIT UP. Theft can definitely be a problem in hostels.
Airbnbs
What is it?Airbnb rents short-term lodging such as apartments, cottages and spare bedrooms.
Approximate cost: Prices vary widely depending on location and size, but the great thing is you can split the cost among your travel buddies.
Pros: After hostels, Airbnbs are the accommodation I rely on most frequently when I’m traveling. I especially like renting an Airbnb when I’m traveling with a group of friends. It’s so nice to have our own space to cook meals and hang out.
Cons: While I’ve had mostly positive experiences with Airbnb, it hasn’t been without its problems. The issues have generally been small like the time in Sevilla when the host couldn’t let me in at the scheduled time because they were “still cleaning.” The worst was when my host in the Canary Islands lied in her description of the property. She said it was an entire apartment, but in reality, we had to share it with her and her husband. Awkward.
(Budget) Hotels
What is it? A budget hotel is like an expensive, nice hotel but not expensive and not nice.
Approximate cost? I wanted to include budget hotels in this round up because sometimes they really are your best option, especially for couples. In popular destinations like Amsterdam, a bed in a hostel can run you 30–40 euros. Double that as a couple and you’re spending more than you would for your own room at a cheap hotel.
Pros: A few years back, my boyfriend and I visited Cinque Terre, a popular destination on the Italian Riviera. There weren’t any hostels, and the Airbnbs were all booked up (not to mention of our price range). Fortunately, we found a budget hotel. It had bad lighting and was severely outdated, but those things were quickly forgotten when we were out hiking the coastline.
Cons: The most affordable hotels are often located outside the city center. You could end up spending whatever you saved with your room on just trying to get downtown.
Got anything to add? Where do you like to stay when you’re on the road?
Hi, I’m Alex! After living in Madrid, Spain, for two years, I recently moved to Mexico. Tacos and sunshine, baby! When I’m not writing, I’m reading, running or drinking red wine. For more of my writing, check out my blog: Backpacking Brunette.
