Knowing how to choose a hotel that is right for you will make a huge difference to your travel experience. If you are choosing a resort, you will probably end up spending quite a bit of time in your hotel. However, even if you are just looking for a place to sleep, after a long day out and about, where you come back to at the end of the day is an important decision.
I worked in luxury resorts, high-end hotels, hostels, campgrounds, and cruise ships for many years. I’ve also traveled to over 80 countries. That has given me a lot of insight into exactly what to look for when finding a hotel. Here are my tips…
Decide what is important to you when you choose a hotel
The question is not so much “How to choose a good hotel?” as “How to choose the right hotel for you?” What you want in a hotel can be very different from what someone else wants, so the first step is to really think about what’s important so you can select a hotel that is just right for you.
Are luxury and amenities most important? Do you want to stay somewhere that seems like home, or do you want somewhere exotic and different? Are character and charm important? Is location a key factor for you?
When you know what’s important to you, it makes finding somewhere you’ll love much easier because you can focus on those things when searching for a hotel and then choose the hotel that best fits your personal needs.
Know where to search
In order to find the perfect hotel, you need to know where to look. Guidebooks can be a logical starting place when choosing hotel options, but the downside is that they generally only list a few hotels in each place. They also only give a brief summary, and usually lack photos, so you will want to learn more about them before committing.
By far the easiest place to find somewhere to stay on your vacation is online, but here you can have the opposite problem – the number of choices can be overwhelming and it can be hard to know how to separate the wheat from the chaff.
- Reasons to use hotel booking sites
- They have a huge selection.
- You can filter by quality (star rating), location, accommodation type, price, etc. This allows you to focus on the things that are important to you.
- They typically have a lot of previous guests’ reviews and photos, which help you learn more about what the hotel is actually like.
- Hotels typically prioritize reservations made through these booking sites, as they don’t want to get poor reviews. So, if there is a problem, they will often give priority to people who booked through the booking sites over people who booked directly with the hotel. When I checked into a hotel in San Francisco, they couldn’t find my reservations. So, I showed them by booking.com reservations confirmation, and lo and behold, they found a room for me.
If I can’t find what I want, or if the hotel I want is booked out, I also check Agoda. Sometimes hotels have a certain number of rooms allocated to different booking sites, so if a place is full on one site, there may be rooms for it available on another site.
I also stay in VRBOs sometimes – usually if I am staying somewhere for a longer period of time and want to live like a local or have access to a fridge (though many hotels have this too).
What factors you need to consider when choosing a hotel
How do guests choose a hotel? There are a large number of things to consider when you choose your hotel, depending on what you decided was important to you in the first step above.
1. Price
Price is often the first filter I apply because I have a budget and know how much I want to spend on accommodation. However, I am often flexible – if I find somewhere incredible for a little more than I wanted to spend, then I’ll often choose it anyway, and skimp on something else.
In some towns or countries that are quite expensive, I am willing to go basic to save money. When I was backpacking around for months at a time, the cheaper the better. Now I travel during two-week vacations, I spend more money on hotels and stay in nicer places. You need to decide what you are willing to spend and look in that price range.
When you choose hotels, I also think it’s worth having a splurge place as a special treat. I’ll sometimes stay in several hotels in the same town to do this, though you may prefer not to move.
2. Rating
If you’re not sure how to pick a good hotel, official ratings can give an indication of the quality of the hotel. However, bear in mind that there is sometimes quite a range of quality within the same star rating. It can also be more of an indication of amenities than the quality of rooms.
I have stayed in plenty of three and even two-star hotels that had plenty of character, were clean and charming and I loved staying there. I have also stayed in soulless four-star hotels on business trips that met my needs but could have been anywhere and they added nothing to my trip.
3. Season
I mean this in terms of the temperature season (summer, winter…), but also the booking season (high season, low season, shoulder season).
High or peak season sees higher prices, fuller hotels, and less flexibility in making exceptions with things like early check-in or late checkout.
Booking off-season can get you much cheaper prices, but keep in mind that there is usually a reason that it is the off-season. You might get a great price but it may be over 100 degrees outside every day!
Keep in mind, too, that some places close down in the off-season, especially in areas that are linked to the season of the year, e.g. many resort towns close down over winter, or ski resorts close down in summer.
The shoulder season (between high and low season) can be a great time to travel, as places are less crowded so bookings are easier to get, and prices are typically lower.
4. Type
This can play a big part in your decision about your hotel pick. There’s no point in booking a campsite if you hate tents (though glamping may be the perfect way to camp!). Do you want to stay in a large hotel or a tiny inn? An apartment or a guesthouse? A boutique hotel or a chain where you know exactly what to expect and you may be able to earn or redeem points?
One option if you want your hotel stay to be a highlight of your trip is to stay in an all-inclusive resort. Check out some of the best-reviewed resorts.
5. Location and neighborhood
Research exactly where the hotel is. Always look at the map (Booking.com has a map with each property marked on it). Don’t assume the hotel’s proximity to something by the description provided by the hotel. Hotels can often use a little poetic license when writing their location descriptions for marketing purposes.
If you want to be in a particular area, central, or near a particular point of interest, cross reference this against the location of the hotel.
Again, you need to decide what things are important when choosing a hotel. I often choose my hotel based on location, so I also carefully research the neighborhood.
What’s it like after dark? Sometimes areas that are great during the day can be dodgy – or just dead – after dark. Some areas that are quiet during the day become super noisy at night when bars start pumping. Are their restaurants nearby? You don’t want to be stuck somewhere lovely and quaint only to find there is nowhere nearby to have dinner.
6. Amenities
There are some basic amenities that will always want to check for. And some others that may be important to you. Check if these amenities (a) are free/ included, and (b) where and when they are available.
7. Parking
If you have a car, this is very important. Is parking available at all? If so, is it included in the hotel rate? Where is it? Sometimes parking may be available but in a separate nearby parking garage. Or a BnB may give you a permit to allow street parking (that may be difficult to find). Or there may only be valet parking (which you need to pay and tip the valet for).
It’s also worth checking how narrow the parking garage (and surrounding streets) are. When we were in the old towns in Spain, the streets were incredibly narrow and the car rental company had given us a HUGE car (despite ordering an economy vehicle). We had to make a 30-point turn just to get into the tiny parking garage!
8. WiFi
If WiFi is included, is it free? Most places do provide free WiFi these days, but some more expensive hotels make you pay for it (which seems somewhat counter-intuitive, I know). Check if it is unlimited.
Check also where in the hotel the WiFi is available. It is not uncommon for WiFi to be available in the lobby only, and not in the rooms. This actually doesn’t bother me, as I am happy hang out in the lobby/ lounge, but I have read many reviews from people complaining about this.
9. Breakfast
Check if breakfast is included. It is not uncommon for hotels to have a ‘breakfast included’ rate and a ‘room only’ rate without breakfast. If you notice this, it is worth checking how much breakfast would be if you paid for it separately. Usually (but not always) getting the ‘breakfast included’ rate is cheaper than if you pay for breakfast separately.
Check also what type of breakfast it is. Is it a full English/American/ Irish (= hot breakfast) or continental breakfast (bread and jam)? Even continental breakfasts can vary quite radically. Is it just some things left out for you, or is it served fresh?
If the rate includes a huge breakfast and you like to just have a small yogurt, then it may not be worth it. However, if you like to fill up on a comfortable meal in your hotel, then having breakfast included – or at least available – can be important.
10. A/C
In the United States, this is virtually a given, but this is not the case everywhere. Some places I have stayed have only had fans, including some quite high-end places in hot climates. This was fine for me, but may not be if you are very sensitive to heat. Consider too the season – if there is no AC, but you will be there at a cooler time of year, then this is probably not an issue.
11. In-room facilities
Is there a fridge in the room? If you want to self-cater breakfast or have a drink kept cool, then having a fridge can make a big difference. I almost never use mini-bars, but often use the fridge. Are there tea/coffee-making facilities in the room? If you like a cuppa, then this can be a deal breaker.
Is there a safe in the room? You don’t want to carry your valuables around with you, but you also don’t want to leave them lying around in your room either. I worked as a receptionist in hotels for several years and even in good hotels, there are occasional thefts. Having a safe in the room is a good way to keep your passport and other valuables safe. For very valuable items, hotels will often have a separate safe behind reception that they recommend. If you don’t have a safe in the room, then locking your bags is a good idea.
Is there a bathtub or just a shower? If you are planning to soak and relax, ending up with just a shower will not make you happy. Does the room have a desk? When I travel on business, this is important to me. When I’m on vacation, not so much. Is there an iron in the room (or available on request)? A hairdryer?
12. In-hotel facilities
Does the hotel have a gym? If you want to keep working out, this can be important. Is there a pool? Is there a bar? Restaurant? Spa? Salon? Terrace? Boutique? Room service? Concierge? Garden?
Depending on what you decided was important for you, you will want to check these things before you book.
13. Accessibility
I mean accessibility in terms of location, but also physical access. This is especially important in AirBnBs and guesthouses. If you have mobility difficulties, you don’t want a room up four flights of stairs and no elevator.
In terms of location, how are you going to get there? Do you need your own car? Is it near a subway or Metro station? Does the hotel provide a shuttle (from/ to the airport or nearest train or bus station)? Or do they have a pickup service you can book?
14. Desired experience
Are you looking for a place to sleep and nothing more? Or are you looking to enhance your vacation experience? Or do you want the place you stay to be a full-on experience all by itself. This can make the difference between a motel, a boutique hotel, or a former palace with a private butler!
15. Character and style
What atmosphere do you want the hotel to have? Are you looking for a romantic getaway where you can order champagne in your room and rose petals will be strewn over your bed at night? Do you want to party and stay up drinking and dancing to dawn? Would you prefer somewhere quirky and cute with loads of character? Is it important to have a personal connection with your host and with the area you are staying? These things will all influence the type of hotel you choose.
16. Environmental practices
If you are staying somewhere in nature, chances are the environment is important to you. This may be something you care about in the city as well. If so, the environmental practices of the place you are staying could be a concern.
I try to find out what impact my stay will have on the surrounding environment and community. Does the hotel employ local people? What happens to the waste? How do they generate power? I wouldn’t want to stay somewhere in the Borneo Rainforest that was helping to destroy the fragile environment, for example.
17. Who stays there
You want to make sure that other guests won’t bother you. This can be found by doing your research (see the next step). Who is writing the reviews? Who do they pitch their marketing to? If there are a lot of families with young kids staying there, and you are planning a romantic getaway, then it may not be the best choice for you, for example.
18. Cancellation policy
The cancellation policy doesn’t always impact how to pick a hotel, but it may, especially if there is a possibility that you might have to cancel.
How much are hotel cancellation fees? They vary, but many booking sites let you cancel up to 24 hours before you arrive without paying anything. Always check.
Keep in mind that most hotels will charge you at least a one-night cancellation fee if you no-show.
Are there other fees? Is there a hotel early departure fee? What is the early departure fee for hotels?”, you ask. Think of it as kind of a cancellation fee, but after you’ve arrived. If you decide to leave earlier than planned, either because your plans changed or because you don’t like the hotel, you may get charged one or even all of the nights you booked for.
Is there a resort fee or an amenity fee? What is an amenity fee at a hotel? An amenity fee – also called a resort fee – is an additional amount, usually, per night, that high-end hotels or resorts often charge for you to use their amenities – whether you use them or not. It is basically a hidden fee that you need to pay that is not included in the quoted rate. Read the small print and/ or ask before you book if you think it might be charged. Is there an extra person fee? Some hotels will allow you to squeeze a cot into the room, but they will usually charge extra for this. Always ask if you’re planning to do this.
19. Payment methods accepted
Check how you can pay. Do they accept credit cards? if so, which credit cards? Will they automatically charge the card used to hold the reservation, or can you pay with a different card at checkout? Do hotels accept Apply pay? These days, many may, but if you plan to use this, you should check.
If you are planning to pay with cash and are in a foreign country, check if they only accept payment in their local currency or if you can pay in USD (if you would prefer to).
20. Arrival and departure policies
What is the check-in time? The checkout time? If you will be arriving before the check-in time or after the checkout time, you will want to know what their policy is for arranging early check-in or late checkout. Sometimes it is possible for a fee. Sometimes for free.
