If you think that accommodation is the least of your worries when planning for an overseas trip because “most of my time will be spent outdoors anyway”, think again. Choosing the right hotel is in fact very important and can make a world of difference to your trip. A bad hotel can make it almost impossible to enjoy what would otherwise be a very enjoyable trip. Even if you do not have a big budget, you can still avoid hotels that are poor value for money, overbooked, chaotic and dirty.
Some call it a blessing while others call it a curse. Whatever it is, the Internet brings an abundance of lodging choices, giving you plenty of options but making it difficult for you to choose. All you have to do is type “holiday apartments Sydney” in the Google search box and you will get an endless list of accommodation options in Sydney. To make the right choices, you need to learn how to effectively compare hotels. You can do this when you know exactly what features to consider when choosing a hotel.
With hotels, you often get what you pay for. Thus, the number one consideration is how much money you have to spend. After setting your budget, the other five factors will really help you determine the best hotel for your stay. Just remember that a hotel is not something that you want to save too much on. Think of it this way, after a long day out and about, the last thing you’d want to do is to come back to a cramp, uncomfortable, filthy hotel room.
The location of a hotel is a very important factor to consider. If you are on a business trip, then it goes without saying that you will want to stay in a hotel close to where you will be conducting your business. If on the other hand, you are on holiday with your children, then a hotel with peaceful surroundings, one that is also close to the local attractions would be ideal for you. Essentially, you should pick a hotel that is centrally located, close to amenities and in a safe location. You may have to pay more for a well located hotel but this will be balanced out by reduced transportation costs. If your budget only allows you to stay in a hotel that is out of town, then do some research on the local bus routes so that you can still get around easily.
Check out the range of in-room conveniences. Does the room come with a hairdryer and a coffee maker? What about a microwave oven? Almost all hotel rooms come with a television but not all offer Internet connectivity. How these amenities will affect your stay depends on the purpose of your trip and how much time you will be spending in the room. For instance, if you will be staying for more than a week in Sydney, then you may want to consider looking for serviced apartments in Sydney as these may provide useful amenities and facilities such as a private laundry area and a kitchenette. In any case, facilities such as a swimming pool and a gym make for nice little extras.
Always consider cleanliness and sanitation when deciding which hotel to book. Generally speaking, higher price equals higher attention to detail. However, hotel rooms should maintain a certain level of cleanliness. Look at the overall cleanliness of the place and strike hotels that are in a state of disrepair off your list. Customer reviews will give you some idea of the state of the hotel.
Many people enjoy sharing their travel experiences by writing reviews or testimonials. These testimonials can be found on hotel review sites they will give you some insight to the state of the hotel. If the hotel you are considering has a bad reputation then there will be a lot of bad reviews. These hotels are just not worth keeping on the list.
Last but certainly not least, it is worth looking at star ratings. Ranging from 1 to 5, these internationally recognised ratings tell guests how good or bad a hotel is. Generally, the more stars a hotel has, the more it will cost to stay there
- You Get What You Pay For
- Location, Location, Location
- Facilities and Amenities
- Cleanliness
- The Word on the Street is…
- Star Ratings