Choosing a suitable place to crash and rejuvenate is important whether you travel for pleasure or for business. Below are some tips on how to choose a good hotel…
Location
If you’re traveling to a city, look for hotels near tourist spots in the city. These hotels tend to charge more, but you get to immerse yourself more into the vibe of the city when you live near the center of the city.
When you stay near the tourist center, you can walk to your destinations, and walk back to your hotel for a quick nap or refresher while you take in the city. Staying near the city center also allows you to enjoy the nightlife without worrying about missing the last train back to your hotel. That way, you get to sense the “heartbeat” of the city you’re staying in.
Choose a hotel near the attractions you want to see. You can go to Google Maps and type in “hotel near [location]” to see a list of hotels near your attractions.
Pricing
Then after you narrow down the list, you can search for specific deals by typing in “[hotel name] [location] [deals]”.
Local hotels may have lower prices than chains. Often, these local hotels are not listed on sites like Orbitz or Expedia. But you should be able to find some local hotels by conducting the Google search suggested above.
If you like a homey feel, you can search for bed and breakfast places. These local B&Bs often offer comfortable accommodations at great prices, and you can look for them on Yelp or TripAdvisor. You can also ask around on forums. Other sources of information are travel agents, national government tourist boards, directories of hotels.
If you don’t get all the amenities you want within your price range, consider the amenities you are willing to give up to get the amenities you want.
If this sounds like too much work, you can always contact a good travel agent to take out the guesswork for you.
For Business
If you’re traveling for business, there are a few things you’ll need to check out in advance. You’ll want to ask if there are any discounts for business or group events.
If you want to use their convention rooms, ask how many attendees can fit into the rooms. You’ll also want to check for discounts on meals or catering service that the hotel provides.
Other things you might want to ask for if you’re traveling for business:
- Group events near the hotel that your business can attend
- Concierge service availability
- Roll-away beds
- How many rooms the hotel has
