Sleeping in Style – How to Find a Safe, Affordable Hotel

Hotels, Motels and Hostels – Where to Sleep

Finding a hotel for your trip can be an overwhelming chore, especially if you’re staying in multiple cities. (This is why cruising is so much easier . . . unpack once!)  

I Know Hotels

I spend an average of 150 nights a year in hotels for work and I’d guess at least twenty more nights while on vacation.

I’ve met hundreds of hotel clerks and van drivers.

I’ve stayed everywhere from scary cheap motels to opulent converted castles to former European palaces to run-of-the-mill chain hotels.

I’ve also stayed in a handful of hostels (mostly in Europe). For the most part, I avoid them.

I’ve slept soundly in haunted hotels and converted warehouses with furnishings that make you feel like you’re sleeping in an IKEA.

I’ve had rooms with views overlooking the ocean, and rooms that overlook graffiti-covered walls and bags of trash (I’m talking to you, New Orleans).

I’ve easily slept in 3,000 different beds . . . beds that who knows how many thousands of other travelers have also slept in.

I have fond memories of everywhere I’ve stayed, even the terrible places. 

I’ve survived the great, the not-so-great, the bad and the ugly of hotels around the world.

Somehow I’ve never had bedbugs.

Pro-Tip to Avoid Bed Bugs

While traveling ALWAYS put your suitcase on the luggage rack or a table. When you get home and unpack DO NOT EVER FOR ANY REASON put your suitcase on your bed. Unless you want bed bugs.

So . . . Do You Sleep on the Airplane or in the Terminal

A lot of people ask me about crew accommodations, specifically if we pick and pay for our own hotels.

The company I work for (and I assume all other airlines) has contracts with hotels in every city we fly to. At the end of our shift, a hotel or contract shuttle picks us up outside the airport, takes us to our hotel and then returns us the next day about an hour before our flight leaves.

The places we stay are consistently clean, near restaurants and entertainment and offer amenities for a comfortable stay.

I take microwaves and fridges in my room for granted, as a crew member most hotels provide us with these perks.

There are places I love to go to for work (San Antonio, San Diego, Long Beach) and there are places I could skip (Pocatello, Grand Junction, Denver, Elko).

Because I’ve stayed in so many hotels I have a good feel for what to look for when I’m responsible for my own travel comfort.

I’m happy to share those tips and tricks with you.

Motel vs. Hotel . . . and Hostel

I grew up poor in a very small town in the middle of Utah, I believed that staying at an actual hotel was something rich people on TV did. Spending an entire night in a hotel sounded like an unimaginable luxury and certainly something I’d never get to do.

Early Experiences

While in high school I stayed at a handful of motels when traveling for school-sponsored events. If there were more than four of us in a room, I always volunteered to sleep on the floor. I thought motels were amazing!

In my early 20’s I went to Mexico with a friend and we stayed at a very fancy “resort”. At this resort, a nice lady cleaned our room every day, which I found shocking. No one had ever made my bed before!

My first hotel stay was at the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. I think it was $30 a night and smelled like stale cigarettes.

Live big or go home! 

The Difference Between a Hotel and Motel

I now know there’s a huge difference between a motel and a hotel, namely how you get to your room.

You access your motel room from the parking lot (meaning your door is facing anyone wandering by).

A hotel room is usually accessed from inside the hotel building through a corridor, although I have stayed at a handful of very nice hotels that you access your room from outside. Usually, these hotels are gated and you have to pass by the front desk to get to your room. 

Motel

Motels are usually cheaper than hotels.

They offer no-frills accommodations for people who are passing through the area and need a place to sleep.

I’ve found that most motel towels are thin, the carpet is very durable, the shower and toilets feel plasticy and the amenities are very basic.

You enter your motel room from the parking lot and if you keep your curtains open you’ll have a good view of everyone wandering past your room.

Everyone wandering past your room also has a good view of you.

If you have a tolerance for motels, stay in them as long as you can. If you want to travel a lot and have a limited budget, motels will keep your travel costs down, especially in the United States. 

Hotel

Hotels are normally more expensive than motels. They’re also typically a lot nicer.

Hotel rooms are usually accessed from inside the building.

Comfort ranges wildly from hotel to hotel, but generally, the carpet is less scratchy, the towels are newer, the lighting is brighter, the amenities are better and you don’t have strangers wandering around outside your window.

Hotels can be barebones, but can also offer room service and fitness centers.

Hostels

I have my own bathroom at home. There’s no chance I’m going to willingly share a bathroom, or a bedroom, with a bunch of kids from around the world traveling with backpacks.

Hostels can be a good economical choice. I personally prefer my own quiet space at the end of a long travel day.

If you love meeting new people, don’t mind strangers who snore and are trying to make your money go as far as possible, hostels might be the thing for you. 

Booking.com

When I’m planning my trip, I do all my hotel research on Booking.com.

I started using Booking.com when it was brand new so I’m the highest tier Genius-Level 2 member. To date, I’ve made 103 bookings through them and researched hundreds of other properties.

Because of my status with Booking.com, I’m usually eligible for free cancellation, 15% off the hotel and free breakfast.

However, when you book through a third party like Booking.com, hotels normally won’t let you collect hotel points. If collecting hotel points is important to you, I suggest you do your research on Booking.com and then book directly through the hotel.

I always check the hotel website before booking with Booking.com anyway. Occasionally the hotel will offer specials, upgrades or free breakfast for the same price.

Consider the Location

As you’re researching hotels, consider your plans during your trip.

If you’re spending most of your time in the city center and relying on public transportation, it’s usually better to stay in or near the city center. Staying near “everything” will save you a lot of time and public transportation money.

However, if you have a car, staying in a city center is a huge pain, not to mention parking can be incredibly expensive and stressful. Search for places outside the city with free parking. These hotels are usually nicer than similarly priced accomodations in the city center.

Reviews

If you’re reading reviews about city center hotels in any of Europe’s big cities and the reviewer complains about the size of the bathroom, or that the hotel has a small elevator, I’d recommend you not put a lot of stock in that reviewer’s opinion.

They don’t know what they’re talking about.

Most city center hotels in Europe are converted from very old buildings (think chamber pot era) and a modern bathroom was later added into the corner of a bedroom when plumbing became accessible.

These same old buildings also had to somehow magically add elevators to their infrastructure that was not, by any stretch of the imagination, designed to house an elevator.

In these old buildings, elevators and bathrooms are going to be small and kind of weird. They also add an enormous amount of charm.

If you need a roomy elevator or big bathroom, try searching outside the city center for your accommodations. Keep in mind by staying at a newer property outside of the city center you’ll miss out on staying at some really interesting places.

Other Things to Pay Attention to When Reading Reviews

• Distance from public transportation

• Cost of Parking

• Hairdryer availability

• Early Check-In/Late Check Out

• Unexpected resort fee and/or other unexpected costs

• Is Wi-Fi included

• Is there a meal plan

• Elevator or stairs

• Location from sites you want to see

• Is daily housekeeping included

• The comfort of the beds

• Mention of rodents/bugs

• Excessive Noise

Time To Make a Decision

With your head swimming in options, it’s time to make your choice. How?

Here’s what I do. 

I pick the best-reviewed, highest star-rated hotel in my price range.

I try to stay in family-run hotels when possible. Marriott and Hilton have plenty of money, I prefer to support local businesses l when I can.

Before I book on Booking.com, I swing over to the hotel’s website and see if they offer a better price or perks like free breakfast or an upgraded room.

And Then I Book

I book my room, and I trust I’ve made the best decision with the information available to me at the time.

I also don’t take my choice too seriously. I’m traveling to see the sites, not the hotel.

If I feel safe and get a good night’s sleep my hotel choice was a success.

View Your Hotel as a Trip Enhancement

I truly believe your hotel room should be an enhancement to your trip, not the focal point.

It should be a quiet, comfortable place to sleep, shower and prepare for your exciting travels.

I’d suggest you keep your expectations realistic and don’t let the success of your trip depend on your hotel.

Personally I’ve found that a convenient hotel location trumps amenities.

If you find a comfortable, clean, safe place to stay and you get a good night’s sleep, I’d say your hotel choices are a raving success. 

Thanks So Much for Stopping By!

If you enjoy what you’re reading, the kindest thing you could do is Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. I appreciate your support.

In fact, while you’re here take your time and poke around the site, see if there are any other topics you’re interested in. If you have any questions or see any typos, please let me know!

If you’re wondering what prompted me to share my travel knowledge, check out the About Me section.

I’d love to hear about your travel experiences, good and bad. We’ll all be better travelers if we learn from one another. 

The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, a huge thanks to Alex for the awesome photos.