Accommodations

[Deleted]

What do you look for in the way of accommodations when you travel? Location,price,comfort,all of the above?

[Deleted]

It is totally variable for me, but I am generally a low end hotel user, not just because I am a cheapskate but also because I absolutely can't stand the people who stay in luxury hotels.

When I first entered the airline industry, I got a charge out of staying in some luxury hotels that would have been totally out of reach without my airline discount -- places like the Inter-Continental Tokyo, the Raffles in Singapore or the Méridien Hong Kong, but then I decided that they were a waste of both my time and my money, because they were totally blocking off my experience of the various cities, being situated in total tourist ghettos and populated with sad grey businessmen and middle aged women with purple freeze-dried hair.

Nevertheless, I have been known to go after a historical experience from time to time, such as when I chose to stay at the Hotel Sevilla in Havana and wallow in total pre-communist decadence just for the outrageous contrast (and for a mere $75 a night).

But basically, in the U.S. a Motel 6 is just fine with me and throughout Asia I rarely spend more than US$10 for a hotel room.

[bjd]

I tend to look for cheap as well. Don't mind hostels if they have private rooms. I tend to think fancy hotels are the same everywhere and are uninteresting, even if they are clean and comfortable.

In the past few years, I have been in places offered by people waiting at bus or train stations. You can get something really fine, or else real dumps. In Valparaiso in Chile, we stayed in a total dump, but the lady was friendly and since it was her husband's name day, she invited us to share the cake and pisco sours.

[imec]

All of the above - PLUS a corporate rate. We are typically offered rates at roughly 1/2 or even 1/3 of the typical street rate at a very nice hotel in just about every city in the world. There is just no need to stay in a dump for the same price. For stays of a week though, I much prefer a house or apartment to a hotel.

[Deleted]

What about these hotels like the W that cater to "lifestyles". Have never been in one but they seem pretty popular with a certain set. Pretentious or stylized comfort?

[cristina]

It depends for me whether I am traveling for work or holiday.

For work, I generally prefer higher end hotels because a) I am not paying for it, and b) they have services that I need on the business front. They are also usually good places to meet clients or colleagues.

For holiday, I can't get quite to the Motel 6 level, but my needs are way simpler. (I have a cleanliness issue with motel 6).

Clean is my biggest real requirement on my own dime.

I have stayed at W Hotels, since my previous employer had a good rate. They have very comfy beds, but I wouldn't stay in one for personal vacation unless I had a really great deal. The first time I stayed in one was about 10 years ago with college girl, using points. She was about 12 at the time and her first words were: "I feel like I am sleeping in Pottery Barn."

I don't care if I sleep in Pottery Barn, but I don't like the lack of lighting. I mean really poor lighting. This may sound silly to some, but if its a business trip and you are trying to look professional, it isn't all that great if you wonder if you just finished your toilette and look like a hooker instead of a professional business person.

For personal expense/holidays, my only basic requirements are a private bathroom, cleanliness, and a reasonably comfortable bed. And a neighborhood I feel safe in.

For personal travel, I would rate, in order, price, location then comfort. Maybe. Most of those qualities are relative, depending on where you are traveling.

[Deleted]

I don't even choose the hotel for company travel, so that settles that.

For some strange reason , it has become important for my accommodations to have wifi when traveling in Europe or North America in recent years. However, there have been times when I have pirated the wifi off the establishment next door.

[hwinpp]

I go for location.

Low budget if I'm paying, 20- 30USD gets good digs in this part of the world, slightly more if I'm out for work, maybe 50- 60USD, and sometimes I splurge, as when my sister and nephew is coming over between Christmas and New Year.

[Deleted]

I love the Pottery Barn comment.It's what I envisioned when I first heard of these hotels.

[lagatta]

wifi is important if you have to work at all when your are travelling, though I don't necessarily need it right in my room, at all hours.

The prize for "basic but clean" is convent and monastery stays.

[fumobici]

For me personally, a room is just a place to dress, shower and sleep. If where I'm staying is worth visiting I'll almost never be in my room awake anyway. If I'm anywhere interesting (and what's the point of touristing in places that aren't?) I'm out the door early and not back to my room until late.

[Deleted]

I'm the same, Fumo, but when you hear some people talking about their vacations, it is constantly interspersed with "then we went back to the hotel to rest" and things like that.

Nevertheless, all they need is the bed in such a case. When I was in places like Southern India, where it simply was not possible to be out in the middle of the afternoon, I just stretched out on the bed, sleeping or reading.

[Deleted]

Nov 10, 2009 21:52:25 GMT lagatta said:

wifi is important if you have to work at all when your are travelling, though I don't necessarily need it right in my room, at all hours.

The prize for "basic but clean" is convent and monastery stays.

do they use tea leaves to clean with?

[happytraveller]

I look for location and price, and in europe if doggie friendly.

[lagatta]

casimira, perhaps tea leaves, certainly nun power.

I'm not quite as hardline as fumobici - I do like where I'm staying to be pleasant as for me travelling also involves writing and painting (sometimes outside, sometimes in). A nice view to paint is a plus. And if I'm somewhere for a while, I usually have to do freelance work at the same time.

If I'm somewhere for a while I want a basic kitchen nook - small fridge and a couple of burners/hob because I like to go to markets and don't always like eating in restaurants. Ideally a little rental studio.

[fumobici]

Cooking facilities would be nice, though I seldom have had any. It's a bit frustrating being walking distance from a really good market and not really being able to buy anything to eat there but fruit. That happened to me last year in Rome, I'd walk down to the Campo de' Fiori, look at all the amazing stuff and think "If only I had a kitchen to cook this in!"

[Deleted]

While in the abstract, I feel that I would like to cook, when I am on holiday and traveling alone for a few days, it would be somewhat ridiculous to do so.

But I am always happy to have a refrigerator in the room.

[hwinpp]

Fridge is good. I like my drinks cold.

If I come across anything in a market here that needs cooking, I ask for it to be cooked there and then, have it packed and take it back to my room

[bixaorellana]

I like cheap, clean, and well-situated. The cheaper the accommodations, the more traveling you can do.
I do get tired of eating out, but that can be solved with the bread/fruit/cheese supper occasionally. If I were to be somewhere for a week & a half or more, a kitchen would be nice.

[lola]

When it's just me, I like well located, safe, and above squalor level. Spartan and clean is good. When in big cities with the family, I like to use Hotwire or Priceline to get nice places for cheap. (umm. One of us is a trifle hard to please, and the others like the rare peek at how other half lives.)

Our recent suite at the Vancouver Westin Grand was grand, with curved walls of glass high above the city, and by Hotwire it wasn't much more than the nearby ordinary room my brother and his wife got. (though we had to commit to it by prepaying.)

This spring in London my daughter and I stayed at a Priceline deal 5 star Mayfair hotel for just the last night, and enjoyed the luxurious sheets and beds, the toiletries and high class shower. It cost twice what a kind of depressing US Super 8 type place would run. We wouldn't have hobnobbed with the fellow guests there, as we really enjoyed doing in the cheap B&B in Bakewell.

[komsomol]

I've been to some scruffy places - put a chair against the door more than once.
Not recently tho.

[Deleted]

One of the things I've learned to look for and avoid at all costs is where the room is situated relative to noise levels.Sure,a room overlooking a public square is lovely,however in that very square as you are trying to go to sleep,reveling with loud mariachi music not so entertaining.
Shove me in the back somewhere,so long as it is quiet.

[Deleted]

I put an armchair in front of the door once. It was at the "World Famous Cockatoo Inn" next to LAX. TWA had suggested that I go there when I got bumped from the last flight of the night to NYC. This establishment actually appeared in the Tarantino movie "Jackie Brown" so you can imagine the fine clientele. The last time I passed the place, it was closed and in ruins.

[imec]

Cleanliness is an absolute must for me. Although I once stayed at this place which made Trpadvisor's Top 10 Dirtiest hotels in the UK for 2009. The reviews are hilarious!


"There were bloodstains on my bedspread, cracks and dirt marks on the walls, the shower was broken, the toilet door was broken and the carpet was FILTHY and RIDDLED WITH BUGS, as was the bed- these drove me out."

"Well what can I say .....except a living hell !"

"The shower was covered in chalk and other undefined substance, we did dare to touch it. O.k., the beds were brandnew, the sheet appeared clean, but there were bugs in the room, all sorts, yak! It was the carpet that was very dirty and house to all the bugs. I get itchy all over again, just writing about it!"

"Welcome to Abu Ghraib"

[Deleted]

The biggest roaches I ever saw in a hotel room were at the Hyatt Regency in Manila. I just figured, hey, this is the Philippines.