Where to Stay? How to choose your hotel or budget guesthouse?

Do you often ask and wonder what is the recommended accommodation to stay in a foreign land? Are you often looking for budget hotels, cheap guesthouses or just simply where to stay?  In travelling anywhere else in the world, planning and researching always go hand in hand - so make sure to enjoy such activity for you to gear up and to know more on what to expect and not on your upcoming journey.

What is an accommodation for you?  Is it something just to sleep-in and to care about nothing?  Are you the type who can sleep anywhere in the middle of the road? Or do you consider it an escape from the busy city that you consider as a temporary humble abode?  Do you consider it as a temporary resting place? 

Are you a planner, who has the time to do your research?  Or you go your way unplanned and just do all the whining after the trip?  Remember, you'll spend money and effort for this temporary escape so make sure to consider small things that will greatly affect your behavior in your trip. 

Where to start your hunting activity?  Browse on the features and offers of agoda, booking, expedia, hotels, trivago, etc. 

Factors to consider in choosing your accommodation:

Budget (Price per night)

• Define a budget and make sure to stick with your plan.
• Average price differs from one city to the other.  If you see a tiny private room in Tokyo or Osaka to be expensive, instead why not consider staying in capsule bed. (Related Article: Fukuoka: Hakata Gofukumachi Hostel Takataniya)
• If money is not a problem, you can choose from any 5-star hotels.  Other cheaper accommodation would be hostels, guesthouses, bed and breakfast or stay in dorm rooms in university areas.
• Look for pre-open hotels, they have cheaper and cleaner facilities since it's just about to open.  But there might be small inconvenience on the service since they are still not fully running.
• Consider accumulating your loyalty points like what agoda.com offers.  You can have secret discounts, additional coupons or you can also pay the hotel by using your points.

Location

• Decide what will be you priority.  Do you prefer to be in the middle of the crowd, middle of the market and shopping area, accessibility in transportation or food?  Do you want to stay in a posh area, feel like a local, nearby the attractions, experience the tradition and culture (just like ondol beds found in hanok houses in Bukchon Village)? Or be like a student who enjoys street parties and drinks?
• If it's a modern city serviced by trains, better to stay nearby the transfer station. Two or more lanes that will be accessible by walking from you place will make you spend time wisely.
• Look for nearby bus pick-up/stop stations or bus terminals.
• Research more if your selected place or village offers those life conveniences you will be looking every time to step-out in the morning.
• Look at the map or ask where is the nearest convenience store from the hotel.
• Is the place cheap because it is nearby the red district or you mistakenly knew that it is actually a not so decent motel?
• Is it accessible from the main street or in hidden steeper or hilly part of the road?

Neighborhood

• Research on which neighborhood or town to stay, which are popular to other tourist and the reason why.
• In agoda.com or booking.com, type in the destination and check the place with most number of hotels/accommodation.
• You can also click on the view by map, to see and look around hotels that are nearby the subways or transfer stations.

Privacy

Are you in a budget but you are not fond of staying in dorm types?  Make your research earlier than usual, some hotels offer "early bird" discount, you may get a private room in cheaper price.  Also look for those private bed, but sharing bathroom in guesthouses.

Type of Room

• For solo travelers, you can choose to stay in dorm rooms (with 4, 6, up to 10 beds) with shared bathroom.  Please stay away from hospital-bed type of room, they are unsteady.  I prefer the thick-wooden bed, so you would not wake-up the other person from your movements. 
• If you care about privacy on a budget, there are also those affordable tiny private rooms with shared bathroom.  Just don't expect too much based on what you paid for.
• For two persons, you can opt to choose double or twin beds with private bathroom.
• For families or friends of three, you can opt to choose from private room or airbnb.
• If you are tall and carrying big luggage, watch out for reviews like they have small rooms, low-ceiling toilet or have difficulty o get room top open their luggage.
• If you difficulty in taking a ladder on dorms, it'snot bad to request for lower capsule bed prior to your arrival.
• Check if they have non-smoking or smoking floors.
• If you feel like you have claustrophobia, you may need to check if they have bigger windows in the room.

Related Article: Budget Travel: How much does it cost to travel to South Korea

Bathroom

• In Hong Kong, due to the expensive cost in lot areas, most of the shower hoods are just above the toilet bowl.  Meaning most of the section in the small room will get wet whenever you take a bath (from mirrors to bowl cover), not unless they have a small cabinet to keep your tissue dry.
• If you are keen in a bathroom, you may want to check out if they have shower glass separator,
• If you are a light traveler, check if the host also provides toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, and soap), so you can just leave those sachets at home.
• Double check if in case they have bar soap instead, make sure to bring your own (liquid) bath soap for better hygiene.
• Or go even further like considering a shower massage when spending on relaxing getaway.

Powder Area

• In dorms or capsule type accommodation and if you are fond of doing make-up, you should consider if they have shared mirror area.
• If you care about sitting when doing it, just check if they have chairs provided in your room.
• Also, you may want to check if they have hair blow dryer, cotton balls, lotion and cotton buds. Otherwise, bring those toiletries for your use.

Culinary Experience

• If you want to cook your own breakfast, do they offer cooking facilities?
• Do they include breakfast buffet in the room payment?
• If you are an early riser, and prefer to get-out of the hotel before 8:00 am, skip those rooms who doesn't give you the flexibility on the payment.  In Japan, most hotel rooms has additional breakfast fee, so you may consider that during your book reservation.
• Check if they have microwave on common kitchen area, you'll never know when you want to use it.
• Make sure that they have at least water thermos at the bar section to have hot water for your coffee or tea.

Security

• If you are a solo traveler, you maybe concern about your security. Make sure to research more on reviews and stay on those that will make you more comfortable. Combine the negative reviews you can find in tripadvisor, agoda and booking sites.
• Are the main doors open to the public? Or do they have security guards on the building or does it have its own digital security locks.
• Check if there is curfew in the city or in the dorm you are staying.
• Check the rules on keys, do you keep it on way-out, do you surrender it every time you get out of the hotel, do they have a digital security locks on each room.
• If you are staying in dorm, do they provide cabinet or lockers for each guest?  If not, make sure that your luggage has locks as well to keep your important stuff. Also, be mindful of your things, make sure that they are not scattered on your bed especially your money, wallet or jewelries. 

Star Rating and Guest Rating

• Star Rating can be parallel to the quality and price per night.  Given that 5-star hotels are the most expensive among the line.
• However, there are also 2-star or 3-star accommodation which has Excellent or Exceptional or Wonderful reviews.  Keep it mind that population and number of reviewers is also important, would you believe on 1 Exceptional review versus 100 Good or Pleasant so-so reviews.

Cleanliness

• Look for those photos that looks like have clean sheets and room in general.
• Most hotels have daily cleaning, always keep your valuable locked on a safe place or your locked luggage.
• In guesthouses or where there is self-service, learn to throw your thrash properly.

Reachable

• If you want to clarify something on their service, do not hesitate to contact them.
• For airbnb hosts, make sure that they are reachable before your arrival and during your stay.  If they are not responsive, you may want to skip and move on to your next hotel hunting. 

Payment choices

Now that cheap flights are being booked months before the actual flight, we'll never know when we have an approved visa or vacation leaves.  Cases of having cancelled flight or trip are undeniable.  So having an option of Free Cancellation or Book Now, Pay Late has also an advantage.

Check-in

• Know the check-in time and open schedule of the concierge. 
• In cases that your arrival is too early and you want to check-in early, some hosts do not allow it.  In most cases, you have to wait or return after 3:00 pm for the check-in time.  You can leave your luggage, freshen-up on the public toilet (if they have one) and start your day outside.
• In cases that you have a late arrival or expecting a delay, consider an hour in the immigration plus the transportation and traffic before you can reach the hotel.  Make sure to advise them on your tentative arrival time, so they can wait for you.  This is to make sure that you have someone to welcome you and open the doors for you when you reach the place.  This should be considered especially if you staying in guesthouses, airbnb or hostels or when hosts are not staying-in on the same place.
• In Taipei, low cost carriers arrived after 12 mid-night, you may be arriving in the city after 2 am, so make sure that the concierge is still open upon your arrival.
• Also, know your check-out time, to refrain from paying additional charges for late check-out.
• If taking airbnb service or staying in dorm, make sure that you have information on the check-in process.

Other Amenities

• Wi-fi availability in common areas and room.
• If carrying heavy luggage, check if they have elevators.  Instead, prepare to carry your bag even on third floor or higher.  Otherwise, you can request to stay in 1st Floor, or just look for another place to stay.
• If travelling during summer, better to check if they have air-conditioner (best if its split-type which seems to be a newer technology).  This makes you consider that it's regular window type, it can be a low-cost or old hotel.
• If visiting over winter, do they provide at least an electric fan or better if they have heating pads or heater in the room.

Read Reviews

• What to look for are sink water sewage if leaking or have been addressed, hairs on bed sheets/ bed covers (conveys that they don't replace the covers after new guests has arrived), appearance of molds or cockroaches (conveys questionable cleanliness all through out the hotel), etc.
• Consider the date when the negative review has been raise versus the recent reviews if they have been already addressed.
• Do you have dog-allergy?  You may want to check if they have a puppy/dog/cat as a pet, it will definitely stink or it can trigger your asthma.

Nice to have, but not a priority

• Roof deck areas to check out the cityscape over coffee or a drink.
• English channels on cable TV.
• Disposable slippers on rooms and separate bathroom slippers.
• English speaking host or concierge.
• If they provide world socket adapter, otherwise, bring one. 

Be mindful!

• If the hotel is too old or has not been renovated recently, expect to see molds or rundown room. The bathroom walls, room carpet, couch or beddings stained.
• Don't make too much loud noise that can disturb other guests.
• If using common facilities, clean as you go. Wash the dishes after use.
• Turn-off lights, fan, air-conditioner as you go out of the room.
• Are you a late starter? Means, you also end their day late, going back to the hotel at late night, starting to make noise (big steps, crashing plastics, or shower) and will not mind other guests even if you use hair dryer after 12 midnight. 
• Be mindful of next user of the bathroom, flash twice if needed.
• Do not use severe air purifier in the bathroom as the floor will get slippery
• Be a considerate guest in your accommodation.