I think you’ll agree with me when I say that your choice of hotel can actually make or break your planned trip. I have definitely made some bad choices in the past where either the hotel was located too far away from all the action, or there was no internet, or the room came with a terrible view etc. etc. Finding the right city accommodation for your need and budget can be difficult. But I have learned from my mistakes and here I’ve put together some essential tips for you for finding a place to stay for your next city break.


Consider the Location

Location is very important when finding accommodation. Central accommodation can often be more expensive than staying on the outskirts. If you want to save money, you’re often best off looking for places that aren’t in the hub of activity. That said, you should be careful not to spend too much money and time traveling – the added cost of staying in the city-center may be worth the convenience. If you want to make the most of a city’s nightlife such as Hong Kong’s Lang Kwai Fong, you might be better off to direct book a Lang Kwai Fong hotel rather than one on the opposite side of the city. Or if you’re in Las Vegas, it’s best to book yourself in one of the hotels on the Strip. You’ll be able to easily stumble back and won’t waste time every day traveling. But just be careful that the hotel is not too centrally located, especially in a highly touristic area. During our stay in Florence, our hotel was bang in the center of the Duomo complex and we couldn’t sleep the entire night because of all the noise on the busy street outside.

Check the Facilities

Certain facilities are worth checking for when booking a city hotel. Not all hotels have parking – if you’re going by car, you could end up having to park a fair distance away and paying more. On top of this, you may want to check services such as shared bathrooms, breakfast facilities and WiFi. There may even be niche facilities worth considering. Most city hotels don’t accept pets but there are a growing number of hotels that do such as High Peaks resort in New York, which even accepts big dogs. So you can holiday without feeling guilty of leaving your pet at home.

Consider Check-in Times

This is one aspect of hotel booking that I find most troubling. Check-in times are also something worth considering – some hotels only allow you to check in after midday, which could result in a lot of waiting around if you had an early morning flight. On top of this, certain hotels might want you to check-out before midday. Either way, it’s a cause of lot of inconvenience. Some hotels may be signed up to services like As You Stay, which allows you to check-in and check-out at any time on your phone. This could really be a blessing in some circumstances.

Read Reviews

Hotels have always relied on reviews. Now in the digital age, user reviews on sites like TripAdvisor can give an even more comprehensive idea as to the quality of a hotel. Reviews may also give you an idea of specific details that might be vague in a hotel description such how far a hotel may be from attractions or a lack of decent parking. I always make sure I’ve read enough reviews before I finally decide to book a hotel.

Book Far in Advance

There’s a debate as to which is better – to book early or book last minute? The truth is that both can get you better deals than booking at the standard time. Early booking discounts can be huge, whilst last minute discounts can also be amazing. However, booking early has one major advantage – you have more options available. When booking last minute, you’re limited to the few hotels that still have rooms. This could stop you from getting accommodation in the right location or with the right facilities for you. With the exception of road trips, we always book our hotel accommodation in advance for a planned city getaway.

Got a city break planned? Keep these tips in mind and you won’t go wrong.

What are some of the things that are most important to you while booking an accommodation? Share with me in the comments below!

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