Where to Stay

Which Accommodations are Best for You?

Hotels and motels range from expensive and luxurious to cheap and dingy. You can find hotels and motels nearly everywhere – near the interstate, downtown and in suburbs. Most hotels are clean and comfortable, but it’s always a good idea to check travel guidebooks or hotel review websites to find out about a particular property. You’ll enjoy convenient parking, in most cases, but you’ll also stay in rooms with “cookie cutter” ambience and décor. Noise levels and service quality vary greatly from hotel to hotel – another reason to check a review website or two before you book your room.

In North America, bed and breakfast inns range from simply decorated farmhouse rooms to historic homes with designer bedrooms. If you travel abroad, you will find that bed and breakfasts are less elaborate. In either case, however, bed and breakfast inns are an agreeable alternative to interchangeable motel rooms. The home-cooked breakfast is an additional benefit. Since you'll be sharing the inn's common areas with other guests, be sure to ask about the bed and breakfast's smoking, pet and minimum age policies before you book your room.

If you want to immerse yourself in a particular area, renting a vacation cottage is a good choice. You’ll be able to unpack your bags, cook for yourself – or not – and sleep without worrying about noisy neighbors. You can shop and eat like the locals, and you might even have a washing machine. Ask about items to bring, cleaning and utility charges and minimum stay requirements before you reserve a cottage, as each property owner has different policies.

Hostels, famous for low prices and noisy student travelers, are marketing themselves to travelers of all ages. Some youth hostels offer two- and four-bed rooms with bathrooms and showers. Particularly if you travel during the spring, fall and winter months, hostels can be pleasant, affordable places to stay. You’ll need to ask about each hostel’s rules and find out if you can rent sleep sacks – the sleeping bag-style sheets used at most youth hostels – when you book your room. If you don’t mind climbing stairs and you’re prepared to overlook a little dust, staying at a hostel can help you stretch your travel budget.

If you have family or friends in the area you plan to visit, why not ask if you can pay them a visit? You can't beat the price, and you'll have access to travel information from a local you trust. You may have to sleep on a sofa bed or air mattress or share a bathroom with children, but you'll also have time to relax and catch up on events with your host. When you arrive, bring flowers, groceries or treats from home; it's always a good idea to express your gratitude with a hostess gift.