BOOKING ACCOMMODATION: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Unlike flights accommodation prices don’t have the same volatility and therefore don’t require the same amount of shrewd planning.
Accommodation does however have more scope to be tailored to your budget, if you want to fly for £20, you’re better off buying a large kite and hoping you run into a hurricane on the coast.
Backpackers can get by on less than £10 per day quite easily, for those who work far too hard for that kind of digs, a five star service with a butler serving you on hand and foot can be had.
Here are your main options for great accommodation. Whether you want to camp and be a humble nomad, or glamp and be a bit of a woodland diva. You can lounge around the pool side at the Ritz, or rent out a chalet in the South of France and live like the aristocrats.
Airbnb - The biggest shake up to the hotel industry in a lifetime.
Airbnb have changed the way that the hospitality sector works, and enabled the opening up of renting out your house or other accommodation to the masses. Their online listings enable you to rent directly from the owner of the property, and enable you to be able to call this place home for your vacation.
There’s a few things we urge you to consider before those instagram filtered photos start pulling at your heart strings.
- Are they a super host? Superhosts have a solid reputation over hundreds of reviews usually and will almost certainly have fair refund and cancellation policies.
- What are their recent reviews saying? Sometimes hosts can begin to let things slide. If you notice a downtrend in reviews (even in the face of a good overall review score) then steer well clear.
- Is there a lack of clear, verified photos? Photos are all you’re going to get before you book it, so make sure you’ve got plenty of them and they’re nice and clear. If it says 2 bedrooms and only shows 1 then don’t be shy to ask the owner for additional pics. If they’re not hiding something they won’t be shy in giving you more pics.
- Did the host update their calendar? Sometimes hosts don’t update their calendar regularly, which means they’re unlikely to be responsive to you as a host even if there is a vacancy.
- Is their account verified? I would only book with a verified host, unless it’s a very modest amount you’re paying to book and they’ve got lots of reviews.
Now you know how to cherry pick the absolute best accomodation from Airbnb, you’re free to go ahead and book. For the self catered approach to full properties and a variation of houses, bungalows and villas that you want to call home for your visit, airbnb is your best bet.
Booking.com - For The Best Hotel Selection Online
There can be no two ways about it, Booking.com is king for hotel stays.
Booking caters to everything from humble camping sites to boutique hotels. It’s also clear that Booking.com is very competitive on price and is the easiest to use in the hotel booking market. They offer hotels in 225 countries meaning they're always worth a look, wherever you are travelling to.
Other competitors like Agoda have spent millions in advertising to try and dethrone booking.com from it’s throne but to no avail. There’s a reason it’s still the number 1 hotel booking site around.
Booking.com also have a reward program called Genius. This gives you great benefits such as:
- Free lifetime membership- once you're in, you're in
- 10% and 15% discounts at selected properties
- Free breakfast on select options
- Free room upgrade on select options
Snap Trip - For Quaint And Cozy Cottages There’s No Comparison
Cottages are becoming more popular than ever, and with more holidaymakers opting to go on domestic trips in a post pandemic world, it’s no surprise.
Sometimes we need to get away, but it doesn’t mean we should sacrifice the cozy warmth of our homes, curled up on the sofa with the fireplace crackling and the kids finally winding down the evening. They’re also the perfect setting for a romantic weekend away, with a more intimate and natural setting for you and your loved one.
Snaptrip offers over 60,000 potential homes and cottages up and down the U.K and for something with a personal touch, it’s hard to match it’s rustic charm.
Marriott Bonvoy - The Ultimate Luxury Rewards Scheme
For Pampering Yourself With The Luxury You Deserve whenever you travel, Marriott Bonvoy are for you.
The Marriott offers rewards as soon as your first booking with Elite status discounts. From the Sheraton in New York Times Square to the W in Maldives, there’s 5 Star service in all 4 corners of the globe.
If your dream holiday includes luxurious infinity pools, Michelin star quality food, and a bed comfortable enough to put an insomniac to sleep then this is for you. Afterall, you deserve a break right?!
Member entry start straight away at "member status" when staying for up to 9 nights a year, and benefits increase with 6 different levels up to "Ambassador Elite" membership for those who travel over 100 nights per year.
Benefits on this sliding scale include:
- Lounge Access
- Room Upgrades
- Mobile Checkins
- Late Checkouts
- & Many More
Check out their hotel range including W hotels, The Ritz, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton's and more.
Hostelworld- For those who prefer budget friendly and social hospitality
They say travel broadens the mind, but if you’re not careful it can also broaden your wallet and then take out all of the money and spend it before you’ve bought yourself a souvenir fridge magnet.
Hostels are not just a place to lay your head, but a place to swap stories and brush shoulders with people you’d bever meet elsewhere. The charm of hostel stays is the surprises in store, not just the humble yet comfortable bed, and the uber affordable price.
Check out hostel worlds array of accommodation.
