Accommodation - know yourself.

Booking accommodation - in the UK or abroad.

Most importantly - be honest with yourself and ask what do I really want out of a hotel room?

Now this may seem a stupid question - and you are probably thinking "errr a bed to sleep in" but bear with me.

If you are on a road trip, stopping off at hotels for one night at a time then you may well just need a bed to sleep in. If you are staying somewhere for 2 or more nights then other factors come into play. Here's what I mean..

1. Do you spend much time in your room?
2. Are you happy to share a bathroom or will you insist on an en suite?
3. Is a balcony or a view important to you, and if so - why?
4. Do you like small, intimate hotels where you get to know other people or do you like the anonymity of a large chain? 
5. Do you need a restaurant on site or breakfast included?

To give you an idea of what I mean I'll share some of the things I've learned about what matters to me and Hubby.

1. On a "Fly and Flop" holiday Hubby and I spend quite a lot of time in our rooms. We both like to get out of the sun mid day and, as I have some problems with my joints, I sometimes need to rest.
On a Road Trip holiday it's not so much of an issue as we are often staying only 1 night.

2. Given the choice I would never share a bathroom - with anyone- so I am happy to pay extra for an en suite. Even if it's for only 1 night.

3. We do not sit on balconies nor do we spend hours staring at views. I certainly wouldn't pay extra for a view. I remember my Dad's wife once paid extra for a room with a view and he made a point of pulling a chair up to the window and refusing to leave the room as he wanted to get his money's worth. Point made!

4. We are quite private people and prefer the anonymity of large hotel chains. Not to say we are unfriendly but we take time to relax on holiday and don't want to have to sit with strangers across a breakfast table from Day 1 having the "is this your first time here?" conversations.

5. Given the choice I like breakfast to be included - it's one less faff in the mornings. A perfectly acceptable alternative for us is a McDonalds or Subway nearby. Let's be honest that applies equally to travel at home and abroad as they are everywhere! (Interesting aside - there is no McDonald's in Iceland any more but there is Subway. I did hear that someone bought the last ever burger sold in McD before it closed and it's preserved - with a web cam on it - to monitor decay. May just be an urban myth but it's one I like).

Sometimes you don't have the choice and you just have to take what's available, but if you have the luxury of booking well in advance and know the answers to the above questions then you've a head start. Next time I'll look at the booking accommodation process I follow.

Jo