Deciding on a hotel can be daunting and exhausting. These tips will help make the process easier so you can look forward to a fun holiday.
Choosing accommodation can be a daunting experience. There are endless factors to consider, including price, location, amenities, reviews, and the list goes on. The process of choosing a hotel is often so overwhelming for some travelers that they leave it up to their travel agent. But to guarantee a stay in a place that is right for you, all you need to do is a little research. You have to know what you want and then look for it.
Here are a few key areas we look for in hotels:
Cleanliness:
This is an absolute must. Hotels need to uphold the highest cleanliness standards, offering clean public spaces, bathrooms, bedrooms, and amenities. While it’s an important initiative, recycling must not give way to a lack of hygiene.
Tea and Coffee Tray:
To some, tea and coffee facilities in the room is not a particularly major issue – for many other hotel guests, it is an absolute essential part of their hotel stay.
Knowing when you return to your room you can make a cup of well deserved tea or use a coffee maker is very much part of the room experience. It is having the choice and certainly the convenience that makes it for many of us, non-negotiable.
Adequate safety/security:
For many, a hotel functions as a home away from home. With that comes a significant expectation for the most diligent safety and security measures. Many hotels now focus on providing personalised safety and security measures for different guest profiles such as females, children, and individuals with certain mobility challenges. Technology plays an increasingly important role in providing better safety. Understandably, some guests still place more importance on a human interaction.
Internet:
Guests at all types of hotels demand some level of Internet service. Business hotels especially are expected to offer the highest level of connectivity and flexibility. At many hotels, if not all, guests expect Internet access to be complimentary—for some, free WiFi is as necessary as any other basic but essential requirement.
Comfortable beds:
At the end of the day, a hotel serves a fundamental need: It provides a place to rest your head. A bed needs to be of good quality, clean, well maintained, and practically designed. How it is positioned in the room to allow proper circulation, is also pivotal. Certain hotels take the liberty of being creative with the pillow and blanket choices, which is welcome, as long as the guest feels comfortable with what is being offered to them.
Bathroom plumbing:
The reason this is described as plumbing as opposed to simply a good shower or hot water is because this concerns the entire bathroom. The desired temperature is of little use if the water is merely trickling down. Poor water flow from the sink and toilet is a significant burden and inconvenience to a guest. All guests should expect clear, potable water; proper and continuous hot running water in the shower; flowing water in the sink and toilet; and no leaks.
Lighting:
This is a significant issue across a lot of hotels. Many do not offer adequate lighting in the hotel rooms, be it bathrooms to bedside lamps. It can cause frustration for a number of guests. Improved lighting serves to enhance the guests experience and provide a sense of serenity as well as feeling secure.
Aroma:
When entering a hotel and the hotel room, the smell of the property has a major impact on a traveller’s first impressions. Guests are often sensitive to newly created hotel signature scents or stale smells from carpets and bathrooms. Naturally, this can negatively influence the guest’s perception of the quality and cleanliness standards of a hotel.
Location:
Location should be one of the most important factors when choosing a hotel. Of course it is terrific if your hotel is inexpensive or if it has incredible amenities. However, the value of those priorities will diminish if the hotel is located a considerable distance from the main sights that you want to see. For many logical and practical reasons, location is undeniably important.
For example, If travelling to a tight schedule, commuting for extended periods of time is impractical. Whether you are travelling to a city centre or a particular landmark, feeling rushed in order to visit a particular location will negate any enjoyment you experience.
As well as wasting time, a traveller will also spend more money on transport so they can reach their destination faster. Sometimes, it is better to pay more for centrally located accommodation.
Another approach to picking a hotel is to read reviews. It allows you to get a sense of whether it is for you or not. It is best not to focus solely on the reviews and avoid looking at the hotel website altogether. Sometimes, hotels address issues that are pointed out in reviews, and this information should be available on the website. There’s also the chance that some reviews are biased, or simply written by people who have completely different expectations from what you would have.
If you have any particular questions, it never hurts to actually call the hotel directly and personally ask.
Ultimately, every traveller wants something different from their hotel. You might be looking for a resort complex with extensive entertainment choices or perhaps a quiet and relaxing retreat possibly a romantic room with a phenomenal view. The essential thing is to work out exactly what you want from your stay, and to find a hotel that meets your own demands.
It is always helpful to carry out research and pay attention to the reviews. The crucial point is to establish exactly what your own personal requirements are concerning hotel choices. Whatever your essential needs are, check they will be met so you can have every confidence in your hotel stay and have a wonderful time.
