How to find great accommodation every time you travel
Finding accommodation is an important and unavoidable step in travel planning. We all want to find the BEST accommodation that our budget can get us. Whether you are looking for an all inclusive resort, a cosy bed & breakfast or a room in a hostel there are ways to optimise your accommodation search. I have learnt a lot from planning trips in South Africa and around the world that I hope you will find useful. These tips will help you to know what to consider when narrowing down your accommodation search and which accommodation websites and apps to consider using. Keep reading to learn how to find great accommodation every time you travel.
3 ways to optimise your accommodation search
- Read travel blogs to guide your choices
Travel blogs really are the plug! Find travel blog posts about the destination you want to visit and read their reviews about areas and specific hotels. Then use the free information from travel blogs to guide your accommodation choices. This is especially effective if you have been subscribed to that blog and built a trust for honesty.
Fortunately, South African travel bloggers share helpful information about all destinations across South Africa. This travel blog shares destination guides and travel tips with the aim of helping you increase your travel confidence.
You will notice that in my travel guide about the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga I advise staying in Graskop town as it is a great central location to access the major stops along the Panorama Route. In my blog post about planning a trip to Tsitsikamma I mention that staying in The Village is an awesome location for ease of access to amenities. This information is golden and must be taken advantage of!
- Read accommodation reviews
Always read at least 3 reviews of the accommodation before you pay. There are certain things that won’t come across in the advertisement. Maybe it looks nothing like the pictures! Maybe the host is unpleasant. Maybe the WiFI that you are counting on doesn’t even work. If you don’t find the answers in the reviews, feel free to contact the accommodation and ASK any questions you have BEFORE you pay. Rather know for sure instead of making assumptions.
- Know what you are looking for
It helps to know what you want before you start looking for accommodation. Knowing what you want will help you to be able to filter through the flood of options without getting as confused or overwhelmed. Some important information to decide on before you do your accommodation search are your budget, the area and the number of rooms you need. Add even more to this list and be as specific as possible to make your search even easier. If you want a pool and air conditioning, apply that criteria as a filter to your accommodation search. Don’t waste time going through options that don’t fit your requirements.
Accommodation Websites/Apps
You always want to make sure that you get the best accommodation deal, right? It sucks when you find alternative accommodation for a lower price after you have already paid (Stop looking once you have paid!). Finding a place to stay is fun especially when you know you are doing it right. Fortunately there are websites and apps that make the accommodation search easy and quick,
These accommodation websites/applications have helped me find and sift through the options of places to stay that are within my budget.
For hotels, resorts Booking.com
When it comes to looking for the full range of accommodation types (hotels, bed & breakfasts, villas, hostels) worldwide, Booking.com is excellent. This is how it works. You fill in your destination, check in and check out dates, number of guests and rooms and then it lists all available options. SIMPLE 🙂 What makes Booking.com even better is that you can sort the search results according to most popular picks, price and review scores – this is where knowing what you want is helpful. You can also apply filters to your search so that you only see what you can afford and what you are specifically looking for.
Download the free app or browse online –Booking.com
For homes, rooms and unique spaces search for accommodation on Airbnb
Airbnb is genius. Through Airbnb people provide short term rental of their homes, rooms, cottages, hostels or mansions.
This means you can book an entire house out for a group trip and have exclusive privacy for your getaway. And when traveling solo, you can save by opting to rent out a room in someone’s home via Airbnb instead of booking a hotel.
Airbnb has more thorough filter options. You can filter the search results based on specific amenities, facilities and even house rules. This is such a time saver!
Airbnb was started in 2008 but has not won over everyone’s trust yet and many still prefer the security and assurance that you get through established hotels. I can assure you that I have used Airbnb and continue to use it and have had a good experience thus far. It also allows me to travel for less as rates are competitive.
For Hostel/Backpacker accommodation use Coast to Coast
Backpacking is a low budget way of traveling. This accommodation type is usually made up of dorm rooms with multiple beds in a room though some hostels also offer private single rooms.
The idea of staying at a hostel is that the experience of being out and about in a new place is more important than living luxuriously while you travel. You can save a lot if you choose this option! This is also a great way to socialise as you travel as the common areas are usually communal. Hostels are popular with solo travellers as it gives them the opportunity to connect with other travellers. To find hostel accommodation in South Africa use Coast to Coast.
Coast to Coast is a search platform for backpacking accommodation in Southern Africa. After filling in your search criteria and clicking ‘search,’ you can filter the results according to features such as surfing, hiking and jolling – it’s pretty cool!.
Related post: How to travel cheap in South Africa.
There are plenty more accommodation websites and apps that you can use to find accommodation in South Africa and around the world. The websites mentioned in this post are a great start to get you booking your accommodation by yourself without a travel agent. Happy travel planning!
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Thank you Fari! I always wondered if Airbnb was safe to use. Think I’ll give it a try.
Yes give it a try Chanel and let me know how it goes 😊
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Excellent advice on finding travel accommodations! Your tips are practical and will definitely help in securing great stays.