Everyone probably has a budget when travelling, depending on what one prioritizes. Some people don't mind cheap accommodation and would rather spend more of their money on food and shopping. Others would prefer a comfortable place to return to after a long day of walking and sight-seeing, preferably something with facilities such as jacuzzi and swimming pool.
In this post, I am going introduce some places one can stay in, depending on his/her budget. I have practically tried everything.
1) Hotel
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind would probably be hotel. But, if you're on a low budget, hotel might be too expensive for you, especially if you're travelling in countries such as Europe where living expenses are pretty high itself in comparison to Asia. But if you value personal space and prefer to be alone in a quiet space after a day, hotel is definitely the choice.
However, if you want a quiet space on your own and do not wish to be disturbed and hotel is unfortunately beyond your budget, another option would be BNB (Bed and Breakfast) or AirBnb.
2) BNB/AirBNB
Personally, I have not tried BNB; but I have tried AirBNB when I went to Paris, France. People put up spare rooms in their houses for travellers to stay a day or two. The price mostly varies according to where the place is located. I.e. The nearer a house is to the city centre of Paris, the more expensive it probably will as compared to those further from the city centre. Where I stayed wasn't in the city centre but it was pretty accessible and was only 5 metro stops from the station at the city centre. Therefore, the most important thing before making a booking on BNB and AirBNB is to research on the place and see how far it is from places that you want to go.
A great advantage for BNB and AirBNB is that you often get to interact with the owner of the house. I stayed with a French Designer when I was in Paris; she was really friendly and helpful and introduced many places that we could visit and provided us with many help in getting around. Although my friend and I didn't have a plan when we went to Paris, everything was a breeze thanks to the help of our host!
Another advantage is that you will be able to actually "experience" the life of the locals by staying in residential areas that they are staying in as compared to Hotels and Hostels. You get to see more and learn more of the way of life of the people in that country, the neighbourhood, and of course, witness the friendliness of the people there.
I guess the more people you have, the cheaper it will be. There are also different accommodations catering to different travel groups, just search it. When I was in Munich with 9 other friends, the place we stayed in was originally an oven of a bakery. It was really huge (considering that it fits 10 people). It was really interesting to have stayed in an oven.
Also, some owners will include breakfast for the price you paid, whereas others will charge you a small fee. Before booking, check the owner's profile or ask the owner if you want. Also, communication is really vital here. So to avoid disappointment, ask the owner if you have questions. For instance, if you need WIFI, you should just ask the owner if it's available since not everyone has internet in their house.
Official site for BNB: www.bnb.com
Official site for AirBNB: www.airbnb.com
3) Hostels
Of course, another affordable option would be hostels. I have stayed in hostels very often and also in places such as Berlin and Rouen. Hostels are probably a cheaper option as compared to hotels. And the great thing is that you might probably meet and get to interact with people from different countries. For me, it was such a great thing. For instance, when I was in Berlin, I met a lot of people, be it Germans, or people from US, who shared the same room with me or simply just in the washroom or the lift. When I was in Rouen, I actually found company to go to Monet's Garden with me together and we even cooked a meal together. I have also met a French girl and till today, we're still friends. And guess what, she's studying in Rouen and is renting an apartment in Rouen; so she told me I could stay with her the next time I'm there! :D
Of course, there are certainly downsides. Lack of privacy and noise. People might be travelling in groups so they might get a little noisy and would be difficult for you to fall asleep. Also, hostels tend to have double-decker beds. I have an experience when the night before I had to wake up early in the morning to catch my train from Rouen to Paris, the person sleeping on the upper deck was flipping and tossing around and it affected and kept me awake every now and then in the night. Also, you might not meet new friends, depending on the time you visit a country. During my stay in Rouen, I practically had the whole room to myself. Well, good and bad. But considering that hostels are more affordable options and they are usually within short distance to the city centre, it is definitely worth considering.
4) Couchsurfing
The last option I'm going to write about is couchsurfing. For those who don't know, couchsurfing is an activity when a host offers you a space in their house, be it the living room or any empty space. So basically, you will likely sleep on their couch, that's why it's couchsurfing! The best thing is that it's free and it's suitable for travellers who are either travelling in pairs or alone (since a living room wouldn't be large enough to accomodate many people). Also, for people who would like to interact with the locals and have some people to hang out with, it's a great choice.
The downside is that normally you can only stay for a few days (since it's people's house and might not be convenient, but this all depends on your host). Another thing is that you have to socialise with your host. I have a friend who rejected this option because he doesn't want to socialise with anyone. I have only tried couchsurfing once and my hosts were awesome. They brought me to places. So I guess by opening up their space to you, the hosts hope to make new friends and interact with people from other countries in return. So you probably won't have much alone time to make your own travel but I guess this is totally negotiable. Of course, this option is not just to get free accommodation but to hang out with people living in that country.
Couchsurfing site: www.couchsurfing.com
So, above are some of the options one can explore, if you don't already know, when planning a trip. No matter which type of accommodation you choose, it is wise to look after your own belongings, even if you have a hotel room all by yourself/ with friends.
Also, before making a decision, consider what you want to gain from the trip (lots of sightseeing? interact with the local people?), what's your budget, and what kind of environment you want to stay in (quiet? noisy? personal space?). While research is certainly important and probably leads you to the best outcome, I personally like spontaneity. I decided to go couchsurfing just a few days before I arrived and have no exact idea what it is going to be like. I would encourage everyone to try out every options and step out of one's comfort zone and interact and meet people.
No comments:
Post a Comment