Hotels vs. Hostels vs. (Air)BnBs

Hotels, hostels, and (Air)BnBs. The holy trinity of sleeping arrangements for people who, like me, disparage at the thought of camping. I know, I know, I’m a terrible Canadian.

I’ve heard some people disparage at both hostels and Airbnbs, and I’m here to deliver the good news: they can both be awesome and cheap alternatives to hotels and traditional BnBs. Each of these options comes with its own pros and cons, but hopefully this article will help you decide whether or not you want to give something new a try.

For the record, I’m not being paid by any of the companies mentioned. As always these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Hotels: The Classic

Pros:

• You can expect consistency. If you’re staying at a chain you’ll see roughly the same level of service irregardless of where you go.
• You can go to a manager if something goes wrong, and potentially have a long list of people higher up than them to speak to; though the problem is likely to be fixed very quickly.
• The rooms will have a certain standard of cleanliness.
• There will likely be amenities like complementary continental breakfast, a pool and gym, room service, and knowledgeable staff to help you.
• Hotels are usually fairly central or aren’t too far from a bus stop.

Cons:

• They can lack character, especially if it’s a chain. They’re nature is to be universally pleasant.
• Don’t bring any blacklights into any hotel room. Ever.
• They can be expensive, which isn’t necessarily what you want in a vacation, especially if all you’re doing is sleeping in said room. Think about it, it’s not like you’ll be chilling there all day!

Hostels: Youth’s Choice

Pros:

• They’re usually cheaper than hotels.
• Many have communal areas, especially lounges and kitchens. This comes in handy if you have dietary restrictions or want to save a bit of money on food, and with all these common spaces you’re bound to make new friends; all you need is a friendly attitude and an open mind!
• Hostels have chains too, so if you enjoyed your stay at one, you’ll likely enjoy another of their locations. My personal favourite is Nomads.
• Some hostels will have women only dorms, if you’re nervous about sharing your sleeping space with men. The Nomads in Queenstown New Zealand has this option, though I’m not sure it’s available in all of their locations.

Cons:

• Sometimes they’re only cheaper than hotels by a very small margin; unless you’re travelling with a large group of friends or are willing to share your accomodation space with strangers.
• The beds aren’t going to be as comfortable as a hotel. Anyone who tells you they are is lying to you.
• Less amenities than a hotel. You won’t find any pools here!

Bed and Breakfasts: The Quaint and Quiet

Pros:

• BnB owners have a reputation to maintain, so you can generally count on excellent care during your stay.
• Under the same vein, you can generally count on them being very clean.
• They’ll likely have a lot of character, as they are most often a home as well as an inn.
• They’re often situated in quieter, suburban or rural areas.

Cons:

• Usually you only rent out one room in the home, which is, naturally, habitated by the owner. You’ll need to be more considerate of them and your suroundings than you might be in a hotel.
• They can be much more expensive than hotels.
• There is no option for recourse if something goes wrong, save leaving a bad review.
• The quiet locations means you’ll be further from the heart of the action. This means a longer bus ride or drive in the morning to get to your destination-du-jour.

Air BnBs: Lost’s Personal Favourite

Pros:

• In major cities you can usually get an entire flat to yourself for the same price as a hotel room. Why not go with the bigger space if it’s the same price, right?
• They’ll either have a private or common kitchen so you can cook for yourself and save a bit of money.
• They can be literally anywhere, from downtown to quiet, less populous areas.
• AirBnB has a system which ensures that the reviews are from people who have actually stayed in the location they are reviewing. No fake reviews!

Cons:

• You take your chances with a new place.
• You are potentially in someone’s home, so much like the traditional BnBs, that might make some people uncomfortable.

When deciding which accomodation to book, I take several things into account. Location, price, and reviews. I feel like I’m constantly belabouring this point on this blog but to reiterate; do your research!

Make sure that transportation or whatever attractions you want to access are within walking distance of your accomodations. Look through Expedia, Kayak, Google, and Airbnb to ensure that you’ve looked at all options available to you in terms of price and location. In terms of reviews, read the most recent, and make note of those bad reviews and what they are complaining about. Some people just like to be negative, but if you see the same issue popping up more than once it might be worth reconsidering said option.

I also suggest knowing what you’re willing to put up with in terms of accomodations.

I can deal with not having continental breakfasts. They’re nice, but there’s probably a Greggs or something close, and if worse comes to worse I can stop in at a grocery store and get some bread and peanut butter. No refrigeration required! I can also live without alot of the amenities most hotels provide. Pools and gyms are nice but unnecessary. I’d go for a dip but why work out any more than I already am, I’ve likely walked my feet off exploring the city. Even a room without a tv is fine by me. I carry a pen and pad wherever I go, and I always have a book. As long as I can plug my phone in for a bit of music or a podcast, I’m good to go.

What I cannot abide by are rooms which smell like ash trays, are unclean, or less than private. I’m unwilling to share bathrooms, and unwilling to stay in a place which has reviews commenting on an dirty room.

Other than that, I’m only there to sleep, so anything fancy is just a bonus.

Personally I really love renting out flats but hostels with private rooms are great options too. I almost always go for hotels if there aren’t any nice flats available or if the hostels seem a bit dodgy. If you’re looking for an excellent hostel, I’d recommend anything by Nomads. They’re comfortable, clean, and super friendly!

I hope to see you all on the road soon, gentle reader, when it’s safe for all of us to go out into the world again. Until then, wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay safe gentle reader.