Budget Travel Blog

These days we all have so many options other than staying at a hotel when we travel. We can choose from a range of different alternatives including camping out, staying at a hostel, doing a house swap, renting a short-term apartment or taking a cruise. I do think that these things have their place. These hotel alternatives can provide fun experiences at a low cost. However, budget hotels are always going to be a preferred option for me.

There are a few reasons why I don’t like hotel alternatives:

• Some are more expensive than hotels. Renting out an apartment can end up being pricier than staying in a hotel, for example. I don’t want to spend more money than I have to on accommodations. I want to spend that money on enjoying attractions at my destination!
• The cheaper ones aren’t as comfortable. Staying in a youth hostel or on someone’s fold out couch in their extra room or at a campsite might save you a little bit of money when you are traveling. However, it usually equates to a lot less comfort in terms of sleeping arrangements. I’d rather pay the price of a cheap hotel and be comfortable during my trip.
• The experience isn’t as familiar. I admit it; I like a little bit of familiarity when I travel. I don’t like the idea of showing up to a stranger’s house in the middle of the day and having to make small talk while learning their home and finding out where my room is within it. I do think that this can be a neat experience. However I generally prefer the standard issue format of just renting a hotel room.
• It doesn’t seem as safe as a hotel. Some of the hotel alternatives just don’t seem as safe as cheap hotels are. They require shared rooms so your stuff isn’t necessarily locked up. And you’re staying with people you don’t know in rooms that aren’t locked. This is something I’ve gotten more concerned about since having kids.

What do you think about hotel alternatives when compared to budget hotels?

If you like this please share it: