Planning a trip can start with picking the right destination, finding someone to travel with, finding out the right time of year to travel - the possibilities are endless. But no matter where trip planning starts, there is always one thing in common: finding the right place to stay. Selecting a great hotel can be mind boggling at times, especially if it’s one of your only vacations for the year and you are traveling with your spouse, family or friends. It’s a lot of pressure - pick the wrong hotel and your trip could be ruined! Pick the right hotel and you could be the hero of the trip! Ok, so it’s not always as dramatic as that, but it is important to find the best hotel for you and for that trip as time and money permits! With all of this in mind, we’re here to help! We’ve decided to make this blog as useful as possible in helping you refine your planning process, find a great hotel and to become the hero of your next trip.
I’ve started by asking a few of my favorite travelers what they look for in a hotel. Today I’ll start with people who travel with kids.
Couple in their 20’s with a baby
Describe who you travel with most?
It’s been for business mostly the past few times, but mostly with my wife and daughter. Depending on how I travel, family or business, tells me what type of hotel I should be looking for. By myself, I am not as picky when it comes to hotels as far as style/upkeep (as long as there is a bed). If with my wife and daughter, my wife has a lot more needs when it comes to a hotel. She likes to make sure she sees good photos of the property and reviews of people who have been there.
What information do you need before you book?
Location on a map is key. Photos of property. Reasonable rates.
What are the must haves for a hotel?
Free internet, clean, good reviews
What are the nice to haves?
Free breakfast, free parking, pool, walking distance to things
What must it NOT have?
Smoking rooms.
I then interviewed a couple in their early thirties who sometimes travel with their 3 children. I asked them the same questions but interviewed them separately.
Describe who you travel with most?
She said: I travel with my husband and kids and sometimes just my husband.
He said: Occasionally only with my wife as a couple but most of the time it would be as a family (with 3 kids).
What information do you need before you book?
She said: I need to know the location, price of the hotel, and if the hotel offers breakfast before I would book it.
He said: Price, convenience factor (location + free amenities), and for nicer hotels a human recommendation (or validation).
What are the must haves for a hotel?
She said: Must haves for a hotel is a clean room and internet.
He said: Besides the location and price, the hotel must have Internet (free or otherwise), be clean (expected), and kid friendly.
What are the nice to haves?
She said: Nice to have in a hotel is free breakfast in the morning, good t.v. channels, those little bottles of soap etc, hair dryer, swimming pool. and a comfortable bed.
He said: FREE Internet, FREE parking (if we drive), and a play area/pool for the kids
What must it NOT have?
She said: Hmmm… A hotel must not have ridiculously high room rates.
He said: Bad service, hidden costs, fine china in the lobby for the kids to knock over while checking in. It should also not be too far from food options.
To help you find your next hotel, find out what real travelers have to say about over 200,000 hotels around the world! Already have a destination in mind like San Francisco? Visit our San Francisco hotels to find recommended hotels and to see what other travelers are saying about a hotel’s cleanliness, service, location and more!
