When choosing a place to stay, there are several things to consider. As in real estate, location location location should be your mantra. You may be able to find a cheaper spot just out of town, but don’t forget to consider hidden costs like getting to and from your place.

I almost always choose a place in the heart of town. It’s fairly easy to find the heart of town by looking up other business, like restaurants. Most towns originated close to the waterfront so you can usually find the center there. Locating yourself in the center of everything means easy access to restaurants, markets, and most things you’ll want to do as a tourist.

Another consideration when selecting a location is how I plan to arrive. If I’m taking the train or metro, I’ll try to choose a place near the station so I can get there and away easily. It also makes it easier for getting around a city if you’re located close to a metro station. You may think that the cost of catching a Uber or taxi is minimal, but these costs add up over a longer trip so keeping your transportation costs to a minimum is key in determining a location.

Even if I am arriving by plane, I will research in advance which public transportation options are available from the airport. If you have a Lonely Planet guide, you have access to the “getting around” section at the end of each city chapter. I’ve also found it pretty helpful to just type what I want to do into a search engine. There will usually be about 3-4 people providing information. One was so detailed that it included pictures of the bus and the bus stop so I knew exactly what to look for.

When to choose a hostel

Whenever I can, I will choose a hostel because I am a single traveler. Hostels are the cheapest option for a single person, and they are usually filled with other single travelers, most of whom speak English. This provides an invaluable resource for information on things to do as someone there has likely just done what you are planning to do.

Another thing I like about hostels is that their staff are accustomed to working with international travelers and usually speak English well. This is important when you’re trying to get information on things to do and how to get around. Many times I’ve ended up at a hotel which primarily serves travelers from that country and, as a result, the staff can’t communicate very well in English.

Hostels generally have kitchens. This is not true in SE Asia, but you can’t really buy and prepare your food for less than it costs to eat out so it’s pointless anyway. In other areas, however, having a well stocked kitchen can save you a lot of money.

Hostels are typically competing with each other to provide the best programs so you tend to see pub crawls, walking tours, and other daily outings offered by these places. Because of this, they tend to be located in the heart of the action so you can usually count on them to be your best choice for a location.

When to choose a hotel

I use hotels for a variety reasons. First, when there isn’t a hostel available. Some towns don’t get enough tourist traffic to justify a hostel. In that case, I’ll settle on Booking.com to provide me a decent list of affordable places. The same rules apply for location. Pay a little more to stay somewhere that you won’t have to pay more to get around.

When you’re traveling as a couple, it makes more sense to stay in hotels. Hostels are usually priced so that the rate for a private room is three times the price of a single bed, making it more expensive to stay there than a hotel. You’ve already got your travel partner, so there’s less need for the social nature of the hostel. Still, even when staying at a hotel, I’ve visited a hostel just to get information on activities in the area.

The most important reason to stay in a hotel: a little luxury. If I’ve been sharing a dorm room for weeks with strangers or competing for a limited number of showers, every once in awhile, I’ll just splurge on a hotel for peace and privacy. I can set the thermostat at whatever I want. I can walk to the bathroom in the buff, and I don’t have to worry about someone trying to steal any of my gear.

AirBnB and Homestays

Many people like to save money on accommodations by using AirBnB, and that is definitely one of the benefits. Another is access to a local who can share information on where to eat and how to get around. It also gives you an opportunity to live like a local.

The downside of AirBnBs is the lack of privacy. Your accommodation is often in an extra bedroom that isn’t designed as a separate unit. That can mean hearing the TV or the host’s kids while you’re trying to sleep, or worse yet, them hearing you when you and your partner are doing something other than sleeping.

A homestay is similar. You are hosted by a local family so you can really get the feel of a place. This is more common overseas and can vary greatly. The most interesting one I’ve seen is staying in a village in Laos, where you sleep in an open air shack, wake to the sound of children and chickens, and bathe outdoors in the communal shower located at the center ot the village.

Obviously, you have a pretty specific purpose in mind when you choose a homestay. For me, I prefer my autonomy. I also get stressed when I’m confined to an environment where very little English is spoken and you’ve exhausted your few mutual phrases after the first 10 minutes of your stay. After that, it begins to feel like work.

Couchsurfing

Finally, there’s the super budget option called couchsurfing. There are websites set up to facilitate your finding a host who will provide you a couch, or sometimes even a bed, to crash on for free. Like AirBnB, it’s a great way to get the local’s perspective of a place. Most hosts are doing this because they love to travel and meet other travelers. It’s kind of a free entertainment for them.

That’s one of the reasons I don’t care so much for this option. In exchange for free accommodation, I feel there’s a certain expectation that I interact with the host, and it’s hard to know what the appropriate amount of time is.

Another shortcoming of couchsurfing is that couchsurfing hosts don’t tend to live in the more desirable neighborhoods so you could find yourself paying to get back and forth from the town center. Perhaps they’ll loan you a bike, but really you must be looking for a more interactive experience if you’re going to pursue couchsurfing. Don’t do it just because it’s cheap!

Finding the best place to stay while traveling really depends on the experience you’re looking for but, for me, it always comes down to being as close as possible to where I will spend the most time.