Accommodation Planning: How to Book Hotels, Hostels, & Guesthouses?

Last updated on January 6, 2025 by Shannon

Planning the specifics of travel is often one of the most time consuming parts of the entire experience. Let’s look at how I get a good night’s sleep on the road. It’s not always easy!

Sometimes finding hostels and hotels goes flawlessly, other times there are mishaps. Either way, there the landscape of accommodation options is huge. These accommodation tips will work for a long-term round the world trip, as well as quicker vacations to anywhere in the world.

How to Find Great Travel Accommodation

From booking engines to guidebooks to Google, there are a lot of starting points. This rundown will give the pros and cons of each option. If you’re keen on specifically how I do it, this is my process:

1. Start with a Google search to see if any travel bloggers or friends have recommended a place. Victoria and Steve from Bridges and Balloons do a great job of listing and reviewing their special stays in each new place. This starts the list; I note the few that seem in my budget and location.

2. Then I head to Booking.com to read recent online reviews for the recommended places. I will sometimes check a guidebook if I’m on the road and moving towns quickly—I’ll re-verify those guidebook recommendations online to ensure the reviews are still good.

Things I look for in a review include: free wifi, good location, quiet night’s sleep—free breakfast is a bonus.

3. I check VRBO listings. If I’m in a city for more than three-to-four days, I prefer to book accommodation in a vacation rental. These apartments tend to be in great locations either in downtown, or in a cute neighborhood adjacent to a popular area.

They can get pricey for a solo traveler (in parts of the world like Europe), but you can find amazing places on there. In my early travels, Hostelworld was my go-to site, but I mostly skip hostels unless I can secure a nice private room, or if I’m traveling in a place like Scandinavia or Japan.

4. I narrow it down to between one and three places that fit my budget and look good, then I check their location on a map one last time to ensure that it’s close to a train station or bus station if I’m not in the city center, or walkable to the most important things to do on my list for that place.

Bookaway and Rome2Rio are a fabulous sites for planning travel between places, so I usually map my inward and outward journey there so I know which train station I’m leaving from and ensure I’m not clear on the far side of town.

5. Pick the one that best fits my plans.

How Do You Choose the Best Accommodation?

Let’s look at each of the accommodation options available, along with the whats, whys, and hows for each choice. There are some cities in the world (like Cuba and Myanmar) that have their own booking process as a result of little internet access in the country. But for most of the world, these guidelines will work.

Guidebooks

New travelers may have one of these at their sides and nearly all offer up relevant suggestions alongside information on price and location. These are very handy once you head off the beaten path in any country. I nearly always have an ecopy or hard copy of the Lonely Planet for the country I am visiting.

When you’re in a pinch, having a hotel name to tell the taxi driver is a good start. Drawback? Guidebook information is outdated the moment that it’s printed. Most major guidebooks update every other year, and a lot can happen in that time.

Also, once a hostel or guesthouse is listed in the more popular books (like the Lonely Planet) the prices may soar and service (often) suffers from popularity. SIDEBAR: Wondering which guidebook to choose?

Generally, the Lonely Planet series is my go-to and is more budget focused. Frommers is boomer and higher-end travel, while Moon guides are an Indie label I do not particularly love because of the way the books are organized. And Rick Steves has some great history sections and personalized written tours in popular spots—I have used his books in Europe and they are detailed.

Hostel Booking Sites

I use hostel booking sites for pre-research (particularly in places like Scandinavia, Japan, and Australia) so that I never have to land in a new place without lodging for at least the first night.

I check HostelWorld; they cannibalized most of the other hostel booking sites. These sites have extensive, comprehensive user reviews and ratings for properties all over the world.

Many parts of the developing world have similarly priced guesthouses, so I often use hostels when I can’t find affordable accommodation elsewhere.

One real pro of a hostel is the amenities. The world over, hostels generally have a kitchen and fridge for open use, as well as free wifi, a communal area for lounging, and assistance finding your way around town.

I stayed at hostels for a lot of my round the world trip, and in the years since I will often now choose a private hostel room so that I can have space and a good night’s sleep while still have the friendly atmosphere and amenities.

Some hostels do have an age limit for who can stay, but that is usually noted. There are entire lines of hostels run by national groups that advertise their family-friendliness. Usually, you can tell by the reviews if a hostel is targeted at the party youth crowd, families, or small groups.

Apartment Rentals

This a a pretty solid trend the world over now and was even before Airbnb became synonymous with vacation home rentals. This style of accommodation is popular for good reason: you can rent an entire apartment, or even just a room, from locals in each new place.

These places are often in cute neighborhoods adjacent to the tourist sites, and you get a lot more comfort for similar prices to a hotel stay (particularly for those traveling with 2+ people). 

VRBO is a leader in this arena for international travel, and I have used it in at least half a dozen countries. In addition to those two, regional vacation rental sites will have listings too, but you may not have as much support if something should go wrong.

Hotel Booking Engines

Over the years I tend to gravitate toward a couple of key booking engines—there are a ton out there, so it’s more about user experience, reviews, and breadth of selection. I pretty much rely solely on Booking.com (and I will often check the Google reviews for my chosen hotel to see if there is anything egregious on their listing).

The major travel booking engines like Expedia can work if you’re in a hurry and need hotels, though I really don’t enjoy using them for booking hotels.

Discount Booking Sites

Consider these for cheap hotels and the mid-range. I have never used any of the sites, but several travel friends have a lot of success finding solid deals. In addition to those you might already know, like Hotwire and Priceline, friends have vetted and loved both HolidayPirates and Last Minute.

Word of Mouth

For long-term travelers asking other backpackers yields amazing and timely results. This works well for guesthouse, hotels, and hostel recommendations because often times a traveler has recently left the next city you’re visiting and may have found a sweet, family-run joint that has yet to make it into the guidebooks.

Review Sites

In this category are sites like TripAdvisor and Google. Both sites have extensive reviews on hotels, restaurants, and popular travel spots around the world. Reviewers are candid and timely and you can find a wealth of advice before booking.

When I use these, I often then book directly through the hotel, or I then go find them on Booking.com.

Blogs

As I noted in the beginning, I often tap into the network of bloggers all over the world to see where they stayed. These reviews can be timely and the bloggers will often include personal stories. A Google blog search is a fun way to find some of the more unique spots that may have a little bit extra charm if they actually made it into a blogger’s story.

Alternative Options

Couchsurfing, WWOOFing, and Housesitting are alternative accommodation options. The Couchsurfing culture is more than just a free couch for a couple of nights and more so about trading stories and experiences with your hosts.

WWOOFing is a way to gain free accommodation and food by working on Organic Farms all over the world—friends have sprinkled this into their trip with great success.

Homestays

Consider finding local homestays in rural areas of the world because these are often fascinating ways to glimpse the local way of life. You can live with a family for a few nights and eat traditional food, sleep in more humble accommodation, and view their country through their eyes. Homestays are also a wonderful way to use your funds to support the local businesses and infuse cash into the local economy.

There are countless other sites out there for travel accommodation. Truly. The options are limitless. If you have any other recommendations for budget and general accommodation, let me know!

How to Book a Hostel, Step by Step

If you’re new to using hostels, it can be hard to figure out exactly what you’re looking for and how to book a hostel that’s right for your travels. I used hostels back in my early 20s, when large dorms a crappy night’s sleep was a fair tradeoff for affordable accommodation.

Now, I use hotels even with my toddler son, but I chose very different locations and different types of rooms. Here’s what you should know.

1. Decide on Your Budget

Before booking a hostel, decide on your budget for accommodations. Hostels can range in price from very cheap to quite expensive, so it’s essential to have an idea of how much you’re willing to spend. “Poshtels” are high end hostels that have all of the more fun features of a hostel—community spaces and a shared kitchen—but it’s all very plush and nice.

2. Enter Your Basic Details Into the Search Engine

Navigate to Booking.com or Hostelworld and add in your dates and the number of people in your party. This is the easy part! You just need to get the search engine whirring before you can then get deep into the process of booking your ideal hostel.

3. Filter the Results Based on Ratings, Location, and the Type of Room

This step is where booking a hostel differs from booking a hotel—you need to decide which type of rooms you’ll accept.

Some of the room options hostels offer are usually:

• Large-bed dorms: Sleeping upwards of six people in one room—some even sleep 20 or more.
• Small-bed dorms: Usually sleeping less than six-to-eight people in one room.
• Mixed-dorms: Both males and females can book a dorm bed and sleep in the same room.
• Single-sex dorms: Female- or male-only dorms.
• Private rooms with shared bathroom: Your own room with between one and four beds or bunk beds that does not include a private bathroom—instead you use a shared bathroom nearby.
• Private rooms with private bathroom: Your own room with between one and four beds or bunk beds that does include a private bathroom. This is much like a hotel room, though it may feature bunk beds or other more dorm-like features.

4. Read Reviews from Other Travelers & Assess Amenities

Read reviews from other travelers to get an idea of what to expect from each hostel. Some hostels are party hostels where your dorm-mates will come in wildly drunk at all hours of the night. Other hostels market themselves as family-friendly and offer cozy spaces and quiet halls after 10pm.

And consider the location of the hostel and its proximity to public transportation, popular tourist sites, and other amenities you might need. Look at the hostel’s website to see what amenities they offer, such as a kitchen, laundry facilities, and a common room.

When choosing a hostel, also look for the following:

• Security: Look for hostels that have secure lockers, electronic key card access, and security cameras.
• Cleanliness: Check reviews to ensure that the hostel is clean and well-maintained.
• Atmosphere: Consider the hostel’s atmosphere and whether it matches your travel style. Some hostels are known for being party-centric, while others are more laid-back and quiet.
• Staff: Look for hostels with friendly and helpful staff who can offer advice on the local area.

5. Make a Reservation

Most hostels allow you to book online through their website or through a booking platform. Hostelworld has the hands-down best selection of hostels and if you’re a budget backpacker then this is where you’ll likely spend a lot of research time.

Booking.com though also lists many hostels, and offers a few more perks than Hostelworld: You can make reservation without paying a deposit or extra fee in most cases. You can also build up your “Genius” level status and score perks like 10-20% discounts on each stay and even free breakfasts thrown in.

I recommend researching on Hostelworld, then see if the hostel is listed on Booking.com—book there if you can. Otherwise, Google the hostel and see if you can reserve directly through their website.

Booking a hostel can be a great way to save money and meet new people while traveling, but it’s not always the cheapest option in some parts of the world. That’s why you should also assess where you’re going and see if guesthouses might offer better prices, or if you’re traveling in a group if VRBO has something great for your group.

Here’s how I also find the cheapest flight deals!