The Cost of Accommodations
Is it just me or have the nightly rates of accommodations become ridiculously over priced? And what about finding said accommodations? Finding what you’re looking for in accommodations when it comes to location, quality and affordability has become more and more of a challenge. For those of us who believe planning is half the fun, booking accommodations is fast becoming a royal pain in the arse.
Accommodations
How hard can it be to find accommodations in Stowe, Vermont, in the month of October, when all of the golden hues of fall foliage are at their radiant finest? Ha! Yeah. I know. I’m dreaming. But, it’s even harder than one might think. I speak from experience after spending the past few days pulling out my hair – not literally – trying to find accommodations that match our location wants, quality needs and real world prices. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.
The Game of Nonrefundable
Perhaps at some point in your travels you’ve been a forced participant in the game of “nonrefundable” rates. You know of what I speak, right? You find the ideal accommodations with the ideal rate and when you click to book it you discover that fantastic too-good-to-be-true rate is nonrefundable. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to pay, in full, the cost of 3-night hotel stay 4 months in advance, only to come down with some air borne virus 2 days before I’m scheduled to leave home. I then become a forced participant in the game of nonrefundable.
Fairly Picky
I’ve mentioned before that I am not someone who can just sleep anywhere. I’m fairly picky when it comes to where I sleep and I’m completely 100% okay with that fact. I don’t like kitschy room decor (oh man did I clean house when we bought our B&B). You know, plastic floral wreaths that haven’t been dusted in 6 years? And, I don’t like sleeping in sheets that feel as if #1 they haven’t been washed in 3 months and #2 they feel as if 8,362 people have slept in them before me. ::shudder:: I should also add that our ideal accommodations must absolutely be non-smoking. And, preferably pet free because who wants to hear a dog barking at 2:00 a.m.? A reasonable cancellation policy is always a good thing as well.
Just How Many Are There?
Failing miserably, thus far, in finding just the right accommodations for our much anticipated fall foliage road trip, I started thinking about just how many search portals are actually out there because I sure as hell feel as if I’ve searched them all to no avail.
Of course I don’t know the actual number, but I can tell you that most of them are owned by only a few companies. We found this out the hard way in our lives as B&B innkeepers but that’s another story. Do you know that Expedia alone owns a whopping chunk of the travel industry?
Book Directly
If at all possible I like to book directly with a hotel, such as when we stay with the Hilton brand. While walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain, we used booking.com and it was a huge help for us because so many of the small inns, casa rurals, etc., were not easy to find. At times, we find great deals with GroupOn, but they are usually time specific so booking a few months in advance doesn’t always work well. At the time of writing this post, we’d never used airbnb but I know a lot of travelers that do. We used VRBO to book an apartment in Aix en Provence last year and it was a successful stay. But, I’m usually hesitant to book accommodations that require money upfront with strict cancellation policies unless it’s a last option, or in our case booking an apartment in Europe.
So what’s a planner to do?! Keep at it of course. But, it’s okay to make yourself a margarita (or two) to ease the pain.
Popular Destinations
Unfortunately, it’s the name of the game when the accommodations you’re looking for are in a popular destination such as Stowe, Vermont in early October. And, don’t even get me started on trying to find a room larger than a closet and less than $350/night in New York City for our upcoming visit. Just 1 night New York, that’s all I’m looking for! This very conundrum is why we often travel off season. But sometimes, you just have to bite the bullet and follow the crowds because you know… there is no golden fall foliage in January.
Instagram Feed
I hate making reservations for anywhere. Maybe you should come to the North Rim in Sept/Oct for fall colors. If course you’d have to have made reservations at the Lodge a year ago. Good luck.
Gaelyn recently posted…Sharing Grand Canyon with new old friends
That’s funny, Gaelyn, because I do remember booking a year in advance for our Grand Canyon accommodations and the mule trip. Sometimes, ya just gotta!
I feel your pain! We spent hours searching for accommodation for our fall foliage New England trip last year too. In the end we booked everything through Airbnb; we’ve used Airbnb all over the world but the places we chose in New England were the best. US hosts just seemed so warm and really took the gig seriously, providing snacks, maps, giving us inside tips on where to go and letting us borrow bikes and kayaks. I’m not sure if it would suit your needs, but if you’re having real trouble with hotels, I’d definitely recommend taking a look on Airbnb; we found plenty of self-contained style places (annexes, basements, lofts) which might suit you better than spare bedrooms in homes. Good luck – it will be worth it, especially Stowe. I love Vermont!
Amy recently posted…Settling in Split
I was a bit shocked at some of the rates we found, Amy, little old motels that had no business charging those kind of rates! But, it is a destination hot spot so they can! We did book a place with Airbnb, a small apartment annexed to a house with a private entrance and since the owners won’t be there we’ll have the place to ourselves. Thanks for the tips!
As you know, I am a fan of AirB&B, but you are right about paying up front. Did you know that the owner doesn’t get a dime of that hunk of money you put down until you actually show up? AirB&B gets months to play with your cash. Look for the owners policy on cancellation.
Gail’s idea is also a good one. You can sometimes book directly with a hotel that way. I use some of the online sites as research and then book directly with a hotel. Skip Expedia. They are a pain to deal with. Booking.com is the best as far as being able to cancel. I love NH hotels in Spain and Europe. Kepinski (sp?) hotels are a dream. Linda
Yes, I did not about airbnb not releasing the money to the host until you arrive, but I see both sides of the fence on that one. Host could spend the money and not have it to return should the guest cancel. In the end, we did book a place with Airbnb, partly because our host has a flexible cancellation policy so we can get our money back should be it necessary.
Exactly, that always bothers me and it’s why I don’t prebook months ahead. I didn’t think acting as a bank was part of their business model but it is. As frequent Airbnb renters its a pet peeve, unfortunately as full-time travellers not too many similar options. I use booking.com for hotel stays and THEY have it right – they only charge you when you check in. They should get in on the apartment renting biz…
Frank (bbqboy)
Frank recently posted…June 30 Newsletter â Travel Plans, Brexit, and weird things people do on planes.
The other thing I like about Booking.com is that the reviews are only from those who have actually stayed in the property, unlike Yelp or Trip Advisor, although I do read TripAdvisor a lot, but I’ve learned how to sort through the ridiculous to find the genuine. Anyway, I think you’re on to something with Booking.com taking on apartment rentals. And, in some regards they do. While walking the Camino we found an overnight apartment stay – in a blink of a tiny village – through Booking.com and it was one of our best accommodations of the walk. Fireplace and all on a cold rainy day. So, I think they are heading in that direction. Check it out the next time you’re looking for a stay!
Yes, well the problem is that we usually book a month at a time and that’s where you get good deals on Airbnb. Booking.com and other sites do nightly apartment stays but don’t offer weekly or monthly discounts for travellers like us. Maybe we’re too much of a niche market.
Frank recently posted…Things to See and Do in Mexico City (Part 2) â And why Teotihuacan was a massive disappointment
I see your point, Frank. Maybe you should point out to booking.com what they’re missing! 😉
Have you tried contacting the local Chamber? I found that sometimes networking (by calling hotels directly) and talking to an actual person can lead to reccos that you may not have otherwise thought of and can create possibilities. I have been successful at times just going through a network of folks who may know someone who knows something unthought of can produce positive results but it is time consuming. That has led to other information about an area that would have remained secret to locals. Just a thought.
Thanks for stopping by Gail and thanks for the good suggestions.
I’ve been putting off booking a place to stay in London on early September. Not smart. Right?
Well, sometimes you can find great last minute deals! Many times while on the road we wait until that morning to find our stay for the night, but when you’re heading across the pond it’s probably a good idea to book ahead. Because of Brexit, you’ll probably find a good deal, which is good for your wallet, but a sad situation for the UK.
I have only recently started booking airbnb and found it to be great. I am going to Paris and Amsterdam in October and managed to get whole apartments in a very central location for a reasonable price. But unfortunately during high season prices do take a hike as you are finding out. But like you said sometimes it is inevitable and so to be able to experience the splendour of Autumn in Vermont in the high season it will be worth few extra dolars.I will look forward to your beautiful pictures
Gilda Baxter recently posted…Sensational Seychelles
Airbnb is definitely a popular site with many travelers and just like in all booking situations there are the pros and cons of each. We are very much looking forward to visiting Vermont in the fall, something we’ve wanted to do for years.