On a recent trip, I stayed at two Best Western hotels while on the road between luxury stays.
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Both property types, mid-range and luxury, used the same coffee makers and coffee pods. While that’s not extraordinary by any metric (the coffee was good regardless of the location), it highlights something I’ve noticed in the travel world: the word luxury gets thrown around a lot.
While most locations fit the upscale bill, not all properties meet the mark.
After all, allocating hotel stars can simply be a game of ticking off amenities. A four-star or even a three-star location, a category into which many solid boutique hotels fall, can offer a greater degree of service, more upscale features, and those unexpected offers that turn any overnight stay into an experience.
In short, just because a hotel has five stars and describes itself as luxury, that doesn’t mean you’re in store for a top-notch stay.
Unfortunately, you can’t always tell based on photos and reviews what you’re going to get. If there’s new management or a recent staff turnover, that’s doubly true. But there’s another approach you can take: figuring out when to splurge and when to go budget based on your trip and the reason behind your visit. That will prevent you from overspending willy-nilly.
Sometimes, you’ll be rewarded handsomely for picking a luxury stay. Other times, you’ll have a much better experience going on a budget.
Here’s a look at my approach to planning trips when it comes to knowing when to splurge and when to save on hotels—and rentals.
Travel spending advice: when to splurge
My advice is based on my own experiences. These are the types of amenities, features, and considerations to keep in mind when you’re thinking about booking a luxury hotel. Remember: luxury doesn’t always correlate to stars—it’s often about service and attention to detail.
- Hotels with special programs: Many hotels offer specialized programs that will transform your trip into something special. These could be as simple as free wine hours in the lobby or weekly yoga classes in the gym. Always look for activities and programs before you book a room, and double-check that they aren’t exorbitantly priced. In my opinion, luxury hotels should offer at least a few free perks.
- Hotels with historic appeal. Hotels located in historic districts and/or buildings tend to cost more. So long as they’re renovated and well-cared-for, I’ve found that they’re worth the price because they add ambiance and flair to the stay. However, I recommend searching through reviews for things like noise—not all historic properties have had windows and creaking floorboards checked out.
- When you’re a first-time visitor. If you’re a first-time visitor to a new city or region, luxury hotels can go a long way in sweetening the introduction. In fact, many luxury hotel programs (see my first point) revolve around the location. In short, they’re designed to get you excited about the area and what makes it unique. Think: wine tastings at Napa hotels or martini hours at SoHo boutique hotels.
- Airbnbs and hotels with stunning views. I’m a huge advocate for hotel rooms (and private rentals) with spectacular views. These views make downtime in your room something special, minimizing the FOMO that you might feel on a lazy afternoon. In short, they give you a way to passively soak in your destination.
- Solo travel—you’ll feel more secure. In my experience, luxury hotels have always made me feel safe, especially given the high quality of service. If you’re new to solo travel and/or the destination, a luxury hotel stay will eliminate the risk of getting spooked.
Travel spending advice: when to go budget
Budget travel has a time and a place. I mean that literally. You might want to avoid luxury hotels during peak season, when prices skyrocket. You might not even have access to luxury hotels depending on the place you’re visiting. Here are a few other considerations on when to go with budget hotels.
- When you’ll be outside most of the time. If you plan on exploring your destination thoroughly, you probably won’t spend too much time back at your hotel or rental. If that’s the case, and you really just need a place to rest, wash up, and sleep, then you might be wasting money on a luxury hotel.
- When you’re going to an event. Similarly, if you’re traveling for a concert, conference, or another big event, you might not want to splurge on a hotel. That’s doubly true if you’re only in town for the weekend. Short stays aren’t often worth the price tag, in my opinion.
- When you’ve visited before and know the lay of the land. See my last point in the luxury spending section. While upscale hotels are great if you’re traveling to a new place, especially as a solo traveler, you might not need the reassurance if you’ve visited before. If you know your destination well, a budget hotel is usually a safe bet.
Other considerations: cars and food
I have two other pieces of advice based on travel spending related to car rentals and meals.
- Depending on where you’re going, it might be cheaper to rent a car than rely on rideshares. It’s easy to bank on ride apps like Uber and Lyft, which are available almost worldwide. But don’t forget: In some locations, especially in the United States, you might be better off renting a car. For example, I paid around $500 for a ten-day car rental. During that stay, I met up with my brother… who paid close to $100 for a late-night ride from the airport to our rental. In less than an hour, he spent one-fifth of my transportation budget for the entire trip. Just make sure you get free parking, if you want to rent a car while staying at a hotel or a rental.
- You can splurge on one meal a day if you cover the rest of your meals. If you have a hotel with a kitchenette or an Airbnb, you can save on food costs by handling some of your own meals. In my experience, managing breakfast and lunch on my own has freed up my budget to splurge on delicious meals at restaurants for dinner.
