5 Reasons You Must Read Hotel Reviews: Budget Travel Tips and Tricks

You’ve arranged for time off from work, found an amazing deal on a flight and now you’re sitting in front of the computer, comparing various accommodation options. Head spinning, near the breaking point, unsure how to choose between the multiple locations. From the cheapest dorm rooms to 5 star luxury resort, it’s enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed!
You could be hopeful and just reserve the first room that’s on the recommended list, but that could be risky! It’s essential to read hotel reviews, along with knowing how to interpret the information that is provided. Here are 5 reasons you must read hotel reviews before narrowing down your options using other travelers’ reviews to choose which astonishing accommodation to reserve!

5 REASONS YOU MUST READ HOTEL REVIEWS:
​BUDGET TRAVEL TIPS AND TRICKS

Cleanliness

You might be one of those people who believes that spending more money on accommodations is a guarantee of a certain level of cleanliness, but that’s rarely the case. Granted, it may be more likely to find a less than desirable room if you spend below a certain amount. However, it doesn’t mean you should spend more money in order to avoid a room being filthy either. No matter how much you spend, you don’t want to get to your hotel room after a long day of traveling and exploring, to find that it’s infested with cockroaches! Having a clean place to relax and re-energize is essential to great travels! So take an extra step and read what recent reviewers have to say regarding the level of cleanliness for the accommodations you are considering.
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Of course, take it with a grain of salt as not everyone will be upset by the same circumstances. I have on multiple occasions had a lizard in my room, but was fine with this as I had read reviews ahead of time, and had realistic expectations from these guesthouses. I did however ignore the cautions in numerous reviews for a room I booked and was not impressed when I pulled open the sheets after a long day only to discover piles of hair, sand and a used band aid! This was more than I could accept and since the hotel had no cleaning staff at night and was fully booked, I ended up spending the night on a chair! Make sure to read the reviews and remember that we all have different expectations when it comes to cleanliness.

Hotel room kitchen - a must or non-essential?

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Location

It may seem like a good idea to reserve a hotel on a remote street surrounded with breathtaking views. However, make sure that the location isn’t impossible to locate by public transit or taxi, otherwise you could end up lost in a new city where you don’t speak the language, unable to get to your hotel (we’ve been there and done that in China!). Also check reviews to ensure that your home away from home is in a central location if you plan on exploring the city, and that it’s located in a safe neighborhood. You don’t need to stay in a rich part of town (unless this is important to you and are ready to pay the steep price), but you also want to feel comfortable leaving your room and going exploring. Make sure that other travelers, especially ones who seem to have past travel experiences, didn’t feel apprehensive about leaving the hotel grounds to enter the neighborhood before booking that deal! Otherwise you may end up being uncomfortably approached or receiving unwanted sexual contact as soon as you leave your hotel doors (as happened to my friends in Bangkok!).

Location is such a big deal with accommodations!

Necessities

This is very much based on your personal preferences. You must determine ahead of time your absolute must haves and make note of them. Do you need A/C, internet, breakfast, access to a pool, a mini fridge, private bathroom, a king size bed or a solid channel selection in English? It probably depends on your intentions during your travels. If you are just looking for somewhere to lay your head at night for a few hours, then you’re less likely to use the pool or watch television. On the other hand, if you want to spend hours in bed relaxing, taking in new TV shows and Netflix binging through the hotel internet connection, then those amenities are obvious requirements. And keep in mind, just because the website mentions that certain features are available doesn’t guarantee that they truly are available, as the information may be outdated. To avoid bad surprises, make sure other travelers are reporting that the essential features are in fact present and functioning. After all, having an A/C machine in your room is great but if it’s broken it won’t help you sleep when it is 40°C at night (as I discovered in Cuba)! ​

Hotel pools are great, but not always necessary!

Hospitality

How many times have you heard someone say “They were so welcoming, I can’t wait to go back!” A warm reception will help you feel welcome and comfortable, which will greatly impact your experience. I recently stayed in a guesthouse in Chiang Mai which was clean and had essentials but nothing over the ordinary. However, the hospitality of the staff was out of this world, and for this reason it made our stay unforgettable! It was our best accommodation experience during our month long trip (though definitely not the nicest), but I have recommended it to everyone I’ve met who’s traveling to this destination! ​

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Guesthouse lobby bar anyone?

Extras ​

Perhaps you’ve found a hotel in the perfect location with staff and reviews that’s $20/night cheaper than your budget. Seems like you’re ready to reserve but then everything falls apart when you realize that they don’t offer free wireless internet, which you require for work purposes. Even if the hotel does not include some of the features you deem essential, they may be available at an extra cost. After all, who hasn’t had this happen to them? I’ve found myself paying twice the expected cost for accommodations I rapidly reserved without realizing the outrageous resort fees! I’ve also assumed breakfast was included in the fees for a room and ended up paying the same cost for the room as I did for a cup of coffee and a muffin! Don’t make these mistakes, especially if you must stay within a specific budget! Make sure to read the fine print as well as the reviews in case other travelers experienced similar issues. Of course, you can sometimes obtain breakfast, internet or a bigger room and beds for an extra fee. This may be worth considering, but only if the cost for the room and the extras all fall within your budget.

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Reviews are always based on the personal beliefs and experiences of travelers who went in with their own personal expectations. As demonstrated with these 5 reasons you must read hotel reviews. Read a few reviews to ensure the identified concerns are general issues, take the information read with a grain of salt (especially if you’re trying to stay in cheap accommodations!) and make sure not to skip this important step!
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J&C