As a traveler, I only realized how important your accommodation choice is when it was too late. In the early days of my travels, I only looked for accommodations that fit into my budget. My trips back then were mainly tourism-focused, and my accommodation was a place I could crash at night.
As I travelled more in the United States, and experienced different types of accommodations — sometimes by pure chance — I realized that lodging was more than just a bed. The choice of your accommodation can be an experience.
We all love Jane Austen, but we can’t carry our entire homes with us when we travel. We then look for something better. The next best thing for me is a homestay in Oregon near a river, a cabin hidden in the mountains of Colorado, or a quiet, private Airbnb in Vermont.
Travelers in the USA today have many options for lodging, from luxury hotels in New York City to vibrant hostels in San Francisco to peaceful homestays on the Montana prairie. The accommodation you choose will have a big impact on the outcome of your trip.
A Lodging Story
I was planning a four-day road trip to Yosemite National Park from Los Angeles. It was the end of summer. The plan was to drive, hike, camp, and explore the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
When I arrived near Fresno the following morning, I discovered that some roads leading to Yosemite had been temporarily closed because of wildfires. After rerouting and waiting for almost the whole day, I finally reached Yosemite Valley in the evening. I checked into a hostel-style lodge near the park.
Already, one day has been lost.
The next day, park officials announced that additional trails would be closed due to the smoke. Day two felt like a complete write-off. Yosemite was a place I’d been before, and I felt a bit disappointed about the way I planned to spend my next two days.
The night before, I thought to myself, “This trip will never end.”
The next morning, at breakfast, I ran into a fellow traveler called Alex — someone I vaguely recognised from Instagram. We began exchanging frustrations and plans over coffee. We decided to go on a trip together before we even knew it.
We rented a vehicle at noon and drove to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Then we took a spontaneous road trip through Northern California and Oregon. What was meant to be a failed Yosemite excursion turned out to be one of my best road trips.
It was only possible because I stayed in a hostel where it is normal to meet other travelers. If I had stayed in a cheap hotel alone, I probably would have wandered the streets and returned home early.
The Lodging Options Today
Many of my friends and fellow travellers ask me frequently about my preferences for lodging in the USA. They want to understand what I look at before choosing a hotel.
Accommodation options can be broadly classified into:
- Luxury Hotels & Star Hotels
- Enjoy your stay at one of our Resorts
- Budget Hotels & Motels
- Homestays, Guesthouses, and Airbnbs
- Hostels
This article is aimed at frequent travelers and not vacationers.
Most tourists or vacationers, who travel only once or twice per year, prefer to stay in hotels that are close to major attractions and city centers. Travelers who are frequent or experienced tend to be more cost-conscious.
For frequent travelers to the USA, it comes down to the following:
