How to Choose Where to Stay (and Plan Your Trip Smarter)
Choosing where to stay is one of the biggest decisions of any trip - and an easy one to get wrong. Obviously the accommodation needs to be in your budget. But then the trickier part is working out whether that affordable hotel or hostel is actually at all convenient to the things you want to see on your trip. Nobody wants to be commuting for an hour to get home after a big day of sightseeing.
For those of us who like to visualise where we're going, we prefer to map our trip first, then choose where to stay along the way.
The easiest way to do this is to map your trip visually. Travellerspoint’s free travel map lets you see your entire route in one place, so you can quickly work out which areas actually make sense to stay in. Stop wasting time comparing hotels in neighbourhoods you'll never visit.
Travellerspoint's free travel mapping tool lets you plot your entire trip visually, so you can make smarter decisions about where to stay before you book anything.
Map First, Book Later
Here's a simple approach that saves time and money:
1. Plot your stops
Add the cities and places you're visiting to your trip map. You'll immediately see how they connect and where the gaps are.
2. Look at the bigger picture
Once your route is mapped out, you can see which stops are short layovers and which are longer stays. That changes where you should invest in good accommodation and where a basic hostel will do.
3. Pick your areas
Zoom into each city on your map and choose a neighbourhood that minimises travel time to what you actually want to see. Our city guides below can help with this.
4. Then book
Now you're booking accommodation that actually fits your trip - not the other way around.
Where to Stay - City Guides
We've put together neighbourhood guides for some of the most popular destinations. Each one breaks down the key areas, who they're best for, and what to consider when choosing where to base yourself.
How to Choose Where to Stay
Location is almost always worth paying extra for.
A cheap hotel 45 minutes from everything you want to see isn't actually cheap - you're paying in time and transport instead. Staying slightly closer to your key stops can save hours over the course of a trip. And remember you didn't travel here to be stuck on the outskirts.
Your trip plans should drive your accommodation choices, not the other way around
It's tempting to lock in a great deal on a hotel and then plan around it. But if it doesn't fit into what you want to see, you'll end up exhausted from commuting and missing things. Plan what you want to see first, then find accommodation that slots into the plan.
Short stays vs long stays need different thinking
If you're spending one night in a city between connections, location is everything - pick somewhere near the station or airport. If you're staying four or five nights, it's worth spending more time choosing a neighbourhood that suits how you travel.
Don't overcommit too early
If your plans might change, leave some flexibility. Mapping your trip helps here - you can move stops around and see how it affects your route before you've locked anything in.
Why Plan Your Trip on Travellerspoint?
Over a million travellers have mapped their trips on Travellerspoint since 2002. The mapping tool is free and lets you:
- See your full route across cities and countries on one map
- Add as many trips and stops as you want - no limits
- Draw custom routes between stops (premium)
- Add photos, notes and bookmarks to each stop
- Save your map as a high-res image (premium)
- Embed your map on a blog or website (premium)
- Share a live link with friends and family
- Bookmark places from any website straight into your trip plan with our Chrome extension
You're not locked into using Travellerspoint for everything. Found a great hotel on a booking site or a must-see spot on a travel blog? Use the bookmarklet to save it to your trip plan without leaving the page. The world is a big place and we don't pretend to know everything. But we can help you keep it all organised in one spot.
Whether you're planning a weekend city break or mapping out a year of travel, it starts with seeing the big picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose where to stay when travelling?
Start by mapping out your trip on Travellerspoint's free travel map. Once you can see your full route, it becomes much clearer which areas make sense to stay in. Look at how long you're spending in each place, what you want to see, and which neighbourhoods put you closest to your plans.
Is it better to book accommodation before or after planning a trip?
Plan your route first, then book accommodation that fits. If you book first, you risk locking into locations that don't work with your itinerary, especially on multi-city trips. Travellerspoint's mapping tool lets you visualise your route before committing to anything.
What's the best way to plan accommodation across multiple cities?
Use a travel map to plot all your stops, then work through each city one by one. Our city guides break down the best neighbourhoods in popular destinations. When you can see how the cities connect on a map, you can also spot opportunities to adjust your route for shorter travel times.
How far in advance should I book accommodation?
It depends on the destination and season. Popular cities during peak season may need booking months ahead. But for most trips, having your route mapped out 2-4 weeks before is enough to find good options. The key is knowing WHERE you want to stay before worrying about WHEN to book.
Can I plan my accommodation and trip route in one tool?
Yes, Travellerspoint's travel mapping tool lets you plot your entire trip route and figure out where to stay at each stop, all in one place. Add stops, rearrange your route, and then choose accommodation that fits your plan.
Start Planning Your Trip
The best trips start with a plan. Map your route, figure out where to stay, and keep everything in one place.