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When traveling to an unfamiliar location it can be a difficult decision about where to stay. What are the things you should consider when deciding the type of accommodation to book.

As you know, chain hotels tend to be the larger, “cookie cutter” type of accommodations. Although, even if you choose a chain hotel, they are not necessarily company-run. There are many “chains” that are actually individual franchises. Most often, franchise-type hotes are required to meet some basic company standards to remain part of the chain. The key concept here being “minimum standards”. That means that not all locations in this chain are necessarily as good (clean, maintained, etc.) as others.

Often travelers will pick a chain hotel in an unfamiliar city so they feel like they’ll know what to expect – no surprises. We did just that on our first trip to Belize. We reserved accommodations at a well-known chain hotel for our first two nights in Belize City. It was a mistake. We left after only one night for several reasons (not very clean, air conditioning didn’t work, etc.) and found, with the help of a guide book, the most wonderful B&B – the Fort Street Guesthouse. It was like we stepped into an old movie – four poster beds, mosquito netting, amazing ambience, terrific owners (they mailed us a Christmas card for years after our visit) and interesting guests. It made our visit to Belize City memorable.

So, let’s lay out the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision.

Chain Hotel Accommodations
Pros
You know what to expect (this is true most of the time but not always)
Web-enabled reservations system (frequently)
Accepts most credit cards
Generous cancellation policies (often)

Cons
Tends to be a more commonplace experience
Frequently a sterile type ambience
More expensive (not always true, but remember the adage “You get what you pay for.”)

Independently Owned Accommodations
Pros
Unique types of accommodations (even things like treehouses or caves)
More of a cultural flavor
Can be low-cost (but not always)
A more personal experience with well-informed local advice
Can be part of the adventure

Cons
Not always sure what you’re getting
Language barriers
Booking difficulties (often don’t have an online reservations system)
Upfront deposits (smaller places need to charge some, or all, of the costs upfront)
Unable to accept credit cards (smaller properties often can’t accept credit cards)
Cancellation Fees & Policies (frequently there are no refunds, unless they can re-book the accommodations, if you cancel less than a certain amount of time in advance.)

In a lot of countries there are agencies that rate independently owned accommodations, particularly Bed and Breakfast establishments. It’s a good idea to see if the property you’re looking at belongs to an association or has been rated by a tourism agency.

With advanced planning you can make your vacation a memorable experience. Even if some things go wrong, hey, it’s all part of the experience!

There can be no doubt that the yearly family holiday is becoming more and more expensive each year. With the ongoing global finance crisis and constant bad news in the media currently, taking a vacation is looking like a luxury for many families. Many families have discovered the joys of staying in self contained holiday accommodation as a means to reduce the overall cost of their vacation as well as enjoy increased levels of freedom. This is a global trend being seen everywhere from the US, Europe or Australia such as with Sydney accommodation.

Short term holiday accommodation rentals are a fantastic way to acquire excellent self contained holiday accommodation all over the world. You will find it’s possible to find vacation rentals in fantastic locations within your destination such as city apartments being in the heart of the city centre with excellent public transport links or units in beach resorts being located within walking distance of the beach and attractions. Quite often the cheaper budget hotels will be located out towards the edges of popular tourist areas, meaning the visitor will need to pay for expensive local transport into the centre of the action; this is often not the case with privately rented self contained accommodation.

Possibly the second largest benefit after price when considering short term holiday accommodation rentals is the freedom the renter gains. No need to worry about the maids waking you up trying to clean your room, fitting into hotel schedules for breakfast or needing to call reception for simple things like an iron or hot water. Just stroll into your full luxury kitchen and whip up whatever you fancy from a quick bite to a full gourmet meal.

Rather than being couped up in your hotel room or forced to spend money and go out you can relax in your own private lounge and sit back with a movie or discuss the day? Renting self contained accommodation really does provide you with a home away from home, your own private place to use as a base of operations throughout your vacation.

Short term holiday accommodation rentals are also perfect for larger groups and families, instead of paying for multiple hotel rooms simply rent one unit of self contained accommodation with several sleeping rooms. This can represent a major saving, especially for multi-family groups. This also allows the entire group to pool their resources, taking turns at preparing food in the kitchen, further reducing costs. Taking an entire family out to a restaurant each night can be expensive, lower the price of your holiday and prepare food at home some evenings.

If your going for a week or more then self contained accommodation is likely to save you hundreds of dollars compared to a hotel of a comparable standard. Many owners of this type of holiday accommodation are willing to negotiate long term booking discounts. Additionally, being able to settle in to your own private living space will make your extended holiday feel like being at home, all the creature comforts of your usual abode in the vacation destination of your choice. Self contained accommodation not only saves money but can increase the comforts and standards of your vacation.

Richard Greenwood is Director of holiday accommodation booking site MakeMyStay.com.au which features Manly holiday apartments to book online..