When it comes to booking a holiday in the UK, most of us automatically opt for a hotel – especially if it’s a city break we’re organising. But the truth is that there’s a lot more variety out there, and there may well be something that suits you better.
So, today I’m going to give you a quick overview of the different types of accommodation available and their various advantages. And because I think people are particularly prone to booking hotels without considering other options if they’re travelling to a big city, I’ll primarily focus on urban breaks. Newcastle in particular offers a lot of choice in terms of places to stay, so I’ll draw on a few examples from there.
Hotels
Let’s start with that firm favourite, hotels. These are a convenient, crowd-pleasing option because they largely take the guesswork out of your trip – they typically have receptions that are manned from early morning until late at night (if not 24 hours a day), which gives you plenty of flexibility with your arrival time, and have lots of facilities.
There’s usually a reasonable level of dining options – even if all your meals aren’t included in the price, you’ll often be able to get breakfast and dinner on the premises. Larger hotels typically have plenty else to offer, too, including spacious car parks, gyms and swimming pools.
So, they’re good if you want reliability and a worry-free trip. There’s a great range of upmarket hotels in Newcastle, such as the Hilton NewcastleGateshead and Jesmond Dene House Hotel, as well as more budget-friendly options.
Self-catered accommodation
Self-catered apartments are, in my opinion, an underrated kind of accommodation. What’s so great about them is that they give you your own space for the duration of your trip – unlike a hotel, where you just get a bedroom and bathroom – which means you have much more freedom to spend your time as you please.
Plus, self-catering is a massive advantage if you’re trying to stick to a budget, because you can bring your own food or pick up cheap ingredients at the supermarket and cook for yourself. You can also make packed lunches to take out with you during the day. So, you can save a significant sum by avoiding eating out all the time. And of course, it’s also great if you’re travelling with any children who are fussy eaters!
B&Bs
Your next option is booking into a B&B. These suit a range of budgets and are usually great if you’re looking for something a little more characterful than a large hotel, as well as a more personal service.
Typically, B&Bs will have a small number of rooms, and a stay will be more like staying in somebody’s house than in a specially designed hotel. Breakfasts here will often be homemade fresh, and the cosy atmosphere created is often great for couples looking for a quiet getaway.
Hostels
Last on my list is hostels. An obvious choice for budget and young travellers, hostels are typically much cheaper than hotels or B&Bs. But the face of hostels is changing, and these days you can find ones that offer a much broader range of accommodation and facilities than the long dormitory of beds you might have in your head.
For example, Euro Hostel in central Newcastle offers almost every kind of accommodation you could think of. Yes, there are larger, traditional hostel rooms that cater for lots of people, but there’s much more besides – things like family rooms, double rooms and private single rooms that all have their own ensuite facilities, for example. And it’s worth remembering that the shared dormitories each have their own bathroom, too.
A hostel like this provides affordable accommodation for most types of traveller, so don’t forget to consider this option before making your final decision!
