Where to Stay? What to Pay?

A colleague asked me the other day, "How do you find these great hotels when you travel, especially when you've never been to that destination before?" She's referring to the Hotel Homs, where I stayed in Rome and would stay again without so much as looking at another location. The reality is that finding a hotel in a place you've never visited is a game of luck. But here's how I narrow my chances:

Price. Start by determining how much you're willing to pay per night and then use a hotel search engine to find those hotels that offer rooms in your price range. Once you have at least 10 properties to choose from, do another search for hotels offering rooms at $50 more a night than you would pay. What you'll find is a list of hotels that are still in your price range and often a bit of a higher rating. For example, say you'll only pay $120/night for a hotel room. You've ruled out hotels that are $125/night and might have a higher star rating or better amenities.

Location. I'm a walker. I think the best way to see a new place is to walk around, so any hotel I stay at must be centrally located to the city center or a public transportation stop. (The only exception to this rule is if I'm traveling for a spa getaway, then I just stay at the spa and never leave.) Once you've narrowed your hotel search by price, then narrow it down by location to major tourist attractions. Choosing a hotel near a major tourist attraction will almost always ensure it's near restaurants, bars and cafes. This is very helpful in cutting travel costs, as you won't have to pay for taxis or shuttle services.

Photos. Compare hotel pictures from a search engine and on the hotel's Web site. If the images are drastically different, you know something is wrong. Most search engines post photos from users who have stayed at the hotel, so you can be certain the photos aren't doctored. Really examine the photos and then read the user reviews to see what past visitors have said about cleanliness, room quality, etc. Before deciding on the Hotel Homs, I read many user reviews and looked at as many pictures as I could find. The photos on the search engines were very similar to the photos on the hotel's site so I knew what I was getting. When I finally got to the Hotel Homs, I was pleasantly surprised. The bathroom in particular was a selling point! Big shower and plenty of room to move around (which is uncommon for a single room in Europe).

User Reviews. Past traveler reviews are worth a fortune. It can mean the difference between a pleasant night's stay and a vacation from hell. For example, before deciding on the Hotel Homs there was another hotel in the running. The price was right, the photos were accurate (although the interior design was not my taste) and the location was perfect. However, after reading through dozens of reviews, I found that the other hotel in mention was located right next to a XXX theater. Hmmm..... no.

Price, again. Once you've narrowed your hotel choices by price, location, photos and user reviews, look at the price again. Based on your options, can you up your spend by $25 or $50? If so, you might be fortunate enough to find a better hotel for your needs. The extra money you'd spend on the hotel would compensate for the money you'd spend in transportation if you were further from the center of town, and there's something to be said for comfort and cleanliness where you lay your head.

Hope this helps! And if you ever find yourself in Rome, I highly suggest the Hotel Homs. The staff was excellent, the rooms were clean and comfortable and the location was priceless.