How to Make your Hotel Feel Like Home

How to Make the Most of your Hotel or Home Rental

October 20, 2015

*This is a guest post by Kacey of The Drifter Collective.

There are some things that travelers just can’t live without when they are away from home. Knowing how to prepare for your time away will make your life easier and you will enjoy traveling no matter where you stay! Are you planning a trip sometime soon? Consider this travelers’ list of must-haves and must dos before you go.

1) Choose Your Own Room

Make sure to choose your own room at your hotel before you get there. Some travelers prefer to stay in the upper floors of a hotel to avoid the traffic noises of busy streets. Or you may want to stay on a lower floor in case of an emergency. If it matters to you, choose a room with the best view from the window. All of these things can make your traveling experience much more comfortable and enjoyable.

2) Pay Attention to the Perks

Free breakfast is great, but what else will your hotel offer you? Take advantage of the fitness facilities and swimming pool. If working out is part of your routine at home, you don’t have to disrupt that. Partnering with New Balance, Westin lends guests workout gear for just five dollars. There’s no reason to bring your own gear when you can get a great deal and save room in your suitcase! Some hotels offer fantastic discounts on attractions or nearby restaurants. Save some money and use those perks!

3) Bring Your Own Towels

Travelers enjoy fresh and good quality towels and washcloths. It’s no secret that sometimes hotel towels can be sub-par. Too short, not wide enough and not soft enough, maybe it’s best just to pack your own. Invest in some soft, spa towels that will help you relax, even while you’re away from home.

4) Accessibility for Electronics

Consider bringing a power strip along while you travel. It’s annoying when you have to move around hotel furniture to find a place to charge all of your electronics. It’s also important to choose a place to stay that has free Wi-Fi. In fact, this is what travelers want the most.

5) Try Renting a Home or Apartment

This is becoming increasingly popular for travelers who want an authentic cultural experience. You can rent out someone’s home or even swap homes with people. This could be a more economic option that allows you to cook your own meals and pay less per night. Some travelers want to avoid the tourist traps, which is where most hotels are located. This is the perfect way to engage in the culture you are visiting.

6) Free (or Budget Friendly) Attractions

Do some research before you hit the road. There are plenty of websites all over the Internet that tell you where the free or cheap attractions are in the city that you’re visiting. You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy local fairs, festivals, parks and museums.

7) Know the Location

It’s all about location. You can make your life so much easier by choose a place to stay that is central to everything you want to see. Now, hotel-booking sites will give you the option to look at the map of the surrounding area of the hotel you choose. You can see if it’s close to the beach or downtown. You will know if you can walk to restaurants, convention centers and museums or if you will need to rent a car. Make sure you know where you’re going, because it will make your life so much easier and you will feel confident about venturing out on your own!

Make traveling a breeze by following these suggestions. You’ll be sure to feel comfortable even when you are away from home!

Kacey Mya is a lifestyle blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, continuously building her strong love for style while communicating these endeavors through her passion for writing and expression. Her love for the world around her is portrayed through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts. She tweets at @kacey_mya and pins at @kaceymya.

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Hi! I’m Megan,

a Scorpio sun and Libra moon who left her job in the music industry to travel and write full-time. Since then, i´ve explored more than 60 countries in the hopes that you will, too.

The world is made of magic and so are you!

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