I’ve been traveling for quite some time now that I have managed to have a system perfected. When I’m planning trips, I have a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet that details my schedule, my budget, my itinerary, as well as various contingency plans. For accommodations, I have a couple of non-negotiable requirements, and I have to work those within my allotted budget. This makes looking for accommodations the most time consuming and comprehensive part of my planning process.
Once I have my itinerary set, I would then start reading about the various things to do and see in each city I’m visiting. I would read up about all the neighborhoods, the pros and cons of each, and how accessible they are to stuff I want to see or do. Once I have the area narrowed down, I ask myself these questions: How close is it to the attractions I want to see? Is there a Metro or bus station nearby? If yes, how far is the walk to the station? How late do the trains/buses run? Is it safe to walk alone in that neighborhood? Is the area known for crimes or poverty? How do locals regard it?
Safety is the most important thing for me, and it’s the one thing I would never compromise. As a solo female traveler, I am very well aware that I need to be extra diligent in researching for accommodations compared to a man. Sucks, but unless the status quo changes, best to be safe.
Once I’ve selected a neighborhood to stay in, and have done thorough research on my transport options, I start looking at the hotels or hostels in the area. If I’m in a party town and in the mood to actually party, I will opt to stay at a hostel. Ideally I want a room with only 4 beds and has an ensuite bathroom, but if my budget does not permit it, I will stay in a bigger dorm room but will draw the line at an 8-bed dorm. If I don’t necessarily want to party, I will still stay at a hostel but opt to get a private room if they have it, that way I get the best of both world. Quiet and privacy when I want it, but still have the option to go down the common room and meet people. When I’m with Nick or my sister however, I will always pick a private room. Price-wise, it ends up about the same as getting two beds in a 4-bed dorm, and you get more for your money.
In countries where the dollar goes further, I will try to indulge in getting a private room in a nicer B&B or hotel. In Bali, we were able to stay at a private luxury villa for about $77.00 a night. When traveling in Western Europe or really expensive countries like Japan, the best I can often hope for is a clean and safe dorm/hostel. For our upcoming trip to China, Tibet, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, the accommodations we reserved varies from a bed in 8-bed dorm in HK, to a private beach hut in Panglao Island in the Philippines.
When selecting a hotel or hostel, I rarely go for the flashier or fancier ones. I don’t plan on spending that much time there anyways. Once my safety and accessibility requirements are met, I often pick the accommodations with the best overall reviews. I check if the place is geared towards backpackers or gap year kids, or do they cater more to casual tourists. When traveling by myself, I make it a point to select a hostel that has a bar or loads of common spaces. One of the big joys of traveling is meeting other people, which would be hard to do if there’s no common room or areas to socialize. When traveling with Nick and we want it to be more romantic and honeymoon like, we pick B&Bs that are in the city center. We still want to meet other people, but would want to come home to a quiet and peaceful room. It’s hard to do that when there are a hundred gappers partying at the rooftop bar directly above your room.
The following are the places I stayed at during my travels, where I booked them from, and what year I went. As with anything on this site, do your own research on the recommended sites and places before booking it for yourself. A lot, or a little, may have changed since I’ve been there.
Here is my complete HOSTEL LIST, and this includes the price I paid per night. the type of accommodation I had, and who I was with on the trip.
*photos of some of the places I’ve stayed at are posted right after the table*
| BOOKING PLATFORM | HOTEL/HOSTEL/B&B | DESTINATION | YEAR | TRAVELED AS? | ACCOMMODATION TYPE | COST PER NIGHT/PAX |
| Direct | Island House South Beach | Miami, FL USA | Sep-07 | Couple | Queen Room | $80.00 |
| Direct | Holiday Capri Motel | Memphis, TN, USA | Nov-08 | Couple | Queen Room | $60.00 |
| Direct | La Quinta Inn | Clearwater, FL, USA | Nov-08 | Couple | Queen Room | $40.00 |
| Direct | El Rancho Motel | Key West, FL, USA | Nov-08 | Couple | Queen Room | $127.00 |
| Orbitz | Grand Barcelo | Cancun, Mexico | May-09 | Family | Junior Suite | $500.00 |
| Direct | Hotel Atlantico Praia | Rio de Janeiro | Nov-09 | Couple | Junior Suite | $40.00 |
| Direct | DoubleTree Hotel Bethesda | Washington DC, USA | Oct-10 | Couple | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Invitation Hotel | Cairo, Egypt | Oct-10 | Couple | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Keylany Hotel | Aswan, Egypt | Nov-10 | Couple | Standard Twin Room | $30.00 |
| HostelWorld | Nefertiti Hotel | Luxor, Egypt | Nov-10 | Couple | Standard Twin Room | $30.00 |
| HostelWorld | Invitation Hotel | Cairo, Egypt | Nov-10 | Couple | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| Direct | Hotel Peninsula | Istanbul, Turkey | Nov-10 | Couple | Queen Room | $50.00 |
| HostelWorld | Hostel One Centro | Seville, Spain | Nov-11 | Solo | Standard Twin Room | $24.00 |
| HostelWorld | Lisboa Hostal | Algeciras, Spain | Nov-11 | Solo | Queen Room | $22.00 |
| HostelWorld | Casa Annasr | Chefchaouen, Morocco | Nov-11 | Solo | Queen Room | $28.00 |
| HostelWorld | Funky Fes | Fez, Morocco | Nov-11 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $19.00 |
| HostelWorld | Hotel Astrid | Casablanca, Morocco | Nov-11 | Solo | Queen Room | $37.00 |
| HostelWorld | Riad Le Grande large | Essaouira, Morocco | Nov-11 | Solo | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | La Casa Del Sol | Marrakech, Morocco | Nov-11 | Solo | Single Room | $24.00 |
| Direct | 3B Brooklyn | New York, USA | Apr-12 | With Mom | 4-bed dorm-shared bath | $55.00 |
| HostelWorld | Cheers Hostel | Istanbul, Turkey | Nov-12 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Ankara Hotel | Konya, Turkey | Nov-12 | Solo | Queen Room | $27.00 |
| HostelWorld | Ufuk Hotel Pension | Goreme, Turkey | Nov-12 | Solo | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Cheers Hostel | Istanbul, Turkey | Nov-12 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Snuffel Backpacker Hostel | Bruges, Belgium | Nov-12 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Shelter City | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Nov-12 | Solo | 4-bed dorm ensuite | $30.00 |
| HostelWorld | Le Village Montmartre | Paris, France | Nov-12 | Solo | 4-bed dorm ensuite | $35.00 |
| HostelWorld | 360 Hostel Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain | Nov-12 | With Sister | Twin Room shared bath | $70.00 |
| HostelWorld | Casa Bombo | Granada, Spain | Nov-12 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $20.00 |
| HostelWorld | Funky Cordoba | Cordoba, Spain | Nov-12 | Solo | Queen Room | $30.00 |
| Direct | Ufuk Hotel Pension | Goreme, Turkey | Feb-13 | Solo | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Cheers Hostel | Istanbul, Turkey | Feb-13 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $25.00 |
| HostelWorld | Chelsea International Hostel | New York, USA | Apr-13 | Solo | 2-bed dorm-shared bath | $51.00 |
| HostelWorld | Hostel Andrew | Rome, Italy | Sep-13 | Couple | Twin Room shared bath | $56.00 |
| HostelWorld | Backpackers Inn | Venice, Italy | Sep-13 | Couple | Twin Room shared bath | $77.00 |
| HostelWorld | Wombats City Hostel | Vienna, Austria | Oct-13 | Couple | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $24.00 |
| Direct | Hostel Blues | Bratislava, Slovakia | Oct-13 | Solo | 8-bed dorm shared bath | $17.00 |
| HostelWorld | Maverick Hostel Ensuites | Budapest, Hungary | Oct-13 | Solo | 10-bed dorm ensuite | $19.00 |
| HostelWorld | Chillout Hostel | Zagreb, Croatia | Oct-13 | Solo | 8-bed dorm shared bath | $16.00 |
| HostelWorld | Tchaikovsky Hostel | Split, Croatia | Oct-13 | Solo | 4-bed dorm shared bath | $20.00 |
| HostelWorld | Hostel Villa Angelina | Dubrovnik, Croatia | Oct-13 | Solo | 4-bed dorm shared bath | $27.00 |
| HostelWorld | Travellers Home Hostel | Sarajevo, Bosnia I Herzegovina | Oct-13 | Solo | 6-bed dorm shared bath | $15.00 |
| HostelWorld | Sabah Pansiyon | Antalya, Turkey | Oct-13 | Solo | Queen Room | $32.00 |
| HostelWorld | Bada Bing Istanbul | Istanbul, Turkey | Oct-13 | Solo | 6-bed dorm shared bath | $22.00 |
| HostelWorld | International Student Hostel | New York, USA | Dec-13 | Solo | 6-bed dorm shared bath | $60.00 |
| HostelWorld | Pariwana Backpacker | Lima, Peru | Feb-14 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $14.00 |
| HostelWorld | Pariwana Hostel | Cusco, Peru | Feb-14 | Solo | 4-bed dorm ensuite | $14.00 |
| Direct | San Antonio Suites | Puno, Peru | Feb-14 | Solo | Queen Room | $20.00 |
| HostelWorld | Ecopackers Machupicchu | Machu Picchu, Peru | Feb-14 | Solo | 4-bed dorm ensuite | $15.00 |
| PriceLine | Union Station Hotel | St. Louis, MO, USA | Sep-14 | Couple | Queen Room | $90.00 |
| HostelWorld | Hostel Revolution | Quito, Ecuador | Nov-14 | Solo | 6-bed dorm shared bath | $10.00 |
| HostelWorld | Hostal D’Matthias | Banos, Ecuador | Nov-14 | Solo | Queen Room | $18.00 |
| HostelWorld | Manso Boutique | Guayaquil, Ecuador | Nov-14 | Solo | Twin Room shared bath | $17.00 |
| HostelWorld | Chill House | Montanita, Ecuador | Nov-14 | Solo | 6-bed dorm shared bath | $8.00 |
| HostelWorld | Pariwana Backpacker | Lima, Peru | Nov-14 | Solo | 4-bed dorm ensuite | $15.00 |
| HostelWorld | Pariwana Hostel | Cusco, Peru | Nov-14 | Solo | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $15.00 |
| HostelWorld | Istiklal Hostel | Istanbul, Turkey | Feb-15 | Couple | 6-bed dorm ensuite | $13.00 |
| Booking.com | Villa Sara | Taormina, Italy | Feb-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $30.00 |
| Booking.com | A Casa di Amici Guest House | Palermo, Italy | Feb-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| Booking.com | Il Gattopardo House | Catania, Italy | Feb-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| Direct | Hotel Peninsula | Istanbul, Turkey | Feb-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| Booking.com | Bey Hotel | Konya, Turkey | Feb-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $35.00 |
| PriceLine | Marriot | St. Louis, MO, USA | Jul-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $120.00 |
| AirBNB | Penny’s | Los Angeles, CA, USA | Sep-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $85.00 |
| Booking.com | Golden Mountain Hostel | Bangkok, Thailand | Oct-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $25.00 |
| Booking.com | Kim Xiang Boutique | Siem Reap, Cambodia | Oct-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $20.00 |
| Booking.com | Sleep Guesthouse | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Oct-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $15.00 |
| Booking.com | Pondok Sebatu Villa | Tegalalang, Indonesia | Oct-15 | Couple | 1-br private villa | $38.00 |
| Booking.com | The Pavilion Hotel Kuta | Kuta, Indonesia | Nov-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $13.00 |
| Booking.com | Sakura Sky Residence | Bangkok, Thailand | Nov-15 | Couple | Queen Room | $18.00 |
| AirBNB | Penny’s | Los Angeles, CA, USA | Jan-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $43.00 |
| PriceLine | Marriot | St. Louis, MO, USA | Feb-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $60.00 |
| Booking.com | The Phoenix Hostel | Shanghai, China | Sep-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $50.00 |
| Booking.com | Urban Pack | Hong Kong | Oct-16 | Couple | 8-bed dorm shared bath | $23.00 |
| Booking.com | Red Planet | Cagayan de Oro, Philippines | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $11.00 |
| Booking.com | Red Planet Cebu | Cebu, Philippines | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $21.00 |
| Booking.com | South Palms Beach Resort | Bohol, Philippines | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $50.00 |
| Booking.com | Bayfront Hotel | Cebu, Philippines | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $22.00 |
| Booking.com | Chengdu Lazybones Hostel | Chengdu, China | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $12.00 |
| Booking.com | City Nomad Guest House | Xining, China | Oct-16 | Couple | 6-bed dorm shared bath | $6.50 |
| Booking.com | Nirvana Hotel | Xiahe, China | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $23.00 |
| Booking.com | 7 Sages Bell Tower Hostel | Xian, China | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $12.00 |
| Booking.com | Red Lantern House | Beijing, China | Oct-16 | Couple | Queen Room | $21.00 |
| Booking.com | Golden Mountain Hostel | Bangkok, Thailand | Feb-17 | With Mom | Queen Room | $42.00 |
| Booking.com | Pajar House Ubud | Ubud, Indonese | Feb-17 | With Mom | Queen Room | $38.00 |
| Booking.com | Sleep Guesthouse | Chiang Mai, Thailand | Feb-17 | With Mom | Queen Room | $34.00 |
| Booking.com | Zen Rooms Legian | Kuta, Indonesia | Feb-17 | With Mom | Queen Room | $33.00 |
| Booking.com | Sakura Sky Residence | Bangkok, Thailand | Feb-17 | With Mom | Queen Room | $39.00 |
| Booking.com | Urban Pack | Hong Kong | Feb-17 | With Mom | Twin Room | $26.00 |
| Booking.com | New Vision Palace Hotel | Hanoi, Vietnam | Sep-17 | Couple | Queen Room | $19.00 |
| Booking.com | Homestay with Hmong family (part of hike package) | Sapa, Vietnam | Sep-17 | Couple | Single Bed in communal setting | $95.00 |
| Booking.com | Glory Legend Cruises (2D/1N full board) | Halong Bay, Vietnam | Sep-17 | Couple | Queen Room | $126.00 |
| Booking.com | Ninh Binh Panorama Homestay | Ninh Binh, Vietnam | Oct-17 | Couple | Bungalow | $23.00 |
| Booking.com | Scarlett Boutique Hotel | Hue, Vietnam | Oct-17 | Couple | Queen Room | $30.00 |
| Booking.com | Nova Villa Hoi An – CLOSED | Hoi An, Vietnam | Oct-17 | Couple | Queen Room | $17.00 |
| Booking.com | Town House 23 Saigon | Saigon, Vietnam | Oct-17 | Couple | Queen Room | $18.00 |
| Booking.com | Chic Capsule Otel | Singapore | Oct-17 | Couple | Mixed Dorm | $35.00 |
| Booking.com | Hotel 1000 Miles | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Oct-17 | Couple | Queen Room | $16.00 |
| Booking.com | Taiwan Youth Hostel & Capsule Hotel | Taipei, Taiwan | Oct-17 | Couple | Mixed Dorm | $21.00 |
| Booking.com | Yim Yam Hostel & Garden | Bangkok, Thailand | Sep-18 | Couple | Double Room | $19.00 |
| Booking.com | Hotel Kathmandu Home Nepal | Kathmandu, Nepal | Sep-18 | Couple | Queen Room | $14.00 |
| Booking.com | Hotel Spring | Pokhara, Nepal | Oct-18 | Couple | Queen Room | $14.00 |
| AirBNB | Dar Kumari | Damdame, Nepal | Oct-18 | Couple | Double Room | $20.00 |
| Booking.com | Nepal Pavilion Inn | Kathmandu, Nepal | Oct-18 | Couple | Queen Room | $19.00 |
| Booking.com | Hotel Kathmandu Home Nepal | Kathmandu, Nepal | Oct-18 | Couple | Queen Room | $14.00 |
| Direct | Blue Mansion | Georgetown, Malaysia | Oct-18 | Couple | Queen Room | $38.00 |
| Booking.com | Taiwan Youth Hostel & Capsule Hotel | Taipei, Taiwan | Oct-18 | Solo | Mixed Dorm | $23.00 |
| Booking.com | The Dorm Hostel Osaka | Osaka, Japan | Oct-18 | Solo | Mixed Dorm | $18.00 |
| Agoda | The Millenials Kyoto | Kyoto, Japan | Oct-18 | Solo | Mixed Dorm | $58.00 |
| Booking.com | The Global Hotel Tokyo | Tokyo, Japan | Oct-18 | Solo | Female Dorm | $28.00 |
| Booking.com | Le Village Montmartre | Paris, France | Sep-19 | Couple | Queen Room | $38.00 |
| Booking.com | Descobertas Boutique House | Porto, Portugal | Oct-19 | Couple | Queen Room | $29.00 |
| AirBNB | Joao | Lisbon, Portugal | Oct-19 | Family of 4 | 1-BR apartment | $28.00 |
| Booking.com | Vila do Sol Guesthouse | Lagos, Portugal | Oct-19 | Couple | Queen Room | $28.00 |
| AirBNB | Bianca’s | Seville, Spain | Oct-19 | Couple | Queen Room | $57.00 |
| Booking.com | Bellavista | Granada, Spain | Oct-19 | Couple | Queen Room | $34.00 |
| Booking.com | Medina Qurtuba | Cordoba, Spain | Oct-19 | Couple | Large Apartment | $51.00 |
| Booking.com | Pensión La Montoreña | Seville, Spain | Oct-19 | Couple | Double Room w/ shared bathroom | $55.00 |
| Booking.com | Nomad Hostel | Tbilisi, Georgia | Oct-19 | Solo | Single Room | $17.00 |
| Booking.com | Bedbox Hostel | Athens, Greece | Oct-19 | Solo | Mixed Dorm | $23.00 |
| Booking.com | St. Christopher’s Inn | Barcelona, Spain | Oct-19 | Solo | Female Dorm | $20.00 |
