The type of accommodation you choose for your travels can make all the difference to your experience whilst you are away, and it’s common for us to spend hours trying to choose the right accommodation.

We’ve outlined some of the most popular accommodation types to help you have a better understanding of what might suit you and your need whilst you are away.

Hotel

A hotel is any establishment that offers travellers and tourists accommodation for a fee, but they can vary in their size and offering. You can get huge luxury hotels, or smaller budget hotels with a slightly less extravagant offering.

Many hotels will feature many rooms and offer a wide range of facilities such as a restaurant and bar, breakfast, a swimming pool, and in some cases a gym and spa.

If you prefer something a little smaller you can opt for a boutique hotel, which usually only have around 10 to 80 rooms in total. This smaller scale enables boutique hotels to focus on creating a personalised experience for their guests.

Hotels are fantastic choice for many types of traveller, as there are so many choices that offer suitable facilities and service for couples, solo travellers, and groups alike.

Hotel Resort

A hotel resort is designed to provide everything guests might need in one convenient location and is a popular choice with families.

Hotel resorts are often vast and self-contained with many facilities such as bars, restaurants, shops, entertainment options, several swimming pools and recreational areas.

Hotel resorts are well suited to those who would appreciate the convenience of having everything in one place so that they do not have to venture far and can rest and have fun all in one place.

Villa

A villa is essentially a whole home, usually detached, that can be rented out as a whole property using companies like Exceptional Villas to book. The term ‘holiday villa’, in continental Europe in particular, and is universally applied to any high-quality, detached accommodation.

Villas are perfect for large groups and families who want to spend time together and also want to go for a self-catering option. Many villas will include a garden, swimming pool and a variety of bedroom and living space options, although this does vary dependant on the villa and the location.

Apartment

Renting a whole apartment instead of a hotel room is a good option for those taking a long trip, travelling as a family or group, or simply looking for some privacy. When renting an apartment you will get access to any facilities it may have which can range from laundry facilities to luxury facilities such as a gym, swimming pool and concierge!

Serviced apartments are a great alternative to hotel stays, offering fantastic city centre locations with the added privacy and self-catering elements of an apartment.

Bed and Breakfast

B&Bs are small establishments, usually with between four and twelve rooms available to guests and hosts usually reside in the house. The phrase very simply translates to “Bed and Breakfast” and sums up the service that is offered here.

Sometimes B&Bs are private family homes with areas that are off-limits to guests. The term bed and breakfast might also be used by large hotels to describe the level of catering offered to guests. You might even refer to bed and breakfasts as a guest house in some cases.