Where we stay when traveling as a family
Before having CC I loved staying at budget hotels. Super cheap, no-frills joints with paper thin towels and walls to match. These kinds of hotels usually don't have many amenities like daily housekeeping, room service or bell desks but they serve their purpose.
Nowadays my needs have changed. The scuzzy yet friendly budget hotels of yesteryear no longer work for my sweet little butterball. But neither does a traditional hotel. So what's a mom to do?
Book a serviced apartment, extended stay hotel or Air Bnb!
All three offer the traveling family:
much more space than a hotel room, allowing you and your family space to spread out and get some quiet time when needed
(usually) a living room with separate sleeping area/bedroom with door, very helpful when trying to get kids to sleep on schedule
kitchen or kitchenette with sink, microwave and refrigerator allowing you to cook easy meals at home and wash bottles in a real sink that's separate from the bathroom
I prefer staying in a serviced apartment or extended stay Hotel over an Air Bnb. Even with limited amenities an Apart-Hotel or Extended Stay Hotel will still have fresh towels and trash removal on request, front desk staff, toiletries and a space designed for travelers. Some Air Bnbs do provide the little conveniences but it is a gamble.
Another major pro for Apart-Hotels or extended stay hotels is that they can be booked on Hotels.com. Hotels is a great place to score killer deals on hotels all around the world and they have an excellent loyalty program which has kept me, well, loyal for 8 years now.
I typically keep my hotel budget for our little family to $200 per night, $300 if traveling with friends or family and splitting room costs.
Here are some serviced apartments and extended stays I have stayed before to give you an idea of what I am talking about:
StayCity Aparthotel St Augustine, Dublin, Ireland
Residence Inn Anaheim Resort/Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
Bonavista Apartments Barcelona
Here are some places I am looking at for a trip to London later this year or in 2019:
Notting Hill Apartments by Bridgestreet
Where do you like to stay when traveling with your family?
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