Travel Advice

How I pick where to stay

Over the years, I have regularly visited locations with limited options for accommodation. However, when visiting cities with hundreds (or thousands) of options (especially when visiting that location for the first time) I have a bit of a method to how I decide where to stay.

• Budget - Obviously. I like accommodation that is safe and secure, but most importantly in a great location. Sometimes I will pick a hotel due to the location over the quality… within reason. It also makes for great stories when the hotel is “eccentric”. Always check multiple sites/apps for different prices and packages for the same accommodation. Some sites will include breakfast or an internet package for hotel rooms for the same price as other sites who don’t include those options. Sometimes booking directly with the accommodation will provide a different price compared to booking via a third-party website. If the accommodation has a booking function on their website, that information is often live, as opposed to third-parties, so you may be able to book where the third-party sites have exhausted their allocations.

• Vicinity to public transport - This depends on the location, of course, as small islands don’t usually have complex mass transit systems. But when staying in a city/town with useful public transport, especially a metro system, I would prefer to be able to walk to it. I have stayed at a hotel in Dubai, surrounded by amazing restaurants (I still go back to this area each visit), but it was far enough away from a metro station that a taxi or bus trip was required. It quickly added up in cost and time spent getting to places. Thankfully, the metro line has a stop much closer to that area now.

• Read the one-star reviews - Check whatever website/app you’re using for the one-star reviews. It allows you to see the worst possible outcomes (mosquitoes, prostitutes, no hot water), but also gives you an idea of how to weigh your choice based on the star system. One of my all-time favourites was a TripAdvisor review on the hotel I was staying at in the Canary Islands, popular with older and crankier Europeans. The one-star review specifically listed that “the mushrooms looked like they ‘came from a can’” as the crux of the rating. Hardly worthy of basing a judgement on choosing to stay at that location. This allows a person to weigh the potential downsides to that accommodation (noise, odours, location) as well as weigh the nature of the reviewers.

• Book close to local food, not tourist traps - When booking, look for local street food, markets or local restaurants. If I’m staying in Bali, I want to be able to get a traditional nasi goreng close to where I am staying. I don’t need to know where the nearest bruschetta is served. It is worth staying further from La Rambla in Barcelona, to get access to local “pan con tomate” at a reasonable price. You can buy the same quality tabbouleh in Bur Dubai as Downtown Dubai (served in the same bowls), for a fraction of the price.

• Be aware of what time everything shuts - Shops, transport and food especially. Not everywhere in the world operates in a 9-5 timeframe. Restaurants on the island of Tobago will shut if there are no patrons for dinner service. Parts of Deira shut down earlier than Bur Dubai, becoming a ghost town while Bur Dubai is still vibrant late at night. Juarez in Mexico City is pumping with street food and bars at 1am on a weekday when neighbouring Roma Norte will be completely quiet.

• Don’t trust everything you read online – Information in some locations is accurate and up to date, down to the day. Other locations will have limited or largely out of date information. I booked accommodation in Port of Spain to be near local cafes and restaurants, with limited information. When I arrived, I found that many of those cafes and restaurants had shut years prior. There was no investment in ensuring tourist information was up to date. The opposite is also true, when staying at the Green Turtle Reserve at Ras Al Jinz, Oman, I had to visit the local town of Ras AL Hadd. I explored a bit and found an amazing little shawarma café that wasn’t on google maps, and was significantly cheaper and better than eating at the hotel I was staying at.

  Some parts of the world also are rife with fake reviews, bought by business owners, with 5-star ratings. Usually the users making the reviews are “local guides” or something of that ilk, but live in a different country (or continent).

Did Anthony Bourdain visit?

Just about any time that I am visiting a new location, this is literally the first step. Not always to relive his experiences, but certainly to get an understanding of the cuisine.

How I pick what to eat

One of the best ways to experience a culture is through food. This is and always will be a highlight for me. I have to be careful regarding allergies, but most people won’t. Here are a few thoughts:

• Anthony Bourdain - As above, this should be your first go to. If you can’t find the episode online, there are endless sites dedicated to his trips.

• What is the country/city/area known for? Shuwa in Oman, nasi goreng in Bali, jamon iberico in Barcelona, roti in Trinidad, poutine in Montreal, al pastor tacos in Mexico City, dim sum in Hong Kong etc.

• Eat what the locals eat. This is often the cheapest and most authentic experience. Is there a queue of locals then there’s a good chance the food is delicious. But be warned, local cuisine contains local bacteria in many countries, so be aware that there may be consequences - put extra lime juice on everything…

• Try the traditional version AND modern twists. While the traditional versions are what I flock to, modern and fusion versions can be fantastic like Kogi Korean/Mexican fusion in LA.

How to plan what to do/plan an itinerary

Historically, people often made decisions on what to do in a location and how to plan an itinerary based on travel books and later travel shows. Some people still enjoy reading travel guidebooks, but depending on the destination, they are often out of date shortly after printing.

When planning a trip to a location, I tend to be going for a specific reason. A handful of times in my life, I found myself going somewhere due to convenience rather than a specific reason.

• Besides the “must do” items for whatever destination you have in mind (Statue of David, Eiffel Tower, Burj Khalifa, Hong Kong Peak, Buckingham Palace etc.), there are often second or third tier attractions. Cities are easy to figure this out with online guides, TripAdvisor lists and even simply looking at what tours are offered online (without needing to book tours). The hop-on/hop-off big red bus tours that exist internationally can be a great source of ideas for cities.

• This sort of planning is harder to do with more remote locations, or those overrun with low quality tours. An easy sign of the latter is going to TripAdvisor and seeing the top activities involve generic tours and events (ziplining, quadbikes and tours which emphasise all you can eat buffets). These suggestions might be what you want to do, but are unlikely to help you experience a culture.

• Reddit is a fantastic resource for ideas and up to date comments on specific areas or activities, however it is key to ensure that you phrase any questions with specifics. This is key in r/Travel especially. Don’t ask “what should I do in Paris” and expect your trip organised for you, your post will likely be deleted. Questions along the lines of “I am staying in Verdun, Montreal, and I’m looking for an amazing brunch place” is more likely to get a reasonable response. Subreddits for cities and countries often can be useful, but once again questions should be specific rather than broad.

What to bring

It is easy to get overwhelmed while packing. A seasoned traveller visiting a new location can even become confused with what to pack. Packing light but without forgetting anything important is a fine balance. Organisation and balance is key.

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