Traveling, immersing myself in new cultures and experiencing new things is my biggest passion in life.
Whether it's visiting a new city, relaxing in a resort, hiking up a mountain, running a marathon, or simply transiting through a country, accommodation is largely, the biggest expense of any trip. So for me, accommodation and budget travel are essential topics for when I am looking to explore new places without spending too much, so I can go on more adventures!
I've slept on an inflatable mat on the floor for an entire week when hiking around Mont Blanc and I've slept in an igloo in FInland, two extremes. Then there are the in betweens, like sleeping at a cheap guesthouse in Porto because we were only in the room for 6 hours and it was really cheap. In my younger days, I've slept in hostels with puke stains and sharing a bathroom with 6 other people because it was cheap and meant I could visit a new country or tick a new experience off my bucket-list.
My point is will I recommend sleeping in the cheap guesthouse I stayed in Porto, last year? Not if you're on a city vacation. Sure, it was only EUR 54 for 2, for a private room and private bathroom facilities, but it didn't even have a fan and it was in mid-August and sleeping, even if it was just for four hours in between our flights, was a challenge in itself! If it was in Winter, maybe I would have a different opinion, but one thing I will not write about or suggest to people is something that I didn't enjoy myself!
Similarly, would I recommend sleeping in a hostel for someone in their 30's? Probably not, but for students, 100%. Hostels can be so much fun!
On the other hand, I would 100% recommend staying in an igloo if you're traveling all the way to Finland even if it's just for one night, like I did. For me, accommodation can be the experience itself, like in this instance, I will never forget sleeping in an igloo in the middle of the Finnish Lapland watching the snow fall on top of my head all night. It was magical!
Similarly, I would 100% recommend sleeping on an inflatable mat in a camp if you're into mountains, hiking and adventure. Sleeping on that mat immersed me even more into the adventure and seeing the starry night in the middle of the night, it's priceless! It also costed nothing or very little.
The point is that it much depends on the type of holiday you are after BUT accommodation doesn't always have to break the bank!
Rest assured, that you'll only find recommendations from personal, positive, experience on this page.
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Happy Travels! x