People spend a lot of money on accomodations!

Hank, wow. I got a week at a nice B&B in Edinburgh for less than $1000, and a VRBO in Paris for a week at $1100.

Perhaps for poor folks like me $1000 is like $25 for someone financially well-off.

A fool and his money are soon parted

I have a solo room (not at a hostel) in Paris for my April trip, 7 nights, $580 total (and yes, there's an elevator lol). And yes, some folks spend a boatload on lodging, i'm not one of them.

This is true for all of travel expenses. There is a wide range of what is acceptable to people.
I know that some posters here don't like to pay more than 100 Euros per night for lodging or more than $800 for round trip air fare.

My approach is this: For lodging I look and see what is available where I want to go. I am looking for a 3 star establishment with a reputation for being in a good location and for being clean. Each location will have its own price range. I am paying 175 Euros in Paris and closer to 110 Euros in Rouen. For the whole trip, I might splurge for a nicer lodging at one of the stops.

For flights, I will no longer fly in economy. I look at Comfort+ and Premium Select and choose the one I think gives me the best value. Flying out of Cleveland costs more than the East Coast and even more than Seattle, but I can't change that. (plus my cost of living is less here, so it evens out)

For those that are spending over 300 Euros per night, they would likely be miserable in the rooms I stay in. Part of their being on vacation is a bit of luxury. That isn't why I travel, so I don't need an expensive room.

I will bet there is an age factor here. Over our lifetimes we develop norms for nearly everything. I personally have had some trouble dealing with that. I remember a time when a hundred dollar hotel/motel room was very expensive but now it is nothing. And meal in a fine restaurant was 10 to 15 dollars with a good bottle of wine for $15. But our combined income was in the range $20,000 annual. Now at 80 our retirement income is in excess of $200,000 but I still have trouble spending 500 to a 1000 $ for a night's rental. But I can remember my mother's thinking that a $20 bill should more than cover a weeks worth of groceries. Both sons and dils make six figure incomes, sometimes with six figure bonuses, so a five hundred dollar hotel is nothing to them relatively speaking. It kind of a standard we set in the past for many things but forget to adjust them for inflation. O' I once bought a new car for $1900. Times change and it is hard to adjust.

Word! This is a subcategory of what I've been exclaiming (usually to myself, sometimes out loud) for... a couple of decades, "People pay how much for THAT‽"

I've certainly been known to splurge on a hotel, but confined to 'hotel as experience on special occasions in unique destinations"—and even then, I scour for a deal!

Lastly... I've been coming to terms with the thought that I may never get to Hawaii.

Look on booking dot com or hrs dot com and use the price as one of your filters. If you want a room for 150€ per night or less, make that your top price.
Alternative, look at budget chains like Ibis, Novotel, Moxy, Motel One, etc.

You may be looking in cities during dates when trade fairs are happening. This will triple a hotel price. Maybe switch your trip around in a different direction to avoid the trade fairs. Are these hotels the same price a week later?

@Scudder, perhaps because Hawaii is in the opposite direction from Spain😀…..

Seriously, I like Hawaii, but you could probably have a similar tropical experience in the Caribbean for better airfare and lodging when coming from New York. I have been to Hawaii twice and rented flats both time. It really helped with the lodging. I also avoided Waikiki and that helps.

I scratch my head as well when I hear about what I consider spending outrageous sums for lodging (and other aspects of travel), but do agree that it's relative. For people who make a lot (how ever much "a lot" is), a $400-$500/night room is nothing. Still, what I think they may miss out on is local flavor. Some of my most memorable experiences have come from staying in places that are nothing like fancy digs, but, rather, small B&Bs and convent-run places. My non-negotiable is cleanliness.

I have to think that people who never plan on leaving the hotel or resort are willing to pay extra. My criteria is based on how much time I'm going to be spending at the hotel, who I'm travelling with, and who is paying.

This is a constant debate with my wife who's minimum criteria in rating a hotel used to be whether it had granite counters in the bathroom. She got spoiled coming with me to business conferences at high end hotels. I wasn’t paying, so money was no object. On a baseball trip with a friend, we just need two beds and a reasonably safe neighbourhood. My wife has become more reasonable lately as I find interesting hotels in interesting neighborhoods. Usually, each trip will include one higher priced stay for a night, but it is part of the experience such as the castle in Scotland or a 600 year old building in England. I think I've convinced her that since we don't spend much time in the hotel, then we shouldn't pay for luxury we won't use.

We recently found a seat sale to Maui for $300, but the cheapest hotels were $450/night. I was impressed when she determined it wasn't worth it. But she won't let me forget in about 1990 when we were newly married and still poor. I thought I'd won the lottery when I found a motel for $20/night. All was well until we discovered it was attached to a biker bar with loud banging on the wall and roaring Harleys in the parking lot all night long.

Still, what I think they may miss out on is local flavor. Some of my
most memorable experiences have come from staying in places that are
nothing like fancy digs, but, rather, small B&Bs and convent-run
places. My non-negotiable is cleanliness.

I'm with you on this. If you spend enough on accommodations, eventually you get to the level where no matter where you're staying everything is about the same. It's all a five-star sort of Four Seasons world. The wallpaper is different as is the base liquor in the $36 signature cocktail, but the elite experience is roughly equivalent.

Some of my very favorite stays have been at cheaper places. Arch-Tirolean family hotels for instance. The beautiful crazy tile, the overwhelming kitsch, the stag's heads, the kind and personal service that nevertheless doesn't hide the personalities of the proprietors, the miles of grout so clean that if you licked every inch of it you'd come out healthier, the fresh highly-local breakfast (housemade jams, beautiful breads still warm from a friend's bakery down the street) even if you're the only person in the hotel. I can't be 100% sure that I'm not sour grapesing, but I do think I'd rather stay in this type of place than in a very fancy hotel even if they both cost 83 Euros for the room.

To each their own…

I’m content with a clean room, a comfortable bed and a warm shower. If breakfast is included that’s a plus but not a deal breaker.

I’m just grateful to be able to travel!

I just returned from Europe where I spent an average of 100 euro/night for very nice to outstanding accommodations, and this is typical for me. As long as a place is clean, quiet, and in a convenient location for what I want to do, I’m content. So little time is usually spent in lodgings, I don’t need anything fancy, but I will look for quaint and family owned.

We would consider $400 a night a splurge, and have never had to go close to that high on previous trips to Europe--we've averaged near or below your $200/night level. We are going higher for 4 nights of on an upcoming trip to the Big Island of Hawaii because we got cheap flights and Hawaii is ridiculously expensive, but definitely not 1,200/night! And our other 4 nights are near your $200 level. My friends and coworkers who pay a lot more tend to go to places where they spend a lot of time at the property or who only go for a week or less. On a sightseeing trip where we barely spend time in our rooms, cleanliness and location are the main criteria.

I like the note in the post above about people pay sometimes not for the room, but for the resort if they're going to hang out there.

And also, I do think when it's a one week vacation then people might have more of an attitude that they can spend liberally. I think I run up against this in resort areas in Europe, competing in the marketplace for rooms with Europeans who are taking a one week vacation and aren't as concerned spending too much.

To each their own. Rick Steves used to take his tour groups in Munich to sleep in the tent city. I don't think Rick would do that anymore. So what if people pay more? Maybe it's for a special occasion?. My family once used points to stay at the Marriott Times Square. It was pricey but we had a great view of Times Square especially at night and the hotel even gave us chocolates and champagne! It was a wonderful splurge.

I need a comfortable clean room and bathroom with room to move around. YVMV.

If people weren't willing to spend big bucks for hotel rooms, the hotels wouldn't exist.

However, the average RS traveler is more of a budget oriented traveler than five star luxury.

I never, ever pay attention to what people spend on accommodations. If they were to volunteer it, I probably wouldn’t have such people as my friends. Everybody has different priorities and budgets.

I do extensive planning before I travel and like you, I won’t spend even $150 per night because that’s too much for my budget. I also don’t travel during high tourism season in which demand is often greater than supply.

I could care less about what other people pay for lodging. Some people like a bit more luxury and a helpful front desk staff. For myself, what I can afford for comfort and location has definitely gone up since I did Europe on $5 a day in 1969 :-) But I'm also not interested in a bunk bed with shared bathroom in a hostel, either. I look around on Air Bnb and Booking.com and sometimes guesthouses to find something in the $200 range for two people with a private bath (and included breakfast is a plus but not a necessity). So far, hasn't been hard to find, and we travel a lot.

BTW, prices in Hawaii have skyrocketed. As a resident, we used to find good deals. These days those "deals" are around $250.

I never, ever pay attention to what people spend on accommodations. If
they were to volunteer it, I probably wouldn’t have such people as my
friends.

Our friends are good people! Kind ethical family-oriented hardworking types. I'm not sure why sharing information about how much one paid for accommodations disqualifies a person from friendship, but I suppose we all have our standards?

BTW, prices in Hawaii have skyrocketed. As a resident, we used to find
good deals. These days those "deals" are around $250.

Too bad, It was a nice perk when locals could buy last minute hotel rooms for next to nothing, and then have a bunch of family and friends come use the pool etc. Kept things a bit more real ...

If people are military or retired military, there are resorts that can be really good deals. We have stayed at the Hale Koa in Hawaii a handful of times and it is a bargain. We never even considered staying anywhere else. The most basic rooms start at $165 depending on rate/rank, and the same room tops out at $210 for us. We have always opted for the ocean view rooms, which for us run $270.

This just shows you need to think about any affiliations you have and see if there are any perks like this.

You can literally say that about everything. Some people spend a lot on lodging. Some people spend a lot on comfort on flights. Some people spend a lot in restaurants. Some people spend a lot on hobbies, cars, homes, entertainment....you name it.

But as long as the spending aligns with their valuation of whatever they're buying and they have the means to do it, why should anyone care? Some people's opportunity costs are less than others' for the same thing. And I suspect many people on this forum will leave money behind when they pass, so maybe they want to go wild and throw caution to the wind sometimes? Who knows.

At the end of the day, you have to justify the spending to yourself/ spouse/ SO/ dependent(s) and not anyone else.

I think some shock or lack of sticker-shock is also is based on how often you look at hotel rates and where you are looking.

I visit Yellowstone for 2 weeks every year. I prefer to stay at in-park lodging to cut down on traffic, be to sights before day visitors arrive and yes, be able to take a cup of coffee out to the benches around Old Faithful and watch a sunrise eruption. The OF cabin complex I prefer to stay in for my geyser-gazing days was built in the 1920's/30's and have of course been remodeled a number of times. Right now the ensuite cabins that accommodate 1-2 people are going for $241 + tax per night. The shared bath cabin I'm staying at on the North end of the park for my wildlife-watching days is $137/night + tax. You walk to a central bathhouse for showers and toilets and that is not my favorite thing to do. It's cold and I have to juggle my bear spray and my keys to make a middle of the night comfort stop. Heat is by a stove that burns pressed wood disks. There are no amenities at any Yellowstone lodging - no TV, no AC. That doesn't bother me in the least because I'm only in my room to shower and sleep and spend the daylight hours out and about. I look at those prices all the time from posting on Trip Advisor.

So....compare that to Paris where there is a much more competition and $250/250E/250 GBP doesn't sound too bad to me at all. I'll have AC, generally a nice bathroom, maybe breakfast, tea making things.

It's all relative.

BTW, I'm skipping Grand Tetons this year because the location where I like to stay is over $500/night.

You can literally say that about everything. Some people spend a lot
on lodging. Some people spend a lot on comfort on flights. Some people
spend a lot in restaurants. Some people spend a lot on hobbies, cars,
homes, entertainment....you name it.

But as long as the spending aligns with their valuation of whatever
they're buying and they have the means to do it, why should anyone
care?

I'm 100% in the people can do with their money as they will camp. And, holding two ideas steady at one time, also curious about why some people of means roughly similar to my own choose to book expensive rooms and I don't.

Some good answers to this question in the thread!

also curious about why some people of means roughly similar to my own
choose to book expensive rooms and I don't

If your neighbors and colleagues are similarly economically situated (assuming that's the case), wouldn't it be more fruitful to ask them? Most people on this forum (the Rickie Steves crowd) wouldn't spend that amount of $ on lodging, I'm fairly sure (even if they could afford it).

If you do ask, please share, especially if it's something surprising or enlightening, and not just keeping up appearances or with the Joneses.

Obviously everyone has different standards and resources do there is really no right or wrong answers here. For me,however I prefer to keep it under $150 US average for 2 including breakfast. I used to try for 100 euros but thatis more difficult now. Generally we stay in 3 star places, off season,15 min walk from main sights. We usually spend a bit more say in London but less in other places. I'm very good at working the various websites to get the best prices rather than automatically say using Booking. Com. Sometimes direct works better,sometimes not.
I will go for for on occasional splurge if it is special,like Pam wanting to stay inside Yellowstone. Makes sense to me. Just Last fall went to New Zealand and splurged for 2 nights at the Hermitage at the base of Mt. Cook upper floor,Mt Cook View.$300 US per night but with breakfast and dinner for 2,booked directly. Worth every penny. But for the rest of our 6 week trip we stayed mostly in Motels for $100 US per night and we were very happy.
But the idea of staying in 5 star places just doesn't usually appeal to me. I am more comfortable in low key places. But to each their own.

Some people just don't know that there are decent, less expensive choices, or don't want "local flavor". They want all the comfort and familiarity of home (and the certainty of an English-speaking staff) so they assume that you must stay at a Marriott or Hilton, rather than those quirky and likely dangerous mom&pop places with local flavor.

I think that was the revelation RS provided to a lot of us post-college age would be travelers - that you could travel "like a European" and stay at these perfectly comfortable and convenient small hotels for a lot less money, just no pool or room service.

As long as its not bragging, I dont think it's wrong to share useful information with your friends. It's what we do here, just anonymously.

I don't understand spending those amounts for one night, but because my husband travels for business(where sometimes $1000/night is a good price during a major investor meeting), he does have a higher tolerance for hotel costs that I do-except that he does prefer getting a hotel free with points. In places where that's not possible, we are ok with $300-400, if necessary(in expensive cities).

I can understand Hank's reluctance to spend what he perceives as high cost for a hotel room. I have that tendency as well. Mine comes from being older and experiencing lower prices in the past and still comparing to that. I am retired so I also have a mind set that my income is fixed even though I have plenty of discretionary funds. Like Hank many people look at what they feel the hotel room is worth and don't want to pay high costs which don't seem worth it. On the other hand, I find that some people see something they want and pay the higher cost without overthinking it. It seems they are wired differently than the budget conscious traveler.

BTW, prices in Hawaii have skyrocketed. As a resident, we used to find good deals. These days those "deals" are around $250.

And then the taxes and 'fees', bump it up by 50%

Was looking at a $180/night rate that when all the 'add ons' were included it was just short of $300/night

Obviously everyone has different standards and resources do there is
really no right or wrong answers here. For me, however I prefer to
keep it under $150 US average for 2 including breakfast. I used to try
for 100 euros but that is more difficult now.

About the same here MA Traveler. Lately though been with 3 or 4 who need adult-sized beds. If I can do $300 for a group that size with breakfast I feel pretty good about it. Also teenage girls so less and less go with a family room. They much prefer two rooms. More and more apartments, sometimes even for just a single night, have become the best choice.

Try earning Canadian $ and aiming for under $100 Cdn. 🤣😉 I managed it in Spain pre-pandemic, but not looking as feasible next winter in Italy....close though. I am also searching for a 4 week apartment rental for a long stay. Pricing is 45-50% more than pre-pandemic. I will accept that for a safe, central apartment that isn't a garret walk up smaller than my closet.
I do use my lodgings, so my breaking point is at least a padded reading chair for any stays over 3 nights.....though recently in Costa Rica, I gave that up due to silly prices, and wanting a convenient location. My back wasn't happy with me.
I have a frugal daughter who loves the challenge of living cheaply, and a son with family who are professionals and are willing to pay more for vacations to save energy, and they have no time to research. I think minimal time is a big factor - both due to short vacations and limited research time.

Maria so much resonates in your post thanks.

Lately having somewhere decent to sit has become a must when we stay multiple nights in one place. My wife used to not care, then came around to my way of thinking about it, and now is comfy seating orthodox - non-negotiable.

I like the observation about time and energy for planning too. Nearly universally, the families we know who spend a lot on accommodations are swamped with work and other responsibilities - both partners. I've got more time on my hands (somewhat obviously :), and so can dig up cheaper places that are still nice. They take an hour to plan an entire trip.

Very interesting comments. I, too, like to keep my lodging costs below $150.00-$175.00 per night for a double room, after including fees. taxes, etc. Below $100.00 is even better! Like Kaydee, I have a fixed income mindset, but can afford more than I used to. Back in 1971, with Frommer's "Europe on $5.00 and $10.00 a Day", we spent 4 months in Europe after picking up our VW bug in Wolfsburg, Germany. We went on the cheap, having just finished college and not having full-time jobs in our fields of study yet. We managed on $30.00 a day, for two, for EVERYTHING, rooms, meals, gas, tolls, and sightseeing fees. Granted, there were a few nights we slept in the VW, sometimes in a lay-by, sometimes in a field (where cows woke us up in the morning looking in our windows). We had $5.00 sleeping bags purchased in Marseille, and used those a couple of times.

Heck, we were only 30 and 31 at the time, and all our now creaky parts were operating smoothly back then! The only "fine"meals we had were when we visited Hubby's family, but there are cheap and good meals to be had in most places. (e.g. Imbis Express in the shopping area under the Marienplatz in Munich). Also, freshly caught trout in a cafe in Grasse for about $1.50 each where we rented their only room. The room was $2.00 per night, with just a sink and toilet that also served the cafe, and a bed so bad we had to hang onto the sides because we would roll into each other if we let go. It was like a hammock!

Today, at 79 and 80, we want beds and our own bathrooms. And an elevator if possible! No more putting coins in a slot to get a quick hot shower in the shared facilities. Still, like many of you, our lodgings are really for sleeping and we don't spend much time there, so comfort, quiet and cleanliness are most important, not the thread count in the sheets or a spa or pool.

All that aside, I think we scored well every time we rented a gite in France on subsequent trips. This year, we have a beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bath full house with swimming pool and everything up-to-date, for just over $300.00 per night, in Vitrac, Dordogne region. There will be seven of us, so the per/person cost is a bargain. Everyone seems to go with VRBO or Air BandB, but we have always had fantastic luck using Gites de France. Getting to know the gite owners has always added to our fond memories of a place.
For this trip, we will see the sights and have activities during the day, and return most evenings for a swim in the pool and a dinner on the patio of grilled meats or fish, and fresh vegetables from the local farmers' markets. We will be locavores, and we will have our coffee and bread/pastries in the morning before setting out for the day to kayak, see cave art, explore castles, and relax at a cafe in some of the "Plus Beaux Villages de France."

Spending a lot of money just to sleep is money lost that could go for a great meal in a cafe or restaurant or bistro, in my opinion, so I guess it is relative. But do try "Gites de France" for lodging, whether one night or two weeks.

And in the end it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference financially. But I have a really hard time actually doing it

Well, supply and demand … apparently there are enough folks able and willing to pay much more than some of us, even if reluctantly. And there are plenty of places charging as much as they possibly can. Maybe relatively high prices reflect high operating costs, or they’re just what the market will bear.

If the cost won’t make enough of a difference to someone’s financial situation, then pay the price and enjoy the stay. If it’s truly more than they can afford, they’ll need to look elsewhere. Hopefully there are enough “elsewheres.”

Just saying, this is one reason I stopped ever recommending hotels. On my last trip, in September, to Spain. I averaged 100 euro/night, though I did use some Hotel points for Madrid.

Most of the discussions I see, even on here, start at 200 euro/night. No problem with that, just that I can't add too much to the discussion, other than maybe a neighborhood to stay.

Regarding Hawaii, a friend told me about Redweek. It's a site where Maui timeshare owners are trying to rent out their unused weeks. I don't think you pay parking, taxes, or resort fees this way, but I can't verify that. Prices for the same units can vary significantly, I guess depending on how desperate the owners are, as those pesky maintenance fees increase every year. Aloha!

I'm with Paul on this one and I only recommend neighborhoods (even that taste can vary so I try and recommend against certain neighborhoods more than for certain neighborhoods) as everyone has a different style and interest and differences in what adds to their pleasure when traveling, and since all are legitimate and it makes it impossible to recommend a specific hotel; the decision can even vary city by city and trip by trip.

Staying in a 3 start to experience more "local" sort of says that your definition of Europe is that it is a 3 star culture or that all better accommodations are worldwide uniformly corporate in style; I would suggest that if you are an European period architect junkie you might want to step back in time and spend a night or two in the Four Seasons in Budapest and if you want to experience a part of Japanese culture that is unique maybe a night or two in the Mandarin Oriental (as the Japanese culture isn't exclusively 3 star either).

As far as the people in the Rick Steves Forum somehow being different or wiser and choosing cheap, you really need to go back and read the posts as we have a fair number that only fly Premium Economy or better, a fair number that love the likes of Lake Como, the Amalfi Coast and a very great number who will pay $5000 or more for a 13 day holiday with Rick (which I suspect you could do on your own for half); nothing cheap about any of that, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of it either.

Staying in a $100 a night hotel because it meets your needs and spending more would add nothing to your trip based on your personality, interests, etc. does indeed make perfect sense; but there is no honor or pride or statement of wisdom in any decision.

I used to camp with my grandfather in an old WWII surplus tent. It was exciting! I think he did it for me because I overheard him say once to grandma, "I did plenty of "camping" near Bastogne.

While admiring the massive Winnebago campers with all of the luxuries, he used to remark, "That ain't camping. You might as well stay home."

If I could afford $500/night accommodations I'm not sure I would opt for that. A clean room, private bath, and decent location is all I want. We're only in the room to sleep anyway.

I agree with Judy that it's nice if you can keep the price around $100/night, but that isn't always practicable. $150 to $175 is often more realistic in certain places.

Hawaii has come up a few times. And maybe this is another tangent, but, Hawaii is pretty much off my list due to the sneaky report fees that are added on, yet not upfront in the pricing.
Just give me the real price upfront and don’t sneak it in there.
That, and the same sort of back door up charging done on Airbnb, with exorbitant fees added on so that the advertised price frequently can double.
In this age of “transparency” we all want this should not be the case.
Airbnb and Hawaii are not in my google search history.

Even $200/night is a lot in Europe outside of Switzerland, Norway, some capital cities and a handful of resort towns. In France in August (so, high season) I've been managing quite well with $150. I have had many opportunities to stay in more expensive places, but I find that returns diminish sharply once you go past the $250-300/night mark.

However, I am planning a trip to the northeastern USA this summer and the sticker shock is real... $250 incl tax seems to have become the new baseline for anywhere that's not a glorified motel.

It’s all about priorities.

I have friends that easily spend way more going to Disney or Panama City beach for a week every summer , than I do on 2 weeks in Europe. I absolutely cannot imagine dropping $5k every year to go to the same crowded beach and packed restaurants….but they love it.

This year for the first time we are trying airbnb in France. We rented a gorgeous apt in Tours, and a quaint apt in Strasbourg….I believe around $120 a night all in. 2 beds, washing machines, great locations. Fingers crossed this is the value I think it is!

It was the cost of rental cars that shocked me. $240+ for the day. We may be on electric bikes.

My wife and I were at a presentation last night from a local high-service travel agent that was introducing a new cruise line starting up this summer called Explora Journeys. It's high-end luxury starting at about $900 per person/per day, and that doesn't even include the excursions which include things like caviar tasting in Newfoundland and a helicopter ride to whiskey tasting in Scotland. The website doesn't give a cost for those activities which makes me think that it's one of those "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" scenarios.

I guess it all comes to our own definitions of value, and in this case there was so much focus on what the ship offered, that the actual travel and exploring was secondary, which means that there was little value. Thankfully, my wife agreed.

On the other hand, there was also a presentation from Lindblad Expeditions which is less luxurious but much more expensive. One that caught my eye was a cruise through the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic. I saw tremendous value in something like this as far as my interests go, but alas it's $36,000 pp for 25 days.

I think that many people spend a lot of money on hotel accommodations for a number of reasons. One, they can afford it and they are used to spending a lot of money. These are the instant gratification people. I had a client once who was almost 50 years old, earned around $400,000 a year, and had total assets of $70,000 in a 401(k) plan. And that was reduced to half when the divorce was final. I couldn’t believe somebody had that much money and had nothing to show for it except a big house with a big mortgage and a fancy car.

I have another acquaintance who also has a large income, and when he and his wife travel to Europe, they spend a lot of money for accommodations. And the first thing they do when they get there is to post photos on Facebook of their hotel with the luxury and fancy amenities. For them it’s about making sure everyone knows how much money they have.

I’m not saying everyone with a large income is like that. But I think that people who have more money than they know what to do with are always going to be spending it in ways that are unbelievable to us. And then there are people like Warren Buffett, who is a billionaire and lives in the same, modest home he’s lived in for the last 50+ years. Everyone is different and everyone’s priorities are different.

Part is f the fun of travel planning us getting the most for your money.

After I booked plane tickets in November for a trip to Scotland in September, starting figuring out an itinerary and looking for lodging, knowing I can change or cancel reservations.

For 15 nights in Scotland and 2 nights in Dublin I averaged $165 a night. A mix of hotels, B&Bs, and apartments. Breakfast included 10 days.

I find that since we are retired, I think differently about spending money than when we had two paychecks coming.

My travel budget is limited, so the less I spend per night, the more nights I can spend on vacation! I also often travel by myself and although my husband is totally supportive of my "need" to travel, I always have a slight sense of guilt allocating a large portion of our discretionary budget for my use. However, I don't compromise on safety and cleanliness. Now that I am getting to a "certain age", I no longer want to share a bedroom or bathroom. And I also don't compromise on experiences - once I paid more for an afternoon tea than that night's stay in London...priorities :)

Part [o]f the fun of travel planning us getting the most for your
money.

Agree, Karen. Hunting for good value is a sport for me. I was raised by parents who grew up in the Depression, and that left an indelible imprint on me.

I think people should spend their own money how they choose, but I doubt I could ever bring myself to spend as much as some people do. I wouldn't enjoy it. I'd feel guilty, thinking of the other, better (to me) uses to which that money could be put.

I delight in finding places that are reasonably priced (to me), and yet offer a special location or a quirky environment. Over the years, we've stayed in a variety of great apartments (including in a 'tall and skinny' in Hong Kong); small, unique inns (like the home of a famous local artist (still in residence then)) in Lima, Peru; the cockpit of an airplane transformed into a cottage in the jungle in Costa Rica (normally out of our price range, but reasonable during 'green' season, plus the bit of kitchen allowed us to have leftovers in the room); a moored, antique yacht in Victoria harbour; and the Mother Superior's suite in a converted convent in Cape Breton.

But to each their own, and if everyone liked to do what I like, then it would be more difficult and more expensive for me to book those places.

I won't camp, and I won't share a bathroom, so I do have some requirements that increase my costs a bit, though.

Edited to add that I also look for places with aircon in certain locations and/or seasons.

One of my favorite books is “The Millionaire Next Door” which talks about who has wealth and who doesn’t and it’s not necessarily the people that you would think are well off. As my mother use to say “Some people throw it and blow it and don’t have a pot to pee in.” As I have gotten older I have found that to be true. People that I thought were wealthy really aren’t.

kkmintz, same thing around here. Nearly everyone seems to go to the Outer Banks, Virginia Beach, or Myrtle Beach during the summer. Every year. Whatever makes one happy. For me it's torture due to the crowds, or listening to someone else's musings and music on the beach.

Mardee, thanks for sharing. That was interesting.

Mary, I've read that book, but it depresses me a bit because I can't go back in time and be smarter.

I find these types of threads so interesting since money/personal finance and travel are two of my favorite things to read about (the former to help me achieve the latter).

Just out of curiosity I went back to my past trip spreadsheets to see what we have spent on average per night for lodging. On the low end we averaged $100/night (Spain 2017) up to a high of $199/night (Greece 2022). Honestly, I think even if someone offered me another $1-2k to spend on any of these trips, I would choose the same lodgings. Every one of our choices was more than satisfactory and a quite a few really enhanced our stay (a great view from a balcony, exceptionally friendly and helpful hosts/staff, fabulous location, etc.).

I have an acquaintance that I would never recommend any of our past lodging choices to…it’s strictly the Ritz for her. Another acquaintance (with plenty of money) thinks it’s crazy to spend the money to travel internationally at all. My husband and I splurge on private guides on many of our trips (for our upcoming trip to Italy the amount we will be spending on guides/tours/sites is $100 shy of what our total lodging costs will be). Yet, I know someone who’d rather come home with a few hundred dollars worth of ceramics than spend a penny on a guide. It really runs the gamut the way people spend their money. While it shouldn’t really matter to me (or anyone) how others spend (or save, or not save) their money, perhaps because I work in the financial services industry I do find the differences very interesting.

I’m content with a clean room, a comfortable bed and a warm shower. If breakfast is included that’s a plus but not a deal breaker.

100% agree. Plus AC. If that cost 100 or 200, doesn't matter. I'll scrimp on something else or save a little more. Nothing worse than a hot room and uncomfortable bed. No matter the location.

Yeah, AC can be crucial in the summer. Years ago we had an un-air conditioned hotel in Paris during a heat wave, and barely slept for two of the seven nights before a cold front came through. That was not fun and certainly interfered with our daytime tourist stuff.

For places like Scandinavia and Scotland I don't give much thought to AC, but these days maybe I should.

Hank, just wanted to say you write real good.

This is a funny thread. I’ve been watching it over the past two days and I guess I’ll chime in to offer some additional counter balance a la Periscope above me.

My needs have certainly changed as I’ve aged - new health issues, new interests, ever-evolving travel styles. Sleeping is of paramount importance to me - it’s crucial for good health.

In my current state - always subject to change:) - I want this for my lodging -
- A large room. I’m looking for at least 300 square feet or I get claustrophobic and have trouble sleeping.
- A shower that is not contained in a bathtub that has a huge step down for me or my partner to fall out of.
- A second sleeping area in case my un-named partner is having a bad snoring night.
- A hotel that is right in a charming old town area for easy evening strolling when I’m too tired to go far.
- A nice breakfast buffet to keep a smile on the snoring partner’s face.
- A balcony if at all possible.
- A couple of nice chair and ottomans and/or a comfortable couch. I hate when the only sitting area is the bed.
- Nice sheets and other bedding.
- Clean and tidy feeling, with reasonably nice furniture.
- Air conditioning.

I’ve done all variations of missing the above ingredients and, as I get older, I’ve just decided they’re important to me and I’ll pay more than my younger self to get them.

Do I ever find hotels that meet all of these requirements for $175 a night? Sure. We’re staying in Erfurt for under $175 and meeting all these goals. But, for example Munich turned out to be expensive for our upcoming trip, and we’re paying about $300.

And then things really fell apart for Amsterdam, when we happened to be there during King’s Day. Amsterdam has a lot of tiny hotel rooms and as much as I’d love to save a bit of money and book one of those, I know that, when I’m trying to go to bed on April 25th, and I’m up half the night because I can’t get away from the snoring in our 150 square foot room, I’ll wish I had just paid a bit more for the room…

None of these places I book are suites at the Four Seasons - but I will pay for the room I want. Travel is my greatest joy and I have a style that works for me - for now:)

Hank, just wanted to say you write real good

Mike thanks so much, very nice of you to say. Literally, I was just reading some of my posts on this forum and feeling embarrassed at how poorly they are written. All essentially speech-based composition, like talking on paper. When I buckle down out of necessity (aka when I write for an audience who are elite writers) I just squeak by. On this forum it's more or less something between kindergarten crayons and throwing paint ;)

.

I agree with a number of the more recent posts that this thread has evolved into something pretty interesting.

I agree with Fran that both personal finance and travel are inherently interesting, so the combination of the two gives much to think about.

“ Maybe I need to try out the "oh that looks nice, I think I'd like that, it right where I want to be, click RESERVE regardless of the number" strategy”.

We have to watch what we spend, we don’t have a lot. That said, we stay in locally owned gastofs and pensions outside of any large town. What we get for a fraction of what hotels charge are even better in our opinion. Supporting local business. The feeling of staying with friends. A nice room, nothing luxurious, but we’re not living there. In Austria and Germany this comes with a very nice breakfast. For us, if we’re going to spend money, I’d rather spend it on other things rather than the place we’ll be actually awake in for just a few hours.

I think there can be a kind of reverse snobbery with travelers.

So many times I read of travelers staying in AirBnBs or pensions in order to meet or be like a local. As if hotels aren't staffed by local people and staying in them also helps the local economy by employing people. You are never going to live the "local life" by being a tourist staying in an apartment or pension.

I also see this with foodies who criticize those who would dare step foot in a Starbucks or McDonalds in a foreign land. If you really want to see where the locals eat-go to the local fast food or McDonalds. In Spain, every McDonald's we went into for a clean bathroom was made up of 95% local young people and families. I still can't fathom why certain travelers judge others for their choices. Really what does it matter how people spend their money? I do think Rick is getting better about this with age as if you watch his first TV shows he's much more snobbish about small, quaint "rustic" hotels and where to eat.

OT :That said, I really wish RS would make available his first Travels through the Back Door series. It used to be on the internet but was pulled-probably for copyright. Seeing the EU before 2001 is a great time capsule and the West Germany episode is a great "point in history" time capsule. Plus it shows that much like Gillian Anderson-Rick must have a painting in a closet as he hardly has aged in 30 years.

We've rarely paid $400 per night for a hotel room, only a couple of times.

Five star hotels are great if you like large rooms with expensive restaurants and luxury surroundings, HOWEVER, we prefer a bed and breakfast with a descent sized room and usually a fantastic breakfast.

We have found that BNBs are usually run by a married couple that you develop a connection with during your stay.
Breakfast is usually free and generally excellent. We have stayed in places that offered Eggs Benedict options.

Also, BNBs are usually located near city center, where you don't have to take public transport or if you do it is short.
Why pay for a luxury room when you don't spend much time there?

BNBs usually cost from 1/3 to 1/2 of what a five star hotel costs.

Still, if you are going to a third world country, you want a nice secure hotel, so a four or five star may be best, but they usually don't cost $400 per night.

My must-haves: convenient location, elevator(I'm saving my knees for sightseeing), AC, and of course clean and comfortable bed. Extra points for a minifridge not stocked with expensive stuff.

I've had to read over this thread a couple times. I couldn't care less what someone chooses to spend on their vacation or travels nor do I care whether one stays in a five star hotel, a hostel or a resort. But there's a fallacy expressed here that one somehow gets the real local experience based on the type of accommodation one stays in or how little is spent on it. We're tourists and "local experience" is a veneer and has nothing to do with what one spends.

VAP,

I have to disagree to a point. During a stay outside of Heiligenblut, Austria at a small farm, we got to know the owner Anni and she got to know us. As it is small and pretty quiet, Anni would sit and talk with us during breakfast, as she was just as interested in us and where we live as we were about her. We learned a lot about her, her family, the local area and why it was dying out, as even her children moved to be close to major cities. In Ramsau we became friends with the owners, Sabine and Johann during our stays at their farm accommodation. We got along so well that our friendship has lasted over 20 years now. We know their entire family, kids, grandkids, etc. How they live, what they do for a living and so on. We just learned that their one daughter, who wanted to get into hospitality, now manages the local tourist office. The people, the friends we’ve made, those are our most cherished take aways from our travels. Much more so than the sights we saw. Maybe I’m a snob? That’s ok with me. For us, It’s why we travel and it’s way we prefer to travel.

I pull cities up on Google Maps and hit the Hotel block at the top.

All the city's accommodations pop up on a bed icon with a price. You can go one by one to see all the hotel's info--including customer ratings. Few cities will be in the $400+ range.

Another way is to go to Booking.com and filter your search by Price--low too high. Look at the city's cheapest properties and then look for customer ratings much higher than other like priced properties. I've never been dissatisfied with a room found either way..

As an old girlfriend once told me, "If you've got it, flaunt it." Regrettably she didn't age well, but it was true for awhile.

Having stayed in a wide range of accommodations, I have to admit that there is just something about a luxury or 4 star hotel that is well designed and decorated that is very relaxing and enjoyable. On my first European trip with my then husband, I booked us in pensions and small hotels- all comfortable, clean - a bed and a breakfast. At our last stop in Vienna, our hotel was included as part of the air package - was a 5 star hotel on the ring. We looked at each other and said "WOW" . and couldnt stop laughing.
On a more recent trip with my dad to Prague, our hotel was a 4 star beautifully decorated in Art Deco style- large room and a great bathroom - just lovely.
I have to admit - at home I have a very small bathroom last renovated 30 years ago with a hands held shower to glam it up. So I am a sucker for anywhere with a big bathroom , and a rain head and jet shower

I was just catching up with the later entries to this thread and reread Big Mike's comment about WWII surplus tents. I think I have him beat! Back in 1971 about a month after our wedding, we finally each had a week off work to take our honeymoon. We only had about $100.00 for the week. We took off in our 1967 VW bug and visited state and national parks in California. We had a $2.00 tube tent with a rope, a small cooler and two (previously used) WWII sleeping bags that my husband's grandfather had used back in the day. We didn't eat in restaurants. We had Cheerios or donuts for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and dinner was Dinty Moore beef stew or Franco-American spaghetti, heated up on a collapsible, very small double sterno. (If you don't know what a tube tent is, it is literally a soft plastic tube, which you feed a rope through and tie each rope end to a tree, with most of the tube on the ground. When you put your sleeping bags in, they cause the tube to become a triangle. It is small and a bit crowded, but we were smaller back then, and much hardier.) It was my first intro to the natural wonders of California, and I wouldn't trade that rough accommodation for anything! And I still don't dislike Dinty Moore and Franco American! All we spent for sleeping were the park or campground fees, and sometimes a fee for the showers, though most were free (and often cold!)
It sure is nice, though, to have a bed and private bath with a hot shower, and I am grateful for these little "luxuries."

I can remember road trips as college students when coming home we had to search under the car seats for enough change to pay the toll booths.
Good memories!

Pat. We were looking for buds (1970's).

My friend and I took a road trip in 1967 from California to New Mexico via Oregon, Yellowstone, and Colorado. By the time we got to Denver, we were broke. Another friend worked at the University hospital and said we could get money for giving blood. I didn't weigh enough, but my travel partner barely passed and did give blood and got money. Then we went out for pizza!

Edited to add: To relate this to the OP's accommodations post: In Yellowstone, we slept in the car - and had ice all over it the next morning!

And when my friend got home, the driver's seat in her car wouldn't go forward or back. Turned out, a large number coke bottles under the seat were preventing motion.

Mister E,
The toll booths didn't take buds as a currency!

Judy, I think I remember you from Woodstock. The mud slide.

Luxury is lost on me. I don't see a lot of value in hotel amenities, especially when I'm traveling. I won't have time to enjoy any of them. In fact, I don't care if the bathroom is down the hall. I want something clean and quiet where I can sleep at night and shower in the morning. If breakfast is included, great. If not, it's really not a big deal.

Start looking at hotels, pensions, hostals, hostels, etc. with no elevator and bathrooms that aren't ensuite. Travel outside of high season. You will find yourself in a completely different price range. I've also booked studio apartments through Airbnb at surprisingly great rates that allow me to eat at grocery store, rather than restaurant, prices.

A friend wanted to know where we stayed in Zurich post and pre flight. Looked it up and the price is about $USD100. Near the top of our price range but you don't get cheap in Switzerland particularly not in the cities.

Our most recent night in a hotel cost us $USD55. It was a public holiday weekend and original price was 65 but we booked an hour before arrival and he had dropped it to 55 as he had no bookings.
It was luxurious (by our standards). TV, air con (bonus as it was 35 deg C), large functional bathroom, toilet, shower. Double bed, comfy lounge chairs. Toaster, microwave, kettle, tea, coffee, milk, bikkies.
Pub next door, good meals. 2 parma, chips,salad and 2 pints of Bulmers only set us back $USD42.

Just been away visiting my wife's old home town and the "outlaws" We stayed with friends but I checked the price of double ensuite cabins and they were $USD45.

I like luxury as much as the next person, but all I need on a trip to Europe is a safe apartment with good WiFi, a balcony and a washing machine.
It has to have all three, or I won’t rent it.
In over 30 rentals over the years, there has only been one that was a bit iffy, in that it wasn’t very clean.
The rest have been amazing, with lovely hosts.
Sometimes I stay in a hotel for my first night after a very long flight, then move to a rental apartment the next day when I’m rested and have my wits back.
However, that hotel only needs to be clean ,serve breakfast, and be near said rental apartment.
I don’t need luxury hotel services.
We are all different, with different expectations!