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Travel Tip #25

Do Not Stay in a Hotel Near the Main Attractions

hotel central pragueWhen you get to a city, you want to see the sights. That’s why you there, right? And unless this is a daytrip, you are probably going to spend the night. That does not mean that you have to stay next door to the Coliseum. Nor does it mean you have to stay in a neighboring village and commute in. Lodgings next to major attractions and train stations often charge more for a lower quality room than hotels mere minutes away. These hotels, with their signs in English, charge a premium for their convenience. Guests see them the minute they get off the train and think “Let’s stay here,” and since they did not do any research before they left, they will pay extra for their negligence. Now I know you did not leave home just to spend time in your hotel room, but having a clean, safe and quiet place to regroup and relax is important, and you should not have to overpay for this basic necessity.

Think of a city as a dart board with tourist area as the bullseye. Most people walk a mile in about 20 minutes, so there is a huge area surrounding the major attractions that is within walking distance of them, but not so close as to be seen from the hotel’s doorstep. This is your sweet spot. Hotels in this area will not only give you a better value, but staying a little further out gets you away from the the tourists and the Dunkin’ Donuts and Madame Tussuad’s that go along with them, allows you to see more of the city besides what’s on the postcard and will force you to get some much-needed exercise.

Know Before You Go

Consult your guidebooks and TripAdvisor before you leave to look for places that are little further away from the center of the action.

Bottom Line

Greener pastures await for those willing to stray a bit.

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