We have stayed at many hotels, vacation rentals and alternative accommodations in our years of full-time travel. We always get asked where we have stayed, so we have compiled a list for your reference.
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Agoda works best for stays in Asia and Africa. But they have flights, apartments, activities and more. Take a look here.
Asia
Japan
Kanazawa, Japan – Vacational Rental Sunny Heights
We loved getting to sleep on Tatami Matts, it made us feel like we got to live a more traditional Japanese experience. The matts here were a bit thinner than we would have liked, but the place was nice. We were close to the castle and park with blooming cherry blossoms. But food options were a 30-minute walk away which got a bit annoying after the 2nd night. There were not many cheep food options in the city.
Kyoto, Japan – THE POCKET HOTEL Kyoto Karasuma Gojo
This hotel is a type of capsule accommodations. They have a communal washroom which was no issue for us. We got to have tatami mats which we loved. The hotel is well located and we could walk to most attractions. The mats could fold up and we could use the space with the table set up as shown here. It was a fun experience without being jammed into to small of a space. There are great food options around as well.
Jordan
Petra, Jordan – Nomads Hotel Petra
We had a great stay here. The hotel was basic but cute. They have deals with some local restaurants to offer deals to guests. So, they will call restaurants, so they know to expect your visit. Parking is minimal, but possible. The only issue we had here was when a guest moved our clothes to the dryer before we returned and our new clothes were burnt. The dryer was very strong and may not be recommended.
Amman, Jordan – Post Boutique Hotel
We had shortened our stay here as we decided to leave Amman early. The hotel was nice but not well located unless you had a car as we did. The hotel showed a lot of wear and tear for the short time it had been open.
Malaysia
Langkawi, Malaysia – Cenang Room Rahsia Motel
This place was a bit of a walk from the beach but we loved it. It was very spacious and had a great pool. Laundry is available next door and the owner is helpful if you need anything. We would stay here again.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Travelodge Chinatown Kuala Lumpur
This hotel is located center to all attractions in the city. The hotel is a bit warn and could use some repairs. We also found it dirty compared to the accommodations in the area. But it’s a great location if you are headed to Taman Negara next as the bus leaves from here.
Georgetown, Malaysia – B Street Hotel
A very central hotel near the jetty. Close to museums and a lot of the famous street art. Great food options are available all around.
Taman Negara, Malaysia – TEBiNG Guest House Taman Negara
This place was a great upgrade to the horror stories we heard of in Taman Negara. We had hot water, an awesome breakfast overlooking the river for a small additional cost. We should have spent 1-2 more days here to be able to do more of the park trails. We preferred doing things at our own pace with the ability to sign up for prearranged tours as we wanted. Great Stay.
South Korea
Seoul, South Korea – 1012 Namsan House
This place was basic but had everything you needed. Right in the city center and walking distance to N Seoul Tower. You can take the near by funicular railway if you need some assistance getting up the steep hill to this place. We would go here again because of its central location.
Thailand
Ao Nang Beach, Thailand- Vacay Aonang Hotel
This hotel is on the main strip with great food located all around. A 15 minute walk to the beach was not bad. The roof top pool here is the best and gives a great view of the surrounding area.
Staff helped us when we needed transportation and they were welcoming each time we got back.
Khao Sok, Thailand – Khao Sok Blue Mountain
This place is so cute, the owner and staff are very helpful. Most of their tour prices are the best available in the area. But do not walk here with your luggage. Call and set up a transfer from the hotel. Its usually included. We didn’t and I broke my luggage wheel on the long dirt road. The food options are better in town but without luggage the walk is not an issue.
Phuket, Thailand – The Pho Thong Phuket
This place is basic but clean. You can walk to the old town or see the 3D museum across the street. No elevator available here. But a great value.
Nai Yang Beach, Thailand – Phuket Sirinapha Resort
We stayed here 1 night as it was close to the airport. It’s a great simple place but its not close to anything. The owner drove us to the beach area to grab some food and picked us up for a small cost. They offer airport pick up and drop off for free. A good simple place if you need a place for 1 night.
Turkey
Izmir, Turkey – NK Hotel
This was our final stop in Turkey. The parking is limited so if you need it arrive early. The internet is also not great. But the view is nice and for one night it did the job before we returned the car. The bathtub is huge and the rooms are spacious. Great for a quick stay.
Çanakkale, Turkey – NR1 HOTEL
This hotel is a bit of a walk to the Troy statue. The owner is very organized and ready to help with recommendations and check-in. This place is small and simple. It does not have AC which wasn’t an issue for us but it may be depending on the time of your visit. It is very well priced and a great deal with street parking.
Bergama, Turkey – Ayvazali Hotel
We booked this very last minute and arrived 30 minutes later. We wanted to visit the Pergamon Ruins. The staff were so great and the restaurant next door had some of the best food in the entire country. We would have stayed here for longer but we were in a rush to see more of the country.
Selçuk, Turkey – Tuncay Pension
We only got to spend 2 nights here but it suited our needs well. We got to the Ephesus early and could explore other nearby museums and ruins by foot. The door remains locked for safety and the owner like to keep a positive vibe all the time.
Pamukkale, Turkey – Shah Sultan Ozturk Hotel
It is great to be able to see balloons in the morning from the hotel. Its a short walk to the ruins from the town entrance and you are near restaurants for dinner at night. You will need a taxi from the bus station but then no car is needed when in town. The owner always wants to help and loves to chat.
Antalya, Turkey – Urcu Hotel
This hotel is central and close to the old part of town. Amongst old cobblestone streets and great restaurants, this place has charming staff and a pool if it’s warm enough. Transportation from this point is good to get to all areas of the city. We loved our stay here.
Goreme, Turkey – Henna Hotel
We splurged here to get some iconic photos with balloons overhead. This hotel is a photographers dream and we got some great photos. We loved our stay and would recommend it to anyone visiting Turkey.
Goreme, Turkey – Bedrock Cave Hotel
This place was very cheep and well located in the center of town. Its great for a few nights but a week here with no natural light gets to be a bit much. The novelty of a cave hotel can get old quick. But with breakfast included, it was a great find.
Europe
Croatia
Split, Croatia – Apartment Iris Split
This place was very spacious. However it was a bit far from the city center and we took a cab some days. The host is such a pleasant lady and offered to drive us when we left. The people of Croatia are so wonderful.
England
Bristol, England – Delta Hotels by Marriott Bristol City Centre
This well located hotel is walking distance to all the cities sites. The breakfast is extra and a bit basic. I would have preferred to skip it as the room is always busy. The view of the park is charming yet the place is a bit expensive.
Greece
Chios, Greece – CityZen Rooms
Our room was located on the ground level, and it was quite small but sufficient. We did have issues getting in as there is no desk, and no one answered our messages. We had to ask some locals for help as we didn’t have a phone line. This place however is located close to some good food and a short walk from the ferry. Once in we had no issues.
Kos. Greece – Pantheon Apartments
Kos Town
A quiet little basic apartment-style hotel with everything you need. We found the location great to walk to everything. The bus station nearby and the beach were great assets and the restaurants were all so memorable. This island has some great food and the people were all so nice.
Paleokastritsa, Greece (Corfu) – Korina Studios
This place was basic but had all you needed. The balcony area has some nice sunsets and the location near the prime beaches was a plus. We unfortunately missed our flight with this location as the earliest bus does not get you to the airport in time for a Ryan Air flight. So, there will be an extra taxi cost if this is what you are relying on. The taxi cost last I checked was about $100. So not cheep.
Mykonos, Greece – Pension Alexandra
This hotel is a bit from town but still walk-able. They are close to 2 beaches. The beach up the road is better than the one in front of the hotel. The hotel will pick you up and drop you off at the ferry port which is so helpful on this island.. We loved our stay here and are ig fans of Mykonos.
Paros, Greece – Hellinko Hotel
Walking distance from the ferry port and less than 5 minutes from the beach, this place has a great welcoming staff. We got upgraded to a room with a kitchen, however we didn’t get a chance to use it. The room was basic but offered everything we needed.
Fria, Santorini, Greece – Sweet Pop
Sweet Pop is a well located hotel in Fira, close to shopping and food. Walking distance to the bus station which gets you to Oia and other sites such as the black beaches. IT was the only hotel available for less than $100 during our stay and the pool was a great touch. The Jacuzzi hot tub in the room is huge and a great relax when you are back in your room. It may be a little difficult to find but the signage is good.
Ireland
Dublin, Ireland – Abbey Court Hostel
We booked a private room here. No elevator so be prepared. We got the top floor, and we had a skylight, no window. The place has an awesome location right in the center of everything. You had access to the amenities but had to pay extra for a few of them. Breakfast was included but was basic. We were here for 1 night before catching the bus to the airport. There are many airport bus options a few steps from the front door.
Scotland
Stirling, Scotland – Friars Wynd Hotel
This is a lovely little place over a pub. We had no noise issues. We kept our car here when we went to explore Stirling castle as the walk was short. We didn’t really save on parking so its your choice. But we would stay here again as we fell in love with stirring castle.
North America
Coata Rica
La Fortuna, Costa Rica – Hotel Villas Vilma
This place is well located away from the noise of town. It has a great view of the volcano and a pool that is well maintained. The restaurant across the street had the best food we had in Costa Rica and we ate there every night. We can’t wait to return.
San José, Costa Rica – Cando Living Apartments in Central Avenue
Our room had no windows, however for 2 nights we were pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was. Its well located in the middle of town. But San José, Costa Rica is not a tourist town and is not a place I would revisit unless catching a flight or if our flight came in too late are early to catch the local bus.
Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Colonial 154 H Boutique
This beautiful hotel is centrally located in the historic district of town. It is within walking distance from most of the attractions but tucked away enough to keep it quiet at night. The staff are lovely and the included breakfast is a great start to your day.
South America
Bolivia
La Paz, Bolivia – Hotel Sagarnaga
This hotel was right around the corner from the witch’s market. We didn’t find La Paz to be bustling city with lots to do. Its typically used as a base to explore the near by area or to start or end your trip to the famous salt flats of Bolivia.
Puno, Bolivia – Hostal Oscar Inn
This place was a great deal. It offered free breakfast of bread, eggs, coffee, and juice. Which is typical in all of Bolivia. But the rooms were warm, hot water was not an issue, the view over the city was nice and they were close to great food options and a gorgeous church. We only spent 1 night and arrived very early. They were fully booked and couldn’t accept us early, they apologized for this. Even though they are called a hostel, we had our own private room that was spacious. But pack light as there is no elevator.
Peru
Huacachina, Peru – La Estancia Hotel Ica
This hotel is a bit far from the main town of Huacachina. We had to take a tuk tuk into town to catch our tour. The hotel itself is new and well maintained. It’s located on the back side of the dunes with a nice pool. The place remains locked and private. You need to get buzzed in. Its nice here to get away from the party noise.
Paracas, Peru – Hostal Mendieta
This was just down the road from everything this was a nice family run place. We did have to drag our suitcase down the road a bit, but it was about 2 blocks, and it wasn’t an issue. Taxis are available if you needed. We packed too much. Its still central to everything and a short walk to food options.
Africa
Egypt
Siwa Oasis, Siwa, Egypt – Albabenshal Lodge Siwa
This place is inside a mud fort in Siwa. It was one of our favorite stays, we wish we stayed 2 days longer. The owner was very welcoming and let us arrive early and check out late. Even gave us breakfast at no extra charge when we arrived. He set up a tour with a great guide and helped us whenever we needed. However, a mud building doesn’t hold heat well and in February this was very cold at night. But so worth it.
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt –Safir Sharm Waterfalls Resort
This hotel was very empty when we visited in early March. Their main audience is Russians and Ukrainians so shows were in Russia which was weird for us. But an interesting experience. The grounds were huge and there were multiple beaches. We stayed on resort for our entire stay and lounged by the pool. The food left a lot to be desired.
Alexandria, Egypt – New Hotel
We had a private room and shared bathroom here. It was sufficient for our stay and well located to walk to most places. It does get cold in the winter months. The staff were very helpful and welcoming. We got to meet some other nice travelers and get the best Koshary down the street.
Oceania
