Austin is known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” depending on your preference, you can find a range of live music venues in the city. In addition, the city also offers a variety of food, outdoor adventures, and vibrant culture. All this and more makes Austin a great place to visit.
When visiting a vibrant and exciting destination like Austin, the choice of lodging makes a huge difference in your travel experience. It can elevate your trip and comfort or dampen your mood.
Whether you’re booking a hotel in a resort to enjoy the various amenities and attractions or looking for an economical place to crash at night, choosing the right accommodation is crucial. It’s a major factor to consider when planning a trip to Austin for a romantic getaway, a solo trip, a family vacation, or a business tour.
Irrespective of the reason for your stay, you must consider the following factors when searching for the best lodging in Austin.
1. Consider Your Needs
The first factor you must consider is why you are visiting Austin. If you are going with your family, you may prefer vacation rentals for their spaciousness and freedom. Vacation rentals often have home-like options such as a kitchen and laundry facilities, making your stay with kids and family more comfortable. Platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo offer various options, including houses, apartments, or shared accommodations.
On the contrary, you may desire a more luxurious feel if it is a romantic getaway or your honeymoon. In that case, select a luxury hotel such as Four Seasons Austin, standing 32 stories tall with 148 condo units. Staying at such a place with its state-of-the-art amenities will let you enjoy your trip to the fullest.
Considering your needs and what’s important to you makes finding the perfect lodging easier.
2. Know The Right Places to Search for Lodging Options
Not all sources provide authentic information. So, you must know where to search when looking for the best place to stay in Austin.
One of the logical options to consider when looking for accommodation is guidebooks. However, their limitation is that they only provide a few options and give a small description of the place, which is often insufficient for making a decision. In addition, these guidebooks often lack photos, which makes it even more challenging to decide.
An online search is the easiest method to look for lodging options. You can find extensive information from various sites, read reviews, and compare ratings. Online sites also post pictures of the rooms, making their information more valuable.
3. Start Your Search Well in Advance
Finding the perfect lodging can take time. Start the process in advance to thoroughly consider various options and pick the most suitable one.
By starting your search early, you can confirm space availability and avoid any hassles at the last minute. Early search also allows you to book your desired accommodation even during peak vacation season, festivals, and conferences.
Many hotels and vacation rentals offer concessions for early booking, allowing you to lock the deal at lower rates, making your accommodation more affordable.
Knowing you have already booked your accommodation gives you peace of mind, allowing you to consider other aspects of travel, such as packing, arranging for pickup, etc.
4. Check The Ratings
Ratings of previous customers about a hotel or place of accommodation allow you to weed out some options. Some people also leave reviews along with the ratings. Reading them helps identify the problem with a hotel or vacation rental option.
When looking for a hotel, apply a filter to only consider the option with a 9+ rating out of 10 or a 4+ rating if it is out of five. This way, you will only consider the lodging options rated as wonderful by their guests.
The hotels or lodging with a 9+ rating might be expensive in some cases, but they are also the cleanest and tidiest among all. So, if you have the budget, why not spend it on something good?
In case you are planning a budget-restricted visit to Austin, even then, consider the options with more than a 6/10 rating for a reasonably comfortable stay.
5. Search By the Type of Lodging
When searching for a place to lodge, search by accommodation type, for instance, vacation rental, hotel room, apartment, Bed and Breakfasts, etc. This way, you can narrow your search and customize it. Besides, you don’t want to select a perfect accommodation only to find it in someone’s apartment and not in a hotel as you desire.
Searching by “accommodation type” enables you to only look at the options within your budget and avoid getting enticed by options you cannot consider.
6. Look According to The Places You Want to Visit
When visiting Austin for vacationing, you will probably want your accommodation near most tourist attractions to avoid wasting time and money on intra-city traveling. So, search for the best lodging according to its proximity to the places you want to visit.
To search the lodging, first list all the places you want to visit, such as Downtown Austin, East Austin arts district, etc. Next, look for lodging options near these places.
You can use Google Maps to locate the sites and consider nearby lodging options. Once you have a few selections, use your preference to zero in your search based on your budget, accommodation type, amenities (such as parking, wifi, etc.), and so on.
7. Consider The Amenities
Consider basic amenities as well as those that are important to you.
If traveling in your car, you must look for a parking option. Ask the owner if a parking service is available. If so, whether it is included in the fare and how far it is from the actual place of accommodation. In some cases, you are required to park your vehicle in a separate garage. In the case of a BnB, you may get permission to park in the street, but it is rare.
Wifi availability is another amenity you must consider when selecting a lodging option. Check if the wifi is free or requires you to pay some fee. In some situations, especially in hotels, free wifi is available in the lobby, which is a little counterintuitive, though, as it keeps the lobby crowded.
Other amenities include breakfast, tea/coffee-making facilities in the room, a gym, pool, spa, etc.
Conclusion
Choosing the best lodging depends on your preference and what seems right for you. For instance, you may prefer to stay in a hotel with all the luxury amenities, while others may look for a place to spend the night. Overall, some factors to consider when looking for accommodation in Austin are mentioned above. Although the list is not exhaustive, it does mention the most important factors.
