Travel Tips
Choosing the right stay
Tax, arrival time, first look at the room and location: a short guide to what is not obvious at first glance when booking accommodation.
Tax may not be included in the shown price
Tourist or city tax is often not included in the price on screen and is paid at the property; hostel dorms are not exempt. Look for phrases like “paid at the property” in the booking summary. When you pay, ask for a receipt or invoice line for the tax.
- Keep a screenshot of the booking confirmation and the tax line.
- If you will pay the tax in cash, keep some cash with you.
- If you notice you paid the same tax twice, dispute it with the receipt.
If you arrive early or late, write ahead
Check-in usually starts in the afternoon. If you arrive late, confirm in advance whether reception is open, and whether there is a door code or key box. If you arrive early you do not have to wait for the room: leave the luggage in storage and head into the city.
- Message one day before arrival: write your estimated time and flight or bus number.
- Note the door code and address offline; your phone battery may die.
- Luggage storage is free in most places; photograph the bag you leave.
Spend two minutes when you enter the room
Before you unpack, test the door, lock, socket, hot water, noise from the window and internet speed. If you report a problem on day one, a room change is easy; if you wait until day three, it becomes an argument.
- Wait a minute in the shower for hot water to arrive.
- If there is no working socket by the bed, ask for an extension lead immediately.
- Test the window and door lock; report a security issue on the spot.
- Photograph anything missing or damaged and show reception.
Look at recent reviews, not the overall score
The overall score has built up over years; the real information is in the last three months of reviews. Read the cleanliness, noise and location sub-scores one by one, and check the area on Street View: is it a bar street, a main road, is the street you will return on at night well lit?
- Trust a complaint repeated by three people more than a single review.
- If you arrive at night, check what kind of street the way back is.
- Also ask the property for the price directly; sometimes the commission-free price is lower.
Short checklist
- Is tax included in the price, or paid at the property?
- Do reception hours match your arrival time?
- How do recent reviews describe cleanliness and noise?
- When you enter the room, test hot water, lock and sockets straight away.
- Keep a screenshot of the cancellation terms.