Choosing where to stay

Location is the largest variable

However good the property, spending two hours a day travelling removes that time from the trip. Marking the places you want to visit on a map and choosing something near their centre does more for satisfaction than upgrading the property. How many minutes on foot to transport, and whether that walk feels fine at night, matter too. Looking around the neighbourhood in a map app's street view or photos helps you avoid dark streets at night or steep hills. Checking the route from the airport or station with your luggage also makes the first and last days much easier.

The listed price is not the final price

Search results often exclude taxes, cleaning fees and resort charges. The total jumping at the payment screen is common. Compare the final amount for the whole stay rather than the nightly headline. The same property can be priced differently, with different inclusions, on different booking sites, so compare two or three and check the property's own website as well.

• Compare totals including tax, cleaning and service charges
• Check whether deposits and city tax are paid on arrival
• Whether breakfast is included, and what it is worth
• Whether parking and wifi cost extra

There is an order to reading reviews

An average score carries little information. Read recent reviews first, since upkeep changes, then read the low scores to see which complaints repeat. One person's grievance can be set aside; the same problem recurring is probably real. Noise, cleanliness and check-in handling are where repetition matters most. Listing photos are often taken to look bigger and brighter than reality, so look at the photos guests have posted too.

Check the cancellation terms first

If your plans could shift at all, a slightly more expensive rate with free cancellation is worth it. Non-refundable rates only make sense for genuinely fixed dates. Noting the free-cancellation deadline in your calendar keeps it from slipping. When the booking site and the property show different cancellation terms, assume the stricter one applies. Keep the booking confirmation, and if you cancel, make sure you also receive a cancellation confirmation to avoid disputes later.

Match the type to the situation

Hotels offer consistent service and cleaning; apartment-style stays have kitchens and laundry, which suits longer visits. Guesthouses are cheap and sociable at the cost of noise and privacy. How many nights, and who you are travelling with, decide the answer. Travelling with children or older relatives, check whether there is a lift and how many stairs are involved. For a tightly scheduled trip, a hotel with good transport links tends to work best; for a relaxed longer stay, a place with everyday facilities usually satisfies more.

Arrival time and check-in conditions

If you arrive late at night, check how late the front desk is staffed, or, for self check-in, when and how you will receive the entry instructions. Whether you can leave bags before check-in and after check-out also shapes your day. Many properties ask for a passport and credit card at check-in and place a deposit hold, so bring a card in the name of the person who booked. If you will arrive late, tell the property in advance through the booking site's messages so the booking is not treated as a no-show.

Scams and safety

As a rule, refuse any request to pay outside the booking platform; if you pay off-platform, you have little protection when something goes wrong. Be suspicious of listings with glamorous photos and hardly any reviews, or prices far below the going rate. On arrival, find the emergency exit and check that the door lock works properly. Put valuables in the room safe, or keep them on you if there is none. If something goes wrong, contact the booking site's customer service in a way that leaves a written record.

Checklist before booking

One more pass over these items before you press the pay button prevents most regrets. Rates, taxes and cancellation rules vary by property and country and can change, so go by the latest conditions on the payment screen.

• Distance to the places you want to see, and the nearest station
• Final total including taxes and fees
• Free-cancellation deadline
• Recent reviews and low-score reviews
• Check-in hours and whether late arrival is possible
• Name on the booking matches the passport