How to Find and Book the Best Accommodations for Your Family Vacation

Figuring out where your family will stay on vacation can sometimes feel like a daunting task. WIth so many options, how can you narrow it down and discover a great place for your family to stay while you are traveling? After years of booking accommodations for your family vacations, I’ve created a process that works well for discovering perfect places to rest our heads each night during vacations. I’m sharing all of my best tips and ideas that you can use to help you find a fantastic place for your family to stay on your next vacation.

Here are my easy tips and ideas for finding great accommodations for your family vacations.

Define your Needs

  • Think about specific wish list items you’d like to have.

  • Would you rather stay in a hotel or a vacation rental?

  • How many people will you be traveling with?

  • Will you need a crib?

  • Do you need it to be accessible?

  • What amenities would you like to have? A pool, kitchen, concierge, spa, etc.

  • What is your desired proximity to certain locations?

Once you have thought about what you will need, it will make it much easier to begin your search.

Seek Recommendations from friends/family

  • People you know can be a great resource if they have traveled to the same place you will be going.

  • Ask in person when you see a friend who has traveled to where you are going.

  • Post on Instagram In a story asking for ideas on where to stay.

  • Ask your friends on Facebook where they like to stay when visiting your same destination.

Consider your budget

  • Before you begin searching for a place, think about what your budget will be for your accomodations.

  • If you are traveling with a partner, check in with her/him and find out their expectations for the budget.

  • Think about if you are willing to splurge for a night or two and pay more and then pay less for other nights.

  • Do you want to stay in the same place for the duration of your trip?

Start your online research

  • Depending on the type of places I want to stay, I will open four tabs on my computer, I will search Airbnb, VRBO, Hotels.com and Booking.com.

  • If I know I want a vacation rental home, I’ll start with Airbnb and VRBO. I primarily search Airbnb but I always do a quick look on VRBO too. I’ve found the same places listed on both sites and sometimes the prices are different.

  • Hotels.com and Booking.com are both great places to look for hotels.

  • You can also consider using credit card points. I do like using the points from my Chase Sapphire Card to book hotels. Hyatt has an especially good exchange rate.

Tips for Using Booking Sites

  • Always enter the dates of travel and the number of people traveling at the beginning of your search. You don’t want to spend time looking at places that don’t match what you need.

  • Read the reviews! All of the sites I mentioned have robust reviews. This can help you have a better idea of what to expect if you book specific places.

  • Use the search filters. If you know you want a beachfront home with a pool, enter those items into the search filters. If you know you want a wash, enter that. Narrowing down options to what you really want helps you save time and stress.

  • Look for any extra fees. Some hotels charge resort fees upon arrival to the hotel. It’s no fun to have that be a surprise!

  • Check on the cancelation policies for the place you want to stay. Make sure you are comfortable with the rules.

  • Consider the layout and number of beds for the place you want to stay. Be sure that will work well for your group.

  • All of the sites have a map with pins dropped for accommodations. Zoom in on the map and only show the exact area where you want to stay.

Ask Questions

  • If something isn’t clear in the listing, ask the hotel or host for clarification.

  • If you’d like an early check-in, ask for it!

  • If you want recommendations on things to do in the areas, ask ahead of time.

  • I’ve found that vacation rental hosts and hotels are happy to message with you to answer any questions you may have both before and after booking.

Stay organized

  • Figure out a system that work for you to keep all of your reservations organized for your trip.

  • This is expeically important if you are traveling around to multiple places throughout your vacation.

  • I like using Google spreadsheets to organize all of our vacation details. It’s easy to share it will all of the travelers in the group so everyone knows details

There you have it! My top tips for discovering perfect places to stay on family vacation. What other tips do you have?

Budget Friendly, Family TravelLisa AndrewsComment