Planning a city trip? Discover the best websites and apps to search & book your stay.
Location & transport on site
If you want to do everything on foot, it could be useful to make a map in advance of the things you definitely want to see/do and to look for accommodations nearby. If you don't mind taking public transport, you can also make sure that your accommodation is located near a metro station or bus stop.Budget & number of fellow travelers
If you only have a limited budget, it can sometimes be more interesting to look at hostels. Even if you don't like to share a room, because hostels often also offer private rooms. And if you are with a larger group, booking a dorm, an apartment or an entire house can often be a lot cheaper.Extras
What else might be important for your choice? For example, if you go by car, it can be useful if your hotel has a (free) parking or is located near (affordable) public parking. Or would you like an (indoor) swimming pool, wellness or other extras? Then you can use these criteria to filter out a lot of places to stay.The best websites and apps to search & book your accommodation can be found on this page:
AirBnB
Are you travelling with a large group, do you like to stay in an unique location or do you want to feel like a local? Then AirBnB is a good choice to book your accomodation.
Do check first whether your AirBnB stay does not have its own website on which you can book, because there's a good chance that you will have to pay less on that website because they will not have to give a percentage to AirBnB.
I have booked my stay on AirBnB a number of times, at the following locations:
- Awenne: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6874351
- Dubrovnik: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1114117
- Lisbon: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/12882885
- Ljubljana: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4569538
- Valencia: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9313067
I also booked an AirBnB in Paris and Vienna, but those aren't on the website anymore.
Booking.com
Although it can sometimes be cheaper to book on the website of your hotel / hostel / apartment, I usually book my stay on Booking.com. Because if you book your accommodation regularly via this website, you can use their loyalty program (Genius) and unlock an extra discount. Moreover, I think their app is quite handy and you can also add your booking to your Apple wallet or save it as a pdf on your phone. Plus via Booking you can often cancel last minute and book without prepayment, which is not always possible on the website of the accommodation itself (and is not unimportant, if something unexpected comes up).
I have booked my hotel or hostel at these locations via Booking:
- Amsterdam: Conscious Hotel Amsterdam City - The Tire Station (2017) &
- Jazz In The City (2024)
- Barcelona: Chic & Basic Born Boutique Hotel (2015) & Casa Gràcia (2022)
- Berlin: art'otel berlin mitte (2017) & MEININGER Hotel Berlin East Side Gallery (2020)
- Bologna: Dopa Hostel (2017)
- Brela: Apartments Rako (2017)
- Cologne: Hostel Köln (2023)
- Copenhagen: Urban House Copenhagen by MEININGER (2017)
- Dijon: Aparthotel Adagio Access Dijon République (2023)
- Düsseldorf: 25hours Hotel Das Tour (2020)
- Edinburgh: Writers View, Royal Mile Apartment Edinburgh (2022)
- Florence: Forte16 View & SPA (2021)
- Frankfurt: a&o Frankfurt Galluswarte (2017) & Hotel Cult Frankfurt City (2020)
- Ghent: ibis Gent Centrum Opera (2019) & B&B Achilles (2023)
- Hamburg: Ruby Lotti Hotel Hamburg (2020)
- Klotten / Moselle region: Haus Mosel (2020)
- Levanto: Agriturismo Costa di Faraggiana (2021)
- London: The Gyle (2009), Generator Hostel London (2018) & Zedwell Piccadilly Circus (2023)
- Lyon: MEININGER Hotel Lyon Centre Berthelot (2023)
- Madrid: Toc Hostel (2016)
- Manchester: BrewDog Doghouse Manchester (2024)
- Munich: Bold Hotel München Zentrum (2021)
- Ostend: Hotel Royal Astrid (2015)
- Paris: Hôtel Beaurepaire (2011)
- Porto: PILOT Design Hostel & Bar (2016)
- Portsmouth / Southsea: Becketts (2023)
- Prague: NYX Hotel Prague (2015) & H7 Palace (2019)
- Rotterdam: Mainport Design Hotel (2017) & Supernova Hotel (2023)
- Stockholm: Comfort Hotel Xpress Stockholm Central (2023)
- Turin: DoubleTree by Hilton Turin Lingotto (2021)
- Utrecht: BUNK Hotel Utrecht (2019)
- Valencia: Urban Youth Hostel (2016)
- Venice / Mestre: Hilton Garden Inn Venice Mestre (2021)
- Zadar: Apartments Mikulić (2017)
- Zagreb: Palmers Apartments and Rooms (2017)
- Zurich: Homestay Zurich center (2018) - perfect for a large group
Plus a few others, but they don't seem to have a page on Booking anymore.
Hostelworld
Are you traveling alone, on a limited budget or would you like to book a room for a large group? Then a hostel is often a better solution. Some hostels have their own website where you can book and many hostels can also be found on Booking, but Hostelworld is a website that is specifically aimed at hostels.I have booked three hostels via this website:
- Amsterdam: Ecomama (2017)
- Lisbon: Lisb'on Hostel (2012)
- London: Meininger Hyde Park (2016) - unfortunately permanently closed
AirBnB
Available in both the Apple App store as in the Google Play store.
Booking.com
Available in both the Apple App store as in the Google Play store.
Hostelworld
Available in both the Apple App store as in the Google Play store.
There are probably many other websites and apps where you can compare hotel prices and/or book your stay. If there is one that should certainly not be missing here, you can always pass it on to me.