When choosing a hotel or dorm room, we are very picky. We have strict standards that must be met for us to be able to rest our heads, although we have been known to become rather lax if the city requires it. The staples that make a good hotel? Great location, clean rooms, free WiFi, and air conditioning. What makes a good hotel become one of our top five? Value and character. A $200/night room may be great, but it lacks value, especially if the management are not equipped with credit card processing for hotels. No, to get on this list, you cannot just throw money at your accommodation and make it to the top. To get on this list, you must be a true gem.
The following five hotels have all of these traits, and make us want to make reservations right away because next time we go back, there is no going anywhere else.
Hanoi Hotel Rendezvous - Hanoi, Vietnam
Readers of this blog should be well aware of our love of this hotel by now. Although Hotel Rendezvous is a boutique hotel by design, they have one dorm room that I was lucky enough to find myself in for several days while exploring Northern Vietnam. For $8/night, I felt like I was walking into paradise. Why is $8/night for a dorm room, often considered to be very expensive in Hanoi, amazing? Well, several reasons.
- Double beds for everyone with fluffy sheets.
- A full shower, great water pressure, and hot temperatures.
- Amazing Australian owners who recommended the best restaurants in the city.
- Free breakfast, even for the dorm
- Luxury tours to Halong Bay and Sapa at cheap prices
- Located right in the center of the Old Quarter
Wombat's Berlin - Berlin, Germany
Although I was not very fond of the city of Berlin, Wombat's Hostel was one of the best I've ever stayed in. Everything about the hostel screams perfection. Between the clean rooms, ideal location, and one of the best (and cheapest!) roof top bars in the entire city with a view to match, you'll want to spend as much time in the hostel as you do outside. After a great night at the bar, a few minutes walking down the road puts you at some of Berlin's best sights including Berlin Cathedral (Berliner Dom) and the public square Alexanderplatz.
Recent prices at Wombat's Berlin are reported to be approximately 23 Euro per night.
Da House Hotel - San Juan, Puerto Rico
Da House is a boutique hotel located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. The location is something that should be noted, because Da House is located right next to the world famous La Bombonera diner which has some of the best food in the city. But lets ignore food for a moment and talk about the character of the hotel. Although the walls may be thin and you can hear the outside noises of the streets if you have a window, there is something about the building that just screams Puerto Rico. From the historic architecture to every room and hallway being decorated with artwork from local talent, the hotel feels very personal. With only a handful of rooms, its very obvious for anyone staying to see why. Factor in the $80/night price, one of the cheapest rates in Old San Juan, and you'll understand why we love it... just remember to bring a pair of ear plugs if you are a light sleeper, a tip that goes for any hotel in the city.
Al Zawaideh Desert Camp - Wadi Rum, Jordan
When you go out into the desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan, expecting a five star hotel is a thought that should be reserved only for the foolish. The key word in this accommodation is "camp," but the Al Zawaideh Desert Camp is unlike any camp I've ever stayed in anywhere in the world. The first thought of the word camp? Isolated and far from everything. The perk of camping in Wadi Rum? You want to be far from everything, and hanging out with the Bedouin in Jordan is one of the definitions of remote. But being remote is not all roughing it, the Bedouin have a lot of fun and are quite amazing to hang out and talk with as well as going out on one of the best 4x4 rides in the world. If you can handle the August heat, the Perseid Meteor Shower puts on one of the best shows in the world and you may be inclined to pull your cot out from the tents to sleep under the falling stars.
iBed - Koh Samui, Thailand
This message goes out to all future hostel owners out there. If you can make your hostel feel like a resort, you will succeed. iBed in Koh Samui, Thailand is a perfect example of this as you will never feel like you are in a shared dorm room during your entire stay. Sure, there will be other people in the room, but each bed has its own personal curtain and television included in the bunk. Sure, you share bathrooms with all guests of the hostel, but the showers are more luxurious and aesthetically appealing than most five star resorts. There is also the neighboring resort owned by the same company, with complimentary access to all those staying in the significantly lower priced rooms at the hostel. It may not be beachfront, but a two minute walk is close enough.
Recent prices at iBed Koh Samui start as low as $16/night, but entirely worth it for the luxury.
Have you been to any of the hostels or hotels we have listed in our Top 5? What did you think? If not, what would you consider to be your top 5 accommodations anywhere in the world? Comment below to let us know!