|
Thanatosian posted:So, historically I have been mostly a budget traveler, finding the cheapest reasonable hotel I can, going to not-too-popular travel destinations or just visiting my parents. The last time I took a serious vacation was to Taiwan in 2017, and for that I stayed in a friend's parents' apartment, which wasn't terrifically luxurious, but was absolutely great for my purposes (clean, had a bathroom with a shower, and a mattress for me to sleep on). I've tended to think of the hotel/motel I'm staying at as basically a place I sleep at, and that's it. I've stayed in nicer places for work (the Luxor in Vegas, the Marriott in Chicago), but those were for conferences, and were really just places to sleep. I think the hotel thing varies widely based on where you're going. In Japan, hotels tend to be expensive and cater to business travelers that aren't spending their own money. This is why, for better or for worse, Airbnb has been a really good option in many places around the world. Not only do you get bedding and space, in some cases you can also have laundry facilities that negate the need to pack as much stuff. That usually requires some strategic booking if you're traveling around different areas to ensure that the property you stay in has those facilities at appropriate intervals during the trip, but that shouldn't be a terrible burden in most cases in a highly developed place like Japan. I personally see no reason to choose a big chain like Marriott unless it's a super short stay, you're traveling on business, or you want the luxury of a full service hotel in which case case I wouldn't pick a plain Marriott property, or you have a lot of money that you don't care about. I say this with lifetime platinum status at Marriott that holds almost no value to me over the last couple of (pre-pandemic) years. If you're traveling with friends and being at the location is a big deal (think Hokkaido versus Osaka, as an example) then a place like an Airbnb where you can make meals and hang out is nice; if you're trying to spend time in Tokyo or another city then more utilitarian approaches are both warranted and a good idea in my opinion. If you are looking for the luxury option, look at the high end from Marriott (W, Westin, JW Marriott, Ritz Carlton), Hyatt (Park Hyatt) and the few others out there (Conrad, Intercontinental, etc.) Only with decently high levels of loyalty status do you get things like breakfast, lounge access, and other amenities without paying for them. All that neat poo poo is available if you're looking to drop some cash, but the value you get is directly proportional to what your expectations and goals for travel are. In sum, I don't think you're doing it wrong and life is about choices.
|
#
¿
Jul 27, 2021 16:35
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 9, 2024 09:07 |
|