Hotels vs. Hostels

This past weekend, I was smart not to plan much of anything. Friday night we had a fun going away party to attend. The music and the people were just too good, so we kept dancing around to the tunes in the back yard until nearly midnight. Pretty perfect way to kick off summer (minus the saying goodbye thing).

The rest of the weekend was full of travel prep - errands to Target, REI, Verizon, etc. Per the usual, we walked into Target for a whopping three things and came out with about 20 travel "necessities" and forgot to grab ear plugs! As much as I hate buying overpriced travel size items, I know it's worth it when you have to lug your stuff with you for three weeks straight.

We even spent a few hours reading travel books because you know, there's nothing like last minute planning!


And in reality, they do have some pretty good tips about specific cities and travel in general.

Hostels vs. Hotels
We now have London, Barcelona, Rome and Gerardmer (northeastern France) accommodations booked! They won't be fancy, but they should suit our needs and be fairly close to the main attractions. It's funny how 6 years can change your perspective a bit. I keep saying that we'll stay at hostels, but so far, we only have one night booked in a hostel.

Paying $20-30 more per night just seems worth it over having to deal with a poor night's sleep or partying 20 year-olds.

That being said, I still have a hard time wanting to splurge on any of our places because we're going to be gone for three weeks! But then I think about a peaceful night's rest, our own bathrooms, safety, etc. and the money seems completely worth it.

So far, we will be staying in a hostel, University dorms, a hotel and a room in a home via airbnb to see the Tour de France. The variety should keep things interesting, that's for sure.

Last Week's Workouts

Monday - Rest (but ran around all day at work as it was graduation day)

Tuesday - power yoga

Wednesday - a.m. Summer Shape Up workout 1 + 1.5 mile easy jog, p.m. bike ride with Lindsey! Beautiful night. Legs were definitely sluggish the last few miles.

Thursday - 45 min a.m. Yogaglo flow with Kathryn Budig, p.m. miles around Hayward Field. The right hip was still feeling pretty cranky, so I did the first 10 min of tempo with the speed group, then stretched and jogged easy for another 25 or so. 

Friday - 35 min on the bike trainer + 35 min strength + ab session

Saturday - 5 mile Ridgeline Trail run with friends + summer solstice yoga flow with Lindsey. Starting my morning with a sunrise trail run and then an energizing, mindful yoga practice felt like it was straight out of my perfect little story book. Happy heart, body and mind. 

Sunday - LONG run. Powered through 2.5 hours of running (~16 miles) along Pre's trail, out to Doris Ranch, along a new bike path and through a few new to me streets and hills.

Overall, the theme of the week was to try and figure out how the heck to get rid of my cranky hip. Thankfully, Friday's spinning rid the hip of most of its attitude and she was ready to go come Saturday morning. As much as I might have liked to get in another 5+ miles this week, I'm glad I played it safe.

The trip is now so close I can almost touch it. Two days of work and then we're out of here! I better start packing...

Are you a hostel, hotel or airbnb traveler? Do you have any good book recommendations for the long flight? 

Comments

I stayed in a few hostels in my early-to-mid-20s but none of them seemed very party-heavy. Two of them I was in a private room, and then one hostel was in Bath, England which I don't think is a very party-centric city. It's not like staying in London. My mom and I rented an apartment in Paris in 2003, before AirBNB even existed but it was the same idea, and that was awesome. I want to do that when my husband and I go to Europe next year. It was so nice to have the comfort of a private apartment, our own kitchen, and also to be in a neighborhood. It felt like we were locals and that was super fun!
missris said…
Yay you're going to see the tour! That's awesome! It's a life list item for sure :)
Jim McDannald said…
AirBNB is the only way to go. Only stay with people with good ratings/comments and you will never go wrong. It's the best way to feel more like a traveler and less like a tourist. If the owner is home and willing to share, you really get to hear about the best places to eat, drink and visit in town.
Eeks, your trip is so soon!! Yea! If I am staying in a place long enough, I prefer to rent an apartment in possible. If that isn't possible, my 2nd choice is airbnb, my 3rd choice is a hotel, and a distant 4th is a hostel. I just feel like I am too old for hostels... sharing a room and having to worry about loud people is just not worth the money saved! Sounds like you've done a good job booking your accommodations, though!

That was smart of you to listen to your body and ease up a bit. So many of us just 'run through' issues and that just seems to exacerbate them much of the time. I hope your hip is feeling better this week!
Amber said…
I REALLY wish I'd rented more self-catering suites/apartments off of Air BnB on our recent two week trip. And I really really wish I'd booked somewhere for laundry! The next time we travel for more than 10 days that will be a priority.

We did stay in lots of hostels when we went to Europe in 2010 but we ALWAYS got a private room even if we sometimes had to share a bathroom. On our recent trip to Ireland and Scotland we did all B&B's with the exception of two nights in a self-catering cottage (best two nights of the trip by far!) and one night in a hotel.

Eep, cannot wait to hear all about your amazing trip!

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