So I wanted to do a post with some more general advice on how to find a hotel that’s not specific to Newry. The thing is that it really doesn’t matter what city around the world your travelling too because there are some principles that hold true for budget accommodation worldwide.
1. Hotels outside the city centre are always going to be cheaper but that doesn’t mean you will end up spending less money. This is because your travel expenses for taxis and even public transport are going to be much higher for your trip as most of the main attractions are in the centre of the city. This is one of those factors people forget to think about, also remember that transport in some cities can be unreliable and/or expensive, and if you’re already in the city centre its one less headache.
2. Check out the area first. There are many different types of hotel in terms of the guests they cater to and the area. For example a hotel popular with stag parties and 18-30 holidaymakers is not going to be ideal for a retired couple. Remember the hotel isn’t going to list this kind of information on their website, it’s up to you to do the research.
3. The dates you book for are probably the biggest factor when it comes to price. This may not be a surprise but do you realise that rooms in cities like Newry can be 40% cheaper from Monday to Wednesday as compared to the weekend? It’s worth seeing if you can arrange your holiday for a time when everyone else is still at work. Personally I try to avoid bank holidays at all costs.
4. Free facilities can have a big impact on price. Often free extras like an onsite gym and car parking can seem like a good idea when searching for a hotel but often they will be factored into the final room rate anyway. It’s more cost effective to book a cheaper hotel then pay for these extras when you need them in my opinion.
5. Reviews from real people are invaluable. I love review sites like tripadvisor because they can give you a real insight into what people think about the hotel. However you still have to be careful, there are some fake reviews out there. A good rule of thumb is to look at hotels with a lot of reviews (100s) and try to get an overall view of what people are saying. When you’re looking at 100s of reviews they can’t all be fake or be just one customer trying to cause trouble.
So those are my top tips for finding that idea hotel and I really do believe they will be helpful no-matter what city you’re staying in. Until next time.





