Picking a Hotel

It’s the second day of the month (a thought which makes my heart do a little jump in shock – are we really that far into February already?!) which means that it’s time for the regular Travel Belles Across the Cafe Table chat. This month, the question is: How do you pick a hotel?

My answer is broadly, if boringly, it depends. I have slummed it in the cheapest hostels available, stayed in upmarket hotels and I’ve had great times in both. Still, if I had to pin something down, I guess I look for character and friendliness above all.

I will never forget arriving in France as a student, ready to start a four-month stint. By the time I got off the train in Perpignan, it was dark and I was alone. There were no taxis to be seen outside the train station, so after a few long minutes, I phoned the hotel I was staying in for the first night and the owner arranged for a taxi to pick me up right away. As soon as I got to the hotel, the kind man took my suitcase to my room while his wife fixed me a hot chocolate. The room itself was nothing special, but the kindness of the owners means that I would stay there again anytime.

Likewise, I will always have fond memories of the hotel in Buenos Aires which kept Paddington Bear safe for me while I travelled through Brazil.Oh, and they opened the safe for me in a flash after I stupidly forgot the code.

I suppose that though I am not very picky, my minimum requirements are for nice pillows (and extra ones in the cupboards), a comfy bed, big, fluffy towels (I can’t stand it when otherwise nice hotels have small and scratchy towels in the bathroom) kind staff, personal touches and – why don’t more hotels have this? – tea and coffee-making facilities in the room.

OK, maybe I am a little picky.

How do you pick a hotel?