What does going on holiday entail? It involves flying or driving to another country or to a far off corner of your own country and then staying a few nights in a hotel right? Pretty predictable stuff…
While a hotel is often involved though, it’s certainly not the only way to holiday and if you’re looking for something a bit different then this is a great way to make your holiday more unique.
If you’re willing to think outside the box then there are tons of great options for your holiday other than a hotel, here we will list a few of them…
Camping
Staying at a camp site is a tempting option right away if you’re looking to save money and is a very cheap way to enjoy your trip. At the same time though it’s also very exciting and has a great ‘DIY’ feel that sets it apart from other holidays. While you might miss your creature comforts at first, it’s a great feeling to be wrapped up outside with a warm cup of tea or bowl of soup and exchanging stories over a campfire is great for bonding.
Caravan
If you like the idea of camping but think it sounds just that little bit too wet and cold for your liking, then you may want to consider a caravan site instead. This way you’ll be able to stay in a warm and enclosed space with a proper bed, and you’ll also get the benefit of being able to drive anywhere you want which is highly liberating. Of course it means you need to either rent or buy a caravan though.
Glamping
Another alternative form of camping is ‘glamping’. This is a portmanteaux of ‘glamorous camping’ and essentially means camping in style – staying in a tree house, ‘hobbit house’ or much larger tent that won’t be prone to getting cold and wet but that will still have a more adventurous and ‘back to nature’ feel.
Log Cabin
Staying in a log cabin is one of my favourite options and something I find actually quite romantic – particularly in colder parts of the world where you can batten down the hatches and turn on the fire to relax on the rug. Better yet are log cabins with hot tubs – imagine being in a bubbling hot tub outside and watching the northern lights overhead while you’re snug and cosy.
Villa
Staying in a villa is another fairly common option and one that many families will choose going on holiday. Another way to enjoy it though is simply to book a villa with a large group of friends in which case you’ll be able to split the costs between you and make large savings that way. This also increases the range of possible activities you have available to you – how does having a barbeque and pool party sound?
Hostel
A hostel is another cheap alternative to a hotel. It’s terribly exciting, and if you’re the ‘backpacking’ type you’ll find lots of like-minded individuals and find it’s a great way to chat and make friends.
Couch Surfing
Couch surfing is a great option if you’re really on a tight budget as you can do it completely for free. Basically couch surfing means finding a friendly stranger’s couch to sleep on and this can be a great way to meet new people too – as long as you stay safe and travel with a friend. There are many sites available online that serve to facilitate the process so it’s very easy to find a place to stay. Alternatively you can just chat to people in bars and see if you can find someone willing to put you up for the night – but of course there are a range of risks associated with that strategy.
Sleeping on the Beach
If you’re staying somewhere warm and relatively safe then a back-up plan can always be to stay on the beach. Again it’s not always safe, so you need to make sure you research the area first, but in some paces you’ll find a lot of travellers do it and it can make a great experience even if you don’t get the best night’s sleep…
A Friend’s House
If you’re fortunate enough to know a friend living in another country or somewhere desirable then right there you have an option for a cheap hotel that will come with breakfast included and a host of other luxuries. This is surely the best kind of couch surfing…
Amy Sawyer is a freelance writer based in the UK. She writes exclusively on Travel issues. She believes that there are many people who love to try out different things while travelling one of them being places to stay. Such people should a take a look at today's article to get more info and also suggests the services of Alamo car hire in UK for the best deals on cars.
How about capsule hotels and bungalows?
Glamping, that is a funny name I cant wait to try it!