Accommodation is obviously one of the biggest expenses and we try to keep costs down here by staying in anything other than your general run-of the-mill hotels (where you could be anywhere in the world) … so where did we stay?

Well, that changed depending on the country and what the cheapest or best value option is for the best experience …. for example in Thailand we stayed in guesthouses, small style hotels with private facilities (because) with hostels you pay by bed so once we multiply the cost of a hostel bed by four then a small hotel is usually better value in Asia. In India, we stayed almost exclusively in home-stays or guesthouses as mentioned throughout the blog as these are great as you get to try typical home cooked fare and you get the explanations of the wonderful dishes.

Self-contained apartments with a washing machine also are a favourite for longer stays, especially after being ‘on the road’ for some time as they give us the opportunity to self-cater and catch up on washing as well as being larger (most times) so we can spread out and have two rooms rather than all bunking in together which is the norm.  We took this option in Chiang Mai, Thailand (although still one big room here), Fethiye in Turkey, Bansko in Bulgaria, Budapest in Hungary and Paris (the 1 bedroom shoe-box size apartment).

In the US, unfortunately the most convenient was also rather dull – it was chain called Extended-Stay which were basically larger than average hotel rooms with a double-double (two double or queen beds) a mini kitchenette and a communal laundry room. On past travels when much younger (and able to bounce back much easier with limited sleep)I have been known to sleep in train stations, bus stops, beaches and of course hostels sharing a room with anywhere from 2 to 20 others and on a star scale of 1 to 5 I would have to say have hovered around the 1-2 star standard.

With children we have bought this up a bit and I would say on average it is closer to a 3 star standard.  Sometimes dipping down to a 2 and sometimes splurging and possibly even hitting a 4 star standard (Vegas).

I took a photo of every place we have spent a night to remind us where we called ‘home’ each night. Although often I only remembered to take to shot after I hung out the washing, oh well – keepin’ it real. Some places we only really remember when we see a photo, other places (and people) were quite significant and helped determine our feelings toward a place.  I have included the per night total costing for the four of us (converted to Australian dollars at the time of staying 2012 – 2013) just to show how affordable it really can be. Cheapest was Phnom Penh, Cambodia at $14 p/night including air-conditioning and private facilities, followed closely by the guesthouse in Udaipur, India at $16 p/night including breakfast. The most expensive was the 4.5 star hotel in Las Vegas at $210 p/night. Preference is always one where there is much character, a focus on local foods and not skewed toward what they think a westerner would like! Guests talk more at the lower end establishments, and pass on tips, even leave surplus laundry powder outside your door – things that you certainly don’t get staying in 4+star hotels.

Thailand:

Bangkok, Thailand.  U-Place in Banglamphu near Khao San Road. 9 nights, 30 July – 8 August. A splurge for the beginning to ease in gently with prerequisite being somewhere with a pool. 1-bedroom mini apartment – one room with Queen bed, main room had mattress, sofa, lounge, air-con and mini kitchenette  (well only a fridge and microwave). Kids slept in the lounge on sofa and mattress on floor. A nice but smallish pool in the complex. $70 p/night.

Cambodia:

Siem Reap, Cambodia.  Bloom Garden Guesthouse, Treang Village (about 2 km north of city centre). 10 nights, 8 – 18 August.  A triple room with private bathroom, air-con (large single bed that the girls shared). We loved hanging out on the upstairs veranda where we enjoyed breakfast and did schoolwork. $28 p/night, including breakfast and free use of bikes (used everyday!).

Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Nice Guesthouse, City Centre near Orussey Market. 3 nights, 18 – 21 August. A quad room (double + 2 singles) with private bathroom and air-con.   Simple but clean large room and right downtown. $14/p night (our cheapest stay anywhere).