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. … so where did we stay?
Well that changed depending on the country and what the cheapest or best value option is…. 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 hostelbed by four then a small hotel is usually better value in Asia. In India we stayed almost exclusively in homestays or guesthouses as mentioned throughout the blog.
Self-contained apartments with a washing machine also are a favourite 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. We took this option in Chiang Mai, Thailand and Fethiye, Turkey and Bansko, Bulgaria and Budapest, Hungary and Paris (the shoebox size apartment).
In the US we found a chain called Extended-Stay which were basically larger than average hotel rooms with 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 of course we have bought this up a bit and I would say on average it is closer to a 3 and a half star standard. Sometimes dipping down to a 2 and sometimes splurging and possibly even hitting a 4 star standard. I took a photo of every place we have spent a night so you can see for yourself where we have called ‘home’ as that is what we refer to each place we stay – it is home as opposed to ‘home-home’ back in Mackay.
I will update this every so often as I have a lot of photos to sift though to find the accommodations shots! Then I will update with the per night costing for the four of us (converted to Australian dollars at the time of staying) to give you an idea of what the value is…. perhaps you can vote on your favourite or least favourite place we stayed!!
Bangkok – U Place in Banglamphu- 9 nights, 30 July – 8 August. A splurge for the beginning to ease in gently. Two room mini apartment – one room with Queen bed, main room had mattress, sofa, lounge and mini kitchenette (really only a fridge and microwave) with aircon. Kids slept in the lounge on sofa and mattress on floor. Had a nice but smallish pool in the complex. $70 p/night
Siem Reap, Cambodia. Bloom Garden guesthouse – 10 nights, 8 – 18 August. A triple room with private bathroom, aircon (large single bed that the girls shared) $28 p/night, incl breakfast and free use of bikes. We loved hanging out on the upstairs verandah where we enjoyed b’fast and did schoolwork.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Nice Guesthouse – 3 nights, 18 – 21 August. A quad room (double + 2 singles) with private bathroom, aircon – at $14/night. Simple but clean and right downtown.
Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Makara bungalows – 5 nights, 21 – 26 August. A lowrise style motel room with two double beds, aircon – $25/night. Had swimming pool, and little open air restaurant and only a 2 minute walk to the beach.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. One night (26 August) back at the ‘Nice Guesthouse’ in a quad room w/private facilities, aircon and tv – $14.
Bangkok, Thailand. Hotel de Bangkok – 2 nights, 27 – 29 August A nice little boutique hotel, a room with 2 double beds, aircon, incl b’fast – $63/night.
Overnight (29 August) Train – 2nd class sleeper class Bangkok – Chiang Mai. $106 for the 4 berth cabin.
Chiang Mai, Thailand. Two week stay 30 August – 13 September. A studio Apartment. Queen bed + mattress on the floor for the kids to share. Outdoor kitchen on balcony – with fridge, hotplate, microwave and toaster/kettle. Big swimming pool in complex. Paid a weekly rate which worked out at $31/night.
An hour west of Chiang Rai, Thailand. Bamboo Nest – 2 nights, 13 – 15 September. 2 bedroom bamboo bungalow, Queen + 2 singles with 2 private bathrooms and balcony. $33/night.
Chiang Rai, Thailand. Baan Bua Guesthouse. 1 night, 15 September. Triple room (Queen + king single). $16/night.
Houay Xai, Laos. Houay Xai Gateway Villa. 1 night, 16 September. Triple room – 3 king single beds. $23/night incl. breakfast for 3.
Pak Beng, Laos. Monsovanh Guesthouse. 1 night, 17 September. The first and only place we ever needed to take two rooms with only double rooms available. $20/night per room so x 2= $40/night
Luang Prabang, Laos. Thongbay Guesthouse – about 15 min drive from down-town. 5 nights, 18 – 23 September. Family Bungalow (Queen + 2 singles) with balcony overlooking Nam Khan river. No air-con. Free bikes for use. $40/night. Five days – breakfast daily plus a further four dinners and few lunches and five night’s accommodation all for $288! Bargain.
Luang Prabang, Laos. Phousi Guesthouse. 4 nights, 23 – 27 September. Downtown location. Two Queen beds. Air-con & Wi-Fi $
Vang Vieng, Laos. Vilayvong Guesthouse. 4 nights, 27 September – 1 October. Walkable to city centre. Two Queen beds. Air-con & Wi-Fi. $
Vientiane, Laos. Auberge Sala Inpeng. Bungalow. 3 nights, 1 – 4 October. Queen + single. Air-con & Wi-Fi. $ incl. bfast.
Fort Kochi, Kerala, India. Beena’s Homestay. 1 week, 4 – 11 October. Fan only and Wi-Fi . Triple room – 3 x king singles. $ /night incl bfasts and dinners.
Thottada Beach, Kannur, Kerala India. Blue Mermaid Homestay. 3 nights, 11 – 14 October. (although not technically a homestay in the true sense as all the rooms are separate) Fan only. Internet was additional and only available via the owners computer. Queen + mattress on floor. $ 62 p/night incl. all meals (as it was quite remote).
Manathavadi, Kerala/Karnataka, India. Highlands of Wayanad. Varnam Homestay. 5 nights, 14 – 19 October. 2 singles + mattress on floor. $45 p/day including all meals, endless chai and coffee with bikkies.
Mysore B&B. Homestay in suburbs of Mysore. 19 – 23 October. Queen + mattress on floor.
Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. 8 nights 23 – 31 October Mewargarh Guesthouse
Siem Reap, Cambodia. Bloom Garden guesthouse – 10 nights, 8 – 18 August. A triple room with private bathroom, aircon (large single bed that the girls shared) $28 p/night, incl breakfast and free use of bikes. We loved hanging out on the upstairs verandah where we enjoyed b’fast and did schoolwork.
Houay Xai, Laos. Houay Xai Gateway Villa. 1 night, 16 September. Triple room – 3 king single beds. $23/night incl. breakfast for 3.
