I think most of us are bargain seekers , that's our real category !! ;)

I find the better ones usually on chain (business) hotels because of the dates I have to travel )usually july-august) and I like them so it's no problem for me. So as I said before my budget is number 2...but I happen to find some good deals even in 4 stars hotels.

Sometimes it's not a matter of bargains or being cheap or poor when it comes to accomodations. Just personal preference and what you want or need out of a vacation.

We would much prefer a B&B in a historical house typical of the area to a modern, features-laden 4 or 5 star hotel no matter the price. Others want or need, for whatever reason, 5-star amenities with all the modern comforts. One way isn't better than the other, it just depends on individual circumstances.

For example, some people's high-pressure lives combined with their personalities might lead them to needing a large, modern room that they can relax in for a good deal of the time. We don't. Our needs and wants are just different.

A more specific example, our B&B in Amsterdam was in an old residence in the middle of the city between two of the ring canals. It had the long, steep, narrow staircase typical of those houses. Some people would hate that; we loved it. No Michelin-starred restaurant of course, and some people love that experience. But every morning we had all we could eat of both typical European B&B breakfast fare plus a couple of different items local to the Amsterdam area that the hosts would make available every morning.

Chacon a son gout!

What an interestnig thread this has turned out to be. Thanks for the kind words and inspiration, Stu T... and to everyone.

But it's gonna be a bear for poor Julies to try and tally up the survey results!

Only 1 day old and how many responses??? Julies, you'll be busy tabulating!

For me...mainly a 2, would love to be a 4...

The experience of not being at home is what I enjoy the most!

To Julies and all:


Whatever your budget, whatever your traveling habits (food, lodgings, sites, etc)..consider this motto:

"TRAVEL 'TIL YOU UNRAVEL !"



stu t.

(GO! everyone...and ENJOY!)

Good idea to question but no good unless something practical is done with the results. However, if it helps last year we had holidays (from England) at Lake Garda Italy - about $2,000 (including flights etc.) for both of us bed breakfast and dinner in a 3* hotel. Excellent. In December we went to Tenerife - bed & breakfast in a 5*, about $1,500 for both of us - again axcellent. In June we will be travelling to Canada and the US for 5 weeks - 5* all the way including driving through the Rockies, a cruise to Alaska and then Las Vegas. Not much change out of $20,000! I am sure that many if not most of the postees have different needs at different times. Good luck anyway.

bowlsman wrote: "Good idea to question but no good unless something practical is done with the results."

That's an interesting challenge, particularly as many of us have said that we don't fit into the categories that julies proposed. I don't expect to see sub-forums for Europe (Category 1), Europe (Category 2), Europe (Category 3), and Europe (Category 4). I would belong in Europe (Misfits).

I cannot envisage this forum being in any way different after this exercise. It's a waste of time, but I don't object to that. After all, many of us participate here as a way of wasting time.

Well I grew up living in hotels and find them souless places to be avoided at anytime. I also have a rule that any hotel's restaurant will solve the worst food in any town. Finally my DH has always pretended to me that hotels only come in 1 or 2 star versions. As a result as long as it's clean and I can eat somewhere else (for as much as I like) then I'm happy so I guess I'm a 3 in hotels but a 5 in restaurants. Is there a six for wine?

Finally does anyone else play the loo (toilet I think somepeople say) scoring game? My DH will not use a 5 or less but she is female.

I'm the OP. I'll be back in a day or so after this has run its course to see what kind of sense can be made of it. When I came up with the categories, I forgot that a number of people here are self-described foodies. And, that does tend to throw the categories I came up with off a bit. So, after about post #20 or 25 and comments about disparities in food/hotel expectations and expenditures, I threw in the ideas of categories 5 & 6. Apparently no one read down that far and saw those categories because after a brief glance I don't think I saw anyone putting him or herself in that category.

I categorize myself as a 2.

How do I see this helping? I think if those who post here regularly can identify themselves and their travel style/expectations, then they can see how to compare what they are looking for to the types of comments made by "typical" people who post. And, maybe no sense can be made of all the replies. I guess I'll wait and see.

Well, julies, it's a fun game trying to find if one can put oneself into a category (look at all those books that insist one's personality can be described as conforming to mainly one of four 'types'.) So, the thread is bound to give you some interesting responses.

But travel is an art as much as if not more than a science. This is why trying to categorize 'comfort' levels is so tricky - comfort is an elastic thing.

And thinking 'out of the box' is often the best way to both score a deal and meet one's personal needs. This is why my travel philosophy is, well, not to have a philosophy. If I decide I'm not a 4* business hotel person, I risk missing the chance to pay 2* prices for a 4* room - say by using Priceline, or taking up a hotel chain on a special offer. Conversely, if I thought I was a 4* hotel person because I value quiet and tranquility, I might yet book a 1 or 2* hotel if it were in the quieter section of town than the 3 or 4 * hotel. Like many folks, I'm hunting for value --- but value is in the eye of the beholder, not to mention often largely in the control of local market forces.

And speaking of 'clean' rooms: 'clean' is also a very elastic term. I'm willing to bet that a lot of people's comfort level with dirt/flaws tends to decrease in inverse proportion to what they paid for the room. They may not think they'd object to having the odd dustball under the bed, but not if they paid more than some subjectively determined threshold amount for the room. Similarly, it's amazing how a room's flaws fade to black when one has not paid a price for it that put one's budget in the red.

So, given all these snags to your categorization scheme, I don't think your data is going to be very significant. But the thread will probably be entertaining nonetheless.

tower: TRAVEL TILL UNRAVEL is a great slogan. It shall be my motto!

Hi J,

Good try.

None of the above.

Fly cheap, sleep cheap, eat well.

((I))

Julies~ Yes, I read down and saw when you added 5 and 6, it's just for me I didn't fit into either of those any better than 1 thru 4!

I think you'd also need to add things like: what class seats do you pay for on flights, do you travel by car, train or bus after you arrive, do you spend money to take toursandr do formalized classes or activities, on and on.

Where you sleep and eat is barely the tip of the iceberg imo, and not even the most important in "defining" your travel style.

Didn't we do this already w/the same results ??!! I'm w/ira.

...& I rarely stay in hotels, anyway. Usually apartments, cottages, villas, etc.

But don't you get a sense of other posters' tastes, preferences, etc. by what they post more than by asking them to choose a # category?

I cannot imagine that I am the only one that comes up with ideas regarding other poster's "identities" from their posts, travel advice, suggestions, etc.

Hi Julies;

If I did not miss you can add boutique hotels and charming Bed and breakfasts:

Each travel might be different ie. location, time of year, destinations specialities etc. but:

I like to sleep at nice boutique hotels as much as possible, otherwise 4 or 5 stars if I have to. Small clean and simple B&B's are also fine in between.

Good local food is what I hunt for. Does not matter mucg cheap or expensive if it is not breaking the bank.....Over 100 - 150 Usd for two incl. wine is expensive to mee. Having said that I had excellent food for 20 Usd. pp. too.

In London exceptionally I had disappoinments high prices, bad service and taste under expectation....

Happy travelling all and bon apetite......

Murat

I am not looking for information from a hypothetical typical poster. I assign value to advice I see here by reading the things the poster has written. A lot of the people who post here have written entire autobiographies in snippets of a paragraph at a time. Much more valuable than thinking of them as fitting into some category or other.

It is absolutely clear to me why people here have such different perspectives, as the original post posits. It is because people are very different. One of the most enjoyable things about reading this message board is seeing the great diversity of thought and opinion expressed. The best way to get a sense of where one fits into the spectrum of travel styles represented here, again as expressed in the original post, is to see how people present themselves. Pretty much the way we evaluate our place among the many choices presented in the real world.

Another thing to remember in asking for & taking advice from this forum...

Some people know about things beyond their own personal travel style.

For example because I have a friend living in Switzerland and have spent quite a bit of time there, I can accurately recommend hotels in Vevey or Montreux from the nicest youth hostel or budget guest house, right up to the 4/5-star hotels on the lakefront promonade, even though I have stayed in neither myself.

Mostly 3

I am like Kristina. I would call myself extremely value driven and I can fluctuate between a 1 and 4 in accommodations and food. In transportation though, I am a 1. I will take the most budget way to get from one place to another. I can afford to do a 4 level all the time but like to stay on my toes and do the 1 as much as possible. I think it makes me feel more connected to my youth when 1 was more necessary. In New York, I stayed in a $32 hostel for my arrival night because it was only 6 hours of sleep and then transferred to the Gaansevort which was $700/night. I would be willing to pay the price of a meal at the French Laundry but would rather eat inexpensive street food than pay to eat at an Olive Garden or Tio Leo's equivalent in a foreign country.

I'm with stu and Clifton.

Spend a bit more sometimes if warranted or less depending on moods, availability, custom, culture.

Going to Disney next week, don't ask, and know it will be $$$ but still like travelling on a shoestring when possible. Sometimes I want more comfort (in food/lodgings or both) than at other times.

I could be a category 1 overnight but not much longer and we enjoy category 4 overnights/weekends so between 1 and 4. Have done both 5 & 6 too... overall we spend more on lodgings than food.

Between a 3 and a 4.

Definitely a Category 3.

We are basically 2 with the occasional splurge. Our splurges have included lunch at the Eiffel Tower (it was our anniversary) and taking the TGV (just for the experience).

We often do take-out from supermarkets. Our dinner was from Harrod's Food Hall once & it was a lot of fun picnicking in our hotel room.

Probably somewhere between a 2 and 3. We try to rent apartments when possible. For food, whether traveling or at home, we can't really handle a big lunch plus a big dinner, but whether it is a picnic, a cafe meal or a more formal restaurant we are trying to find good food

I mix it up - 2, 3, and 4.

Is this survey for Fodor's? How will the information be used? I sometimes respond to professional surveys in the mail if I think the results are used for some tangible purpose.

A little of each category, I guess depending on the trip, money and my mood. It changes on a dime.

1, 2 , 3 and 4

In our 39 years of travelling (in 39 years of life) :

1. You haven't lived until you have camped in the English Lakes, Canada or on a beach anywhere. There is nothing better in life then a winter walk on the fells followed by a bowl of soup in the pub.

2. You haven't lived until you have stayed in a Mallorcan or Tuscan agroturismo with a Non Engish speaking famil who drink wine until 6am and end up feeding you full board when you are paying for room only

3. You havenn't lived until you can pootle out of a shitty English winter to experience Spring with Almond blossom and a Spa in a Spanish boutique Finca

4. You haven't lived until you have stayed at the best Ocean Drive, NYC, London or Porto Cervo has to offer.

In view of the above I think that financial constraints clearly limit some travellers decisions and pidgeon hole them. We do not have those constraints but still happily rough it when ever we want to re-live our student days.

I'm much older and apparently haven't lived, but I'll try to pootle more often in the future.

Sorry Jean - did actually use that term in the wrong context - pootling strictly speaking involves waking up on a sunny morning getting the map out and just driving for two hours with no particular aim. The either having sandwiches and a flask of coffee (if it starts raining)(as it usually does) or lunch at Grandma Biggins cafe.

Clearly a trip to Mallorca doesn't fall into that category.

Sorry to be misleading!

<Is this survey for Fodor's?>

bellastarr~ No it is not. It is just something Julies made up herself, and admits she is not a professional survey writer.

Between 2 & 3.

Hmmm. I agree with most that the categories are lacking. I can't seem to fit into any of the categories. You can probably say we (my family and I) fit under categories 1,2,3,4. We usually stay in what you labeled as category 4 hotels. Most recent was in London last year, we stayed at the Hilton Greenpark. Small boutique style hotel across the street from Greenpark (off of Buckingham Palace). But we ate at McDonald's a few times...(our kids are 11 and 8...:-(). We have never dined in any "fine restaurants" anywhere we go. Usually category 1-3 budget on food. Hope this helps.

Mostly category 3.

I like a nice room, but I love great food. It can cost $5 or $300. Doesn't matter, as long as it is delicious.

We like to mix things up and have all types of experiences. Camping and biking. Apartments and 3* and 4* hotels. Street food and budget Thai and 'best buy' vegetarian and Gordon Ramsay's.

Whichever way we choose to travel on a certain trip, I want to feel that I get what I've paid for. My expectations are higher when we've spent more. We could never get enough to justify the $800 a night room in Hawaii we had last year - never again!

In the last year, I have stayed everywhere from a student residence to a 5-star hotel. The important thing is whether I consider the price to be a good deal. My goal is to stay under $100 Canadian/US per night including breakfast, for a double room.

As for food, I rarely eat at high-end places in Europe. I did eat at some moderately high-end places in Mexico City just recently - because the total price made me think it was a good deal.

So whatever - I will do Category 1 if necessary, but like to try to get a deal that makes 2 or 3 possible for the same price.

Currently a 2, but hope to upgrade to 3 when the kids move out.

As for hotels I think I am a 2, although I always try to make my reservations early enough so I get a really outstanding 2* (or so) hotel, such as Les Grandes Ecoles in Paris or similar. I love hotels and I think they totally color one's experience of a place. As an example of another hotel that looks EXACTLY how I want a European hotel to be, I give you the Hotel d'Argouges in Bayeux: www.hotel-dargouges.com. I haven't stayed there yet (we will next month) but as a travel fish, this is precisely what makes me bite on the hook. I want the hotel staff to be nice, they should have a website (if they don't in this age I feel this is an indication of lack of really trying which will also show up elsewhere, generally), although I don't require any kind outstanding service (other than nice and clean and well-located), but they NEED to be in a beautiful old building. I love old architecture, I feel it in my bones and there is no way I'd go all the way to Europe to stay in a new hotel, I don't care if it's 5* and $1,000 a night, given to me for free, I'd rather just pay and get what I want for cheaper. (Really, although within reason. I love Europe more than my principles and free is, well, free. However, I've never been lucky enough to have to compromise my principles as I don't have anybody lining up to give me a free hotel stay in Europe, at a 1* much less a 5*.) So if I am paying, I need character, I want to feel the past, it makes me feel a part of history. New architecture leaves me absolutely cold, here there or anywhere. (And in my neck of the world there's plenty of that!) And REALLY living large is everything I outlined above, with a minibar. My favorite hotel in the Black Forest not only comes with an unbelievable breakfast but also a little refrigerator in the room stocked with Black Forest beer. That's my ideal.

As for restaurants: Hello my name is LunaBella and I am a vegetarian, so I am a self-made second-class citizen! :) I am definitely a 1 and I know I bring this all on myself, no griping or anything. In a place such as France I generally wouldn't/couldn't (yes I've been a vegetarian for over 15 years and the thought of eating any meat - cow, fish, whatever - I call meat meat, not just animals that walk around on land, my husband makes fun of me a la Simpsons and says I wouldn't eat anything that makes a shadow but I think of it as I don't eat things with a face and then take it a little further, so yes I am a huge pain in the ass although i try not to complain and just trudge around until I can find Italian), anyway I don't eat anything in an expensive French restaurant, which I guess makes it easy to be a cheap date! In fact it actually does make it hard to splurge in such a place. I guess I use France as an example because it's exceptionally difficult, but really any place isn't always easy, except maybe Italy. (And yet I still can't call Italy my hands-down favorite, so obviously I don't qualify as a foodie!)

Okay so to summarize, I apparently am a 2/1 without any champagne/caviar dreams. I just need old and historical in the middle of the most charming part of the city and I prefer to wash it all down with a lot of beer and wine (maybe with my own fridge to keep it in!), with a side of something that didn't make a shadow. Also free would be nice but obviously not a requirement.

Like your friend who "cannot justify cannot justify putting all that money into a place to sleep" we like clean and comfortable & are never in need of room service.

We don't hang around the hotel much, my husband and I are busy when we travel.

We like fresh food and can be very happy eating fruit and cheese from local markets for some meals. Sometimes we just don't want to take a lot of time to sit and eat during the day. For the evening we like little local restaurants. I don't even mind if I can't read the menu, I've been known to just point and order. I rarely consult guidebooks for places to eat.

I don't worry about cost if there is something I want to do or spending money on something for my home.
After all, I've already saved a bundle on my hotel expenses.

I'd like to represent the lurking backpacker contingency in here and say Category 1.

There's just something so whimsical about hanging out with a bunch of people all over the world outside a hostel in Cusco, eating fried bread from a vendor and drinking Inka Cola.

I suppose when I reach a certain age, I am undoubtedly bound to enjoy a more luxurious travel lifestyle. But for now, I think I'll continue to love and appreciate my backpack and penchance for just "going with it."