With more than 70,000 rooms available in three to five star hotels within 10 km of the centre of London alone, choosing the right hotel for your needs is easier said than done! Add to this the constantly changing range of deals and promotions available throughout the UK and you can rightly feel confused about choosing the best type of hotel to suit your needs. By following a few simple rules the whole process will become a lot easier.

Prioritise your Criteria
Before you begin any search, take a few moments to decide what it is you want from your hotel. Are you travelling on business and is convenience of paramount importance? Are you an extended family where space and amenities may take priority? Are you on a tight budget or simply looking for a last minute stop-over? Perhaps you’re looking for a luxury or romantic hotel for that special celebration?

By listing your criteria in order of importance, you will get a very good feel for the type of hotel you are looking for.

Location, Location
One of the first decisions that you will have to make is the geographical location for the hotel. This will have a huge impact on the type of hotel you select. For example, if you are looking for a hotel near Heathrow Airport, the night before a flight, it is likely that you will end up in a chain hotel that is modern and conveniently located. On the other hand, if you are heading off to the Lake District, charm and independently run hotels are more likely to fit the bill.

This is not to say that you cannot find a mixture of hotel types in any given area. Do bear in mind, however, that the chosen location will have a direct impact on the availability and costs involved in your hotel selection.

Decide on where you wish to be located and how far away from your destination you are prepared to travel. Depending on whether you intend to drive to the hotel or use public transport, your choice of location may be even more crucial. If you decide to use public transport, don’t forget to cost in the added finances required for taxis, etc. Try calling the hotel if you need an estimate, as they will be more than familiar with the general cost and availability of taxis to local stations.

Hotel Amenities
Regardless of why you are booking a UK city hotel, it is almost certain that you will have at least some requirements in relation to amenities. Take nothing for granted! Whilst it is possible to search by amenity, some less common offerings such as babysitting or early morning breakfast options are often omitted. If it is important to you, make sure you check out the amenity in closer details, either by contacting the hotel or by reading reviews to see how the amenities work in practice.

The Unspoken Issues
Wherever possible, it always pays to read reviews. But do remember that a particularly bad or good review could be a one-off issue or a particularly fussy guest, so make sure you read at least three reviews to obtain a balanced view. Check out when the details relating to the hotel were last updated. Most hotels will do renovation and updates during the quiet months of January – March or September – November, therefore, always check that the details you are looking at reflect the latest position at the hotel.

Whichever hotel you choose – make sure that you review it when you get home, to help others facing the same dilemmas about choosing the right type of hotel.