Remote work has become a common concept all over the world. And as that concept expands, more and more people are looking to combine work and travel to achieve a sense of freedom and creativity.
If you’re getting bored of staring at the same blank wall at home and want a change of scenery, or if you simply want to get out and about to travel more without compromising on your work, it’s time to look into your remote work options.
Here, we will go over the main options available as a remote worker for accommodation that perfectly mixes work and plays.
Vacation Rentals for Remote Work
A vacation rental is a fully furnished property that you can rent for a short period of time. This could be anything from a small city apartment to a luxury house on the coast, and these days is most commonly associated with Airbnb.
The term “vacation rental” is most commonly used in the US, but the concept stretches worldwide, and has a number of different names, such as “short term rental” or “vacation home rental”. In this case, short-term generally means periods that are shorter than those that would establish legal residency. For most places that means you’ll be there for less than a month, but there are plenty of other vacation rentals that allow you to stay for longer.
Benefits of vacation rentals for remote work
Vacation rentals are a great way to get that “home away from home” feeling.
If you were on a short holiday, perhaps a hotel with turn-down services and a breakfast buffet makes sense for a shorter period of luxury, but if you’re looking for a longer remote work period, you might want the flexibility of being able to cook for yourself and not have to worry about checkout times or housekeeping barging in during an online meeting.
Vacation rentals are usually fully furnished with fully functional kitchens and home comforts, meaning you can get up and make yourself a PB&J whenever the mood strikes, or kick up your feet and watch TV in your temporary living room set-up.
Of course, they’re also great for getting work done. If you check the rooms online beforehand, you’ll be able to find out if the vacation rental has a good working space and desk. Larger vacation rentals may even have more than one office space, allowing you and your travel companions to get some work done in peace!
Vacation rentals are often repurposed homes, so they are often large and spacious, making them a great option for larger groups or families. You could rent out a place for a casual study vacation, or get away from the routine with the family to spice up your work-from-home rituals.
Disadvantages of vacation rentals for remote work
So what are the downsides and things to keep in mind about vacation rentals?
Well, for starters, the larger home rentals can feel somewhat lonely if you’re renting one for a long period of time on your own. If you’re thinking of renting by yourself, it might be best to go for a coliving space or hostel to get more of a sense of community. Or, if you’re simply looking to get away from the routine, perhaps a cozier vacation rental might be the solution.
Additionally, vacation rentals are in that weird space between a home and a hotel, meaning that it’s a bit of a lottery as to how well-kept they are. While careful hosts may take good care of their property and guests, less mindful hosts may be less strict about upkeep, and less quick to respond if you have any issues with the place.
If you keep these in mind and make sure to read the reviews thoroughly before booking, you shouldn’t have many issues on your workation.
Where to book a vacation rental
- Airbnb: The most well-known vacation rental site out there, Airbnb has a wide selection of temporary homes ranging from minimalist apartments to open-plan mansions
- Anyplace.com: Created with digital nomads and location-independent workers everywhere, anyplace.com puts the focus on rentals with great built-in workspaces
- Vrbo: Combining the idea of homeliness and vacation vibes, Vrbo is perfect for cozy homes for families
Hotels for Remote Work
While hotels have long been the go-to choice for people traveling and visiting new places on vacation, they might not be what first comes to mind for remote work. However, with their useful facilities and comfortable living arrangements, they can be much more suitable than you might think!
Benefits of hotels for remote work
So what exactly makes a hotel a good spot for remote work, and who is it suited to?
Well, hotels are a great way to have everything you need at your fingertips, as well as to get a sense of luxury. If you feel like you need a break from routine, or a simple week away by yourself, but don’t have time to pry yourself away from work, it’s a great option. You can kick back on the comfy bed and watch TV in your downtime, head to the spa or gym to get moving, or get some work done without distractions.
If you’re really busy and just feel like you need to get away from chores for a bit to concentrate on work, you can rely on room service and hotel staff so you don’t have to waste precious time doing laundry or frying eggs.
Another great thing about hotels for remote work is their security. As most hotels have safes in their room and 24/7 CCTV, it’s easier to leave your laptop in your room and go for a walk than it might be elsewhere. The sense of safety might also help you get a good night’s sleep on one of the millions of decorative hotel pillows!
Disadvantages of hotels for remote work
With that in mind, what are some reasons people might not want to choose a hotel for remote work?
One of the obvious drawbacks is the cost. If you’re choosing to stay at a hotel because of its facilities and for that luxury workation, you’ll need to have a fair amount saved up. In most cases, a hotel is going to cost more than a slightly more spacious Airbnb. That said, if you’re going for luxury, why not go big!
Another potential problem is their workspace, or perhaps lack thereof. Most hotels were made with the idea of getting away from work in mind, rather than trying to get work done around a pampered stay. In a recent hotel stay of mine, I found that the chair was too low, while the desk was too high, so my neck would hurt every evening that I did any work there!
So make sure you do your research before booking a hotel, and see if it has any designated workspaces or nice ergonomic set-ups in the rooms themselves. Also, make sure to check what is and isn’t included in the room cost – it would be so sad if you thought you were getting an included breakfast every day, only to find out it costs almost as much as the room!
Where to book a hotel
- booking.com : Booking.com’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. Available in 43 languages, this huge site is perfect for finding packages and deals abroad
- agoda : Based in Asia, Agoda aims to build the future of global travel. This is a great place to find homes and hotels alike.
- Trivago: Established in the early 2000s, Trivago aims to be “the traveler’s first and independent source of information for finding the ideal hotel”, with great hotels all over the world and useful filters
Hostels for remote work
Hostels have long been associated with backpackers, young travelers, and no privacy! But that’s not always the case. Hostels are a great way to get in touch with the traveling and local community and to get a side of socializing along with your remote work.
Benefits of hostels for remote work
Why might you choose a hostel for your next remote work destination? Let’s take a look.
The first great thing about hostels is the low budget. Depending on where you are in the world, you might be able to find a shared room in a hostel for as cheap as $1 a night! Of course, if you’re not looking for dirt-cheap rates (and perhaps dirt elsewhere, too) you’ll have to spend a bit more, but you get the idea.
Another benefit is the easy access to social events and the ability to meet new people. If you’re happy to stay in a shared room, most people in the shared room with you will probably be open and happy to chat. But if you want your privacy when you sleep, you’ll have no problem meeting people elsewhere around the hostel. You never know, you might find your next business partner in the hostel common room!
Disadvantages of hostels for remote work
But along with those low, low prices, not everything is going to be perfect.
One of the main issues remote workers might find with hostels is that it is difficult to concentrate on work. This is fine if your main objective is to meet people while getting a bit of casual work done here and there, but if you have a 9-5 remote job, you might have a bit more difficulty. To get around this, it’s best to get a private room or to use the hostel simply for sleeping and socializing, and get your remote work done at a café during the day.
Another potential issue is security. If you’re staying in a shared room, you might not feel comfortable bringing and leaving your laptop around, so would have to look into the locker options if they are available.
Where to book hostels
- Hostel world: Hostelworld aims to inspire the adventurous to meet new people and explore new places. One of the biggest sites for hostel bookings.
- Hostelz: Founded by long-term travelers, Hostelz is a huge worldwide database and guide for hostels, giving unbiased reviews and insider tips.
- Hostelsclub: Ranging from campsites to B&Bs, hostelsclub helps you travel smart.
Coliving Spaces for Remote Work
If you’re new to the remote work scene, you might not have heard of “coliving” or “coworking” spaces yet. When you first hear “coliving”, you might imagine living with a host family or sharing a room with others, but in fact, co-living spaces can be much more luxurious. Depending on where you go, co-living spaces are often the best of both worlds, with the luxury, privacy, and comfort of a hotel or vacation rental, combined with the sociable aspects of a hostel.
Coliving spaces often have adjoining or nearby coworking spaces associated with them, making it very easy to separate work and play. You can relax in your own private room or by the pool in the evening, and get some serious work done in the day in their office spaces.
Benefits of coliving spaces for remote work
As we’ve mentioned, coliving spaces give you the best of both worlds, but what exactly does that entail?
One of the great things about co-living spaces is just how spacious and comfortable they can be, without compromising on the workspace. With a hotel or vacation rental, although you might get a comfortable living space, it can sometimes be harder to immediately find a place somewhere designed specifically for work. With co-living spaces, that’s almost guaranteed. You can sleep on your fluffy pillow by night, and sit in your ergonomic chair by day!
With that in mind, another reason many people choose co-living spaces for remote work is the great facilities for both work and play. Many coliving spaces have their own coworking space that acts as a second office. Most coworking spaces come with printers, desks, meeting rooms, and everything you could need for a serious day of work. Then you can come back and relax at the bar or at one of the events hosted by the facility.
Disadvantages of coliving spaces for remote work
Honestly, there are not a lot of disadvantages when it comes to coliving spaces, as they were pretty much designed with remote work in mind!
The only issue you might come across is the price. Recently, more and more luxurious coliving and coworking spaces are popping up here and there. So it can be quite costly to get a room as well as an office space. However, depending on how flexible you are with location, you should be able to find places on the lower end of the budget spectrum with more of an energetic hostel vibe.
Where to book coliving spaces
- Coliving.com: Post your profile on this coliving website to find others in the community to live with. This is the perfect way to meet new people!
- Selina: From the depths of the jungles to the hearts of cities, Selina will help you find beautiful locations to stay and work abroad indefinitely.
- Outsite: Outsite has a simple motto, to help people “to live and work in beautiful locations surrounded by interesting people”.
Wrapping it up
So there you have it! A guide to the best kinds of accommodation for your next workation. If you want to get a change of scenery from your sofa and coffee table office at home, or you’re looking to combine travel and work, now you know what will work best for you.