Where to stay: choose your area first

Choose the area first, then the hotel or rental. The area you stay in sets how long you spend getting to the airport and the sights on your list, how quiet your nights are, and how much you walk each day. Price still matters, but a cheaper room can cost you an hour in transit each way. Use the area you choose to narrow the hotel and rental search that follows.

Start with your trip. List the sights you want to reach, note whether you arrive by air, and decide how much daily travel time you will accept. Families, solo travelers and business travelers weigh these trade-offs differently, so a central area that suits a couple on a city break may not suit a family with young children. Once you have a short list of areas, compare the hotels and rentals within each one side by side.