Full Question: Many of your ideas for writing come from your travels and walking tours around cities. How do you determine where a good hotel is that will give you the best options for exploring on foot?
Fantastic question! That’s a lot to unpack, but in a nutshell: planning.
First, I try to find hotels, Airbnb, or other forms of lodging in my price range. I wish I had the luxury of just picking a city and going to a particular area or neighborhood regardless of cost, but I don’t. So, I scope out lodging options first.
Second, I take all the hotel options and merge them with a public transit map. I prefer to stay close to subway stations, say within a quarter to half mile, but that’s not always possible. So, I narrow down my hotel choices based on ease of access to transportation.
Third, I take the above information and place both within areas I want to see. I map out museums, parks, cemeteries…all of it, then choose the hotel that is within walking distance of the most. In other words, I choose the hotel in the densest area of interest that’s still in my price range with easy access to public transportation.
This is all done well in advance of my trip, and I do it for a number of reasons. It allows me time to acquire tickets to events well-ahead of time. It allows me to front-load apps for self-guided walking tours or subway payments. Any payment really. And there are often deals on museums and other venues if purchased in advance. I’m nothing if not cheap. <Ahem> Frugal.
NOTE: I do take safety precautions when traveling, especially alone. There are some hotels that are not a good choice for females, so do your homework. Not all cities are safe for women traveling on foot or on public transport. Again, do your homework. Make sure you are safe, above all else.