In the last post in the Room With a View series…there are questions* to ask yourself to decide if you should upgrade for the room with a view. Here we will see those questions applied to a few different hotels. This will help us try out the questions and determine if the upgrade is worth it. Of course…if you have an unlimited budget…this is not something you need to consider. But, most of us have to make choices when it comes to our travel budget. This is one of the choices that comes up a lot. The rooms with a view are so tempting! The awe that you can feel when you get the first look from the room with a view!
There is a preceding step that we can use the same process to decide…select the hotel with a view…or not. There are hotels that don’t have the types of views that are explored in this post. In this post, we are assuming that we have already selected a destination and a hotel that offers these types of options. The hotels that are considered here are all in the same state. I hotel hopped to all three last fall, so in addition to what we can see online, I can weigh in and validate the findings. The next post in this series will explore hotel hopping…another important decision to consider when traveling…that way you can get rooms with views all in one trip instead of just one! The below rooms have king beds and the price is a nightly rate.
Questions to ask yourself to decide if the room with a view is worth it…
- Will I spend much time in the room enjoying the upgraded room view?
- Could I enjoy the view from the less expensive rooms?
- Is there a lot of good space on the property where I can enjoy all that the view has to offer in other settings…outside of my room?
- Does the higher price cut into my budget in a way that effects other parts of this experience.
The first hotel put to the test is in Santa Barbara, CA – Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
Ocean View: $295.00 Partial Ocean View: $245.00
Resort View: $230.00 Mountain View: $185.00
- Will I spend much time in the room enjoying the upgraded room view?
A: No - Could I enjoy the view from the less expensive rooms?
A: Partial Ocean View - Is there a lot of good space on the property where I can enjoy all that the view has to offer in other settings…outside of my room?
A: There is a paved beach path and beach across the street. It is a very short walk to Stearns Wharf. There is a great rose garden with benches and landscaping near the patios of the rooms and space near the main building to enjoy. - Does the higher price cut into my budget in a way that effects other parts of this experience.
A: The difference between the two options that I would consider (Ocean View and Partial Ocean View) is $50.00. If I had it to do again, I would save the extra $100.00. There is enough outside space and direct access to the ocean across the street it would even be ok to take the mountain view and save an additional 120.00 for the two-night stay!
The next hotel explored is in Oxnard, CA – The Embassy Suites by Hilton Mandalay Beach Resort
Oceanfront: $241.00 Resort View: $179.00
Partial Ocean View: $217.00 King Bed (No View Listed): $170.00
Ocean View: $217.00
- Will I spend much time in the room enjoying the upgraded room view?
A: No - Could I enjoy the view from the less expensive rooms?
A: Ocean View - Is there a lot of good space on the property where I can enjoy all that the view has to offer in other settings…outside of my room?
A: There is a paved beach path and beach access connected right to the property. The resort is spread out and has many different areas off the beach to explore. - Does the higher price cut into my budget in a way that effects other parts of this experience?
A: The difference between the two options that I would consider (Oceanfront and Ocean View) is $24.00. I have a hard time giving up Oceanfront for less than $50.00 for my two night stay.
The last hotel is in Long Beach, CA – Hotel Maya a Double Tree by Hilton
Water View w/ Balcony: $236.00
Water View: $226.00
Standard View: $200.00
- Will I spend much time in the room enjoying the upgraded room view?
A: No - Could I enjoy the view from the less expensive rooms?
A: Water View - Is there a lot of good space on the property where I can enjoy all that the view has to offer in other settings…outside of my room?
A: There is a paved waterfront path that wraps all the way around to the Queen Mary. The outdoor space is very trendy with several fireplaces and comfortable outdoor furniture. From the waterfront you can see across the bay to Parker’s Lighthouse and Shoreline Village. The hotel has a local shuttle service. - Does the higher price cut into my budget in a way that effects other parts of this experience?
A: The difference between the two options that I would consider (Water View with a Balcony and Water View) is $10.00. I would not give up my private outdoor water-view space (balcony) for $20.00 for my two-night stay.
Of course, it comes down to your own answers to these questions when you make your personal decision. Of course, it comes down to your own answers to these questions when you make your personal decision. Overall, with the three hotels examined, and in most cases, there are viable options that allow us to save money on our room choice and put that savings to use on other parts of our travel. If you are able to select a less expensive room you can upgrade the food, experiences/excursions/tours, or just save the money toward your next trip!
Some of the photos here are all from property grounds, not from my room, except the ones captioned patio or balcony.There are many ways to discover vantage points for awe on vacation – The room with a view is just one way! There are some awemazing views out there…if you don’t get them from your room…make sure you find a way to get them! The awe of these views is often what we carry with us for years.
Next Post…Room With a View 3…Hotel Hopping for a variety of Rooms with a view all in one trip! (Arizona, Florida, and Jamaica) Leave a comment to let me know what else I can do to help you discover vantage points for awe on your travels. Share your email address and I will share updates with each post!