As you begin planning for your next vacation, settling on a destination, and choosing a hotel, there are many different options to consider that could make or break your next getaway. Each hotel always has something different to offer their guests, and it’s up to you to decide what type of experience you are looking to have (1). When it comes to the type of room you are looking to book, there are many questions to ask yourself and unique amenities to consider. Whether you want a room with a view, easy access to the pool, a balcony, or more of a full apartment-style layout, every room upgrade offers their guests a more and more specialized experience.
But when it comes to choosing a room, it’s easy to get lost in the fancy language of the hospitality world. Different rooms and suites can make it hard to decipher what type of amenities you need and what you can do without. A lot of this will come down to the specific hotel and what they offer their guests with each upgrade. The hotel will also provide brief descriptions online of what each room has to offer and why you should consider upgrading your room to ultimately upgrade your vacation experience. To get started, you may be wondering, what is the difference between a deluxe room and a suite? Below is a quick guide into basic hotel room anatomy to help you choose the best room for your next vacation.
The Deluxe Room
There are a few keys things here that truly set apart a deluxe room from other hotel room options. For starters, it is the next step up from a standard room. The standard room is what all hotels offer as a base level. They may or may not have a view, will have limited amenities, and typically only include one full or queen size bed depending on the hotel. The deluxe room most often has a view and a number of luxurious amenities compared to the standard. It usually includes multiple beds and it fit to accommodate either 4 adults, or 2 adults and 2 children depending on the room – a great option if you are planning a family vacation.
Deluxe rooms, however, can come with some extra perks attached. Many hotels offer in-room hot tubs, unique bathroom and shower layouts, and sometimes a small kitchen setup. Hotels that offer these kinds of luxuries will usually only offer them for deluxe room options and up. They also usually include more furniture, such as a living room setup, a view or balcony with a view, a prime location, or a combination of all these perks. They also can be set up to be more of an apartment style layout with double doors separating the bedroom off from the rest of the hotel room, allowing for a little more privacy if you are traveling with your family.
There are a few reasons to consider a deluxe room when traveling. If you are traveling with your family, this is a much more comfortable layout than a standard room. It offers more beds, privacy, and a larger space overall. While you may not plan to spend the majority of your vacation in your hotel room, the larger space is definitely worth the few extra bucks. However, if you are not traveling with a family but still hoping to enjoy some extra luxuries, the deluxe room does tend to offer some specialty amenities that are well worth the upgrade. Depending on the hotel, it’s hard to beat an in-room hot tub, larger space, and more calming atmosphere.
The Junior Suite
Next on the list is the junior suite, another popular option hotels will usually offer. This is the next step up from the deluxe suite and is essentially the same thing with similar layouts and amenities. Junior suite will usually have a great view, location, designated relaxing and lounging areas, in-room hot tubs or unique bathroom and shower layouts, and multiple beds depending on the hotel. The only difference here is that the junior suite has a designated desk or working area – usually a lot more like an at home office than your typical hotel desk options (2).
While you can enjoy many of the same perks as the deluxe room, this option is especially enticing if you work on the go, have a demanding work schedule you can’t totally get away from on vacation, or even have your own business or side project. While the goal of vacation is to completely unplug, many workaholics do enjoy the relaxing atmosphere to get a few projects done. The junior suite offers many of these relaxing amenities, with a quiet place to retreat when the work starts to pile up on your vacation.
The Suite
Last but not least is the suite hotel option, the top hotel room option at any hotel. The suite offers the full list of amenities and is also usually the priciest hotel option. Much like the junior suite, it offers a private working area, a king size bed (possibly multiple beds and rooms depending on the hotel), and a kitchen, dining, and living area. It is set up to be more of an apartment style layout with top views, balconies, and lots of room. It includes much nicer furnishing options as well as a great location.
Suites can also be labeled different things at different hotels. Presidential or Royalty suites are typically names for the hotels top suite options and can sometimes offer more luxurious than other rooms. It is warned, however, that many hotels will label their junior suites as full ‘suites’ when they actually do not offer the same type of luxurious. Also check online or call the hotel before you book your room to verify the features and avoid confusion.
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Final Thoughts
When booking a room, it’s important to understand what you are looking at with different room options. All will look enticing, with different levels of amenities, but few will truly offer you the experience that you are looking for. Having the right room, after all, can make quite the difference on your vacation. When traveling with family, friends, or just simply looking to splurge on a slight upgrade, always go with the deluxe room option. If you are looking for over the top amenities, prime location, and incredible views always choose at least a junior suite or above. These rooms will truly set your vacation experience apart from the standard room options.
