We were excited to be invited along to the recently refurbished Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh a few weeks ago as part of the Sheraton’s #meetyouthere campaign. And we are even more excited to giveaway 10,000 Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty points to one of you!

Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa, Edinburgh

As budget travelers, we are rarely given a chance to hang out in 5-star hotels, so we jumped to join the Sheraton team for a night of luxury at the refurbished Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in Edinburgh. Staying as part of the “Sheraton Club,” we were in line for the whole luxury experience. And boy, were we pampered from the minute we arrived!

Usually, we have to lug our backpacks up 17 flights of rickety stairs, but as we walked into the reception, our bags were carried to our rooms while we were whisked away to the Sheraton Club lounge for a welcome drink and canapes!

Sure we were getting the star treatment as part of the unveiling of the refurbishment, but you can be guaranteed that you will get the same respect and luxury when you check-in, especially if you are lucky enough to win the 10,000 SPG points.

With our appetites held off for the next few hours, we were led to what is undoubtedly the showpiece of the Sheraton Grand Hotel. One Spa is attached to the Hotel as part of the Club member’s experience. You can even join the One Club separately from the Sheraton resorts.

Fortunately, we were dolled up looking dashing in shirts and skirts, so we were not expected to get a sweat on while we toured the exercise and workout areas. Although Adela and I did head down at 6.30 am the following day for a workout to burn off a few of the drinks we had. It is so lovely to walk through a Hotel directly to the gym rather than run in the cold like we usually do.

We didn’t say no to the Spa treatments, though. However, I did let the masseuse off lightly by offering to have a hand massage instead of a foot massage.

I even nearly fell asleep with the candles, oils, and hippy music lulling me into a dreamlike state. If only we had longer here so we could have enjoyed the rooftop pool as well.

I would have to say that the highlight of the entire night was the food and drinks. Heading behind the chaotic restaurant scenes, we met the world-renowned Malcolm Webster, the Head Chef, and creator of some of the most excellent food we have ever eaten. Plus, the Sheraton team dished out wines to complement every delectable forkful.

It turns out that pairing your food with a decent bottle of red is much nicer than the usual £3 bottle at Tesco.

The only thing left for us to do roll ourselves up to our Club rooms high above the city lights of Edinburgh and collapse on the gigantic bed. I now know why they make more expansive beds than they are long. Purely to fit my fat ass in after scoffing all that food.

Our only disappointment is that now we will struggle to get back into the budget travel frame of mind and wish we wrote a luxury travel blog instead!

Starwood Preferred Guest Points Giveaway

We are so lucky to be able to give you a chance to win your very own luxury experience with Starwood Hotels and Resorts. And the best part is that you can use the points anywhere in the world! And you don’t have to use all the issues in one go if you don’t want to. Although we recommend it 🙂

For example, you can spend three nights in a Starwood Category 1 Hotel using 3,000 points a night or just one night in the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa. The choice is yours. Check out this list of Category 4 Hotels around the world.

So all you have to do to enter our draw is follow the subsequent two links to join our newsletter mailing list and ‘LIKE’ us on Facebook. Once you have done that, there is nothing to do but sit back, relax and cross your fingers! If you have already done both, then you have entered already!

The draw will be held on Friday 29th June and be announced in our June newsletter, on our travel blog, and our Facebook page.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER. THANKS ALL FOR ENTERING.

All photos courtesy of Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa.

Disclaimer: We were guests of Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa as part of their #meetyouthere campaign. However, as always, our thoughts are always our own.

We have wanted to visit Egypt for a while now, so when the opportunity to get away over the Christmas and New Year period arose, we knew we needed to head there for a break. We joined Expat Explore on their 10 Day Explorer Tour through Egypt, taking in the sights of Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, and Hurghada.

Expat Explore Ten Day Egypt Explorer Tour Review

We chose Expat Explore because they were the cheapest with all the same sights and in the end, we were happy with our choice.

Pre-departure, they emailed us our itinerary with the optional excursions and additional costs for entry fees, including budgeting appropriately. As well as following up with our pre-trip questions regarding flights, insurance, and health and safety advice.

From the start, they were very professional. Landing in Cairo, we were personally greeted the day before our tour and transported to our City center hotel. That drive was an eye-opener to Egypt with crazy lane changes, honking, swerving, and flashing lights with animals, people, and vehicles everywhere.

El Tonsy Hotel is your base for your arrival and last night. Luckily we didn’t expect much as our door didn’t lock, which was a bit dodgy, and the rooms were cold with a broken heater and only one blanket. You wouldn’t think you would need heat in Egypt, but it was the middle of winter, chilly at night. No complaints with the location, though, as we could see the Pyramids in the distance and were only 5 minutes walk from the Nile and 15 minutes to Tahir Square (perfectly safe, by the way). Plus, they have a little bar/restaurant with cheap food and free Wi-Fi. Just buy your snacks and water from the supermarket across the road, and you will get on fine.

It’s pretty hard to break down a whole trip into one post but here goes:

Day One

Your tour starts with the best in my opinion by touring some sights of Cairo. The steeply angled Step Pyramid, the mind-blowing Pyramids of Giza, and the smaller than expected Sphinx. This day was the highlight.

That night is spent aboard the train for 10-12 hours to Aswan. I highly recommend the Sleeper train for an extra £50 per person. Others who caught the standard train froze their butts off while we had a toasty sleep with dinner and breakfast. Unfortunately, Expat Explore never told us about the provided food, so we ate before we got on board but what we could fit in was delicious.

Day Two in Egypt

The tour splits in Aswan as one group embarks on a River Cruise aboard a 5-star ship while the others spend time in hotels and on a Felucca. No surprise that we went with the cheaper option aboard the Felucca, so the next few days are from that point of view.

The afternoon is yours at Sara Hotel on the banks above the Nile. We lapped up the beautiful rays of the sun and managed to turn our pasty white bodies a more fitting, slightly white shade. The Hotel was great until the toilet next door erupted, sending a river of smelly waste across our bedroom floor (throw your toilet paper in the bin, not the loo)! Luckily we woke in time to rescue our bags from the watery mess! Not the fault of Expat Explore, and we didn’t blame the Hotel either, as shit happens.

Day Three on the Nile River

Your day begins by visiting the monstrous High Dam for 10 minutes (reasonably boring) and driving past the Unfinished Obelisk. At the same time, the highlight is the Philae Temple. It is pretty magical when the sunsets across the Nile reflect off the stonework.

The evening ended with an optional dinner in a traditional Nubian family’s house. The food was delicious, and you better bring your singing and dancing shoes.

Day Four on the Felucca

The following day and night are spent relaxing aboard the Felucca for a sail up the Nile for several hours. Sleeping no more than eight people, you will be snug if you bring your sleeping bag like us. The rest of our crew was jealous as it did get quite chilly in the evening. However, blankets were provided.

With delicious pita bread and falafel cooked on the boat, you will not be disappointed with the food either.

The day ends with a bonfire on the Nile shoreline as you sing and dance with the crazy fun Nubian crews. This was one of the highlights of the entire trip for us.

Travel Tip: Don’t be put off by doing your “business” amongst the reeds of the Nile. Just enjoy the view and remember to bring your toilet paper (which you need everywhere in Egypt anyway).

By all accounts, from the other tour members, the River Cruise is just as great, with three nights onboard in comfortable accommodation, a pool, and buffets morning, noon, and night.

Day Five Temple Exploring

Waking to a sunrise breaking the morning chill is a glorious way to start a new day. Unfortunately, there is little time for relaxation before you are off the Felucca and on a bus to Kom Ombu and Edfu Temples. The transportation was more than adequate, with toilets on the buses and room enough for everyone. It’s lucky because you spend most of the time being driven around.

The Lotus Hotel in Luxor was probably the pick of them all. It was situated on the Nile bank with a swimming pool and a tasty buffet breakfast.

Day Six at the tombs

One more day, one more busy schedule. Rushing to beat the crowds at the Valley of the Kings, it’s another 8 am start. You are only allowed to visit three tombs, and we recommend the guide picks: Ramses II, IV, and IX.

Travel Tip: You are NOT allowed to take your camera with you off the bus. Please don’t ruin it for everyone by taking photos, as you will be charged by security when caught.

We also squeezed in the crowded rock-carved Hatshepsut Temple but only drove past Luxor Temple as we ran out of time as you need to go 6 hours to reach Hurghada that night.

Day Seven and Eight at the Red Sea

The following two days at the Red Sea are yours to do whatever you like, so use them wisely. We joined most of our group for a spot of snorkeling and diving. The dive and the staff were great, but the whole day seemed a little rushed, which was a shame. Keep an eye out for our post on our diving experience in Hurghada.

So nice being able to relax on a beach and read a book after such a hectic schedule. It’s hard to leave, and the 6 – 8 hour bus ride back to Cairo is challenging.

Travel Tip: If you plan to do the tour over New Year’s Eve, you will have to depart Hurghada half a day early, which sucked as it meant celebrating the New Year at the Hotel in Cairo. Bit of a letdown, but when hasn’t New Year’s Eve been!

Day Nine in Cairo

Your final day of sightseeing is spent around Cairo. Our favorite part of the day was the Cairo Museum with an excellent tour guide. It fits perfectly at the end by seeing all the history close-up after learning about it over the last eight days.

By the time we hit the old area of Cairo and the Coptic Hanging Church, we were spent on history, but our guide made a reasonable effort at keeping us entertained.

The last group activity is free time for an hour or so at the Khan El Khalili souk markets, where the touts try to prise your cash from you for the last time from every nook and cranny.

Day Ten is the end

With the tour over, it’s time to head home. Our flight was late the following night, so we walked around the city and Souks on our own for the day. Expat Explore provides transport back to the airport, which was great.

The Negatives of Egypt Travel

The trip was fantastic, but we think it’s important to note the little things that could make a massive difference to the overall experience:

• It felt like we were always hungry. Maybe it is just Kiwis and Aussies that eat all the time, but it seriously felt like we were constantly starving, with lunches being served usually after 4 pm and dinner at 9 pm onwards. It might be the Egyptian way to eat at those times, but not for us. Travel Tip: Buy lots of snacks for the road which are very cheap at supermarkets.
• There was sometimes a lack of direction in what seemed to be happening. Everything is done in Egyptian time, so be patient.
• We were often delayed or behind schedule with little to no guidance on how long it would take to get from place to place. A little knowledge goes a long way as then we can plan.
• More free time would be great to explore places independently rather than have our hands held everywhere.

The Positives of traveling in Egypt:

As we said above, the trip was excellent, and the little positive things far outweighed the negatives, which helped make it a memorable trip.

• Pre-departure information and care were excellent.
• The tour was exceptional value for money, and it was the cheapest tour we could find even though we still saw all the same sights the other groups did.
• The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and never failed to answer any questions we had. The insight into the daily lives of the people around us was a nice break from all the history. They also ensured you never felt unsafe or uncomfortable.
• The Felucca trip was better than expected, and overall, so were the accommodation and transport options.

We highly recommend you book with Expat Explore if you are considering a trip through Egypt.

Make sure you subscribe now and come back soon so you can enjoy reading our new posts, which will cover everything else in more detail.

Disclaimer: Expat Explore provided us with a discount for our ten-day tour of Egypt; however, our thoughts are always our own.

For the average traveler looking to step outside their comfort zone, they want to do it in comfort. But that doesn’t mean you have to find yourself in an expensive hotel anymore.

With the considerable rise in the popularity of apartment rentals for travelers, like Wimdu, over the last year, and the number of hostels with charming private rooms, there are a couple of different options for every budget type.

Not all Hostel rooms are scummy.

The only problem for an adventure traveling couple is choosing between the three different options.

We wanted to help you out on your next travel adventure by briefly summarizing Hostels vs. Hotels vs. Apartment.

Hostels vs. Hotels vs. Apartment

Privacy, budget, location, and facilities all play a massive part in choosing our accommodation when we travel. And while each of the different options has its benefits, none of the three is perfect.

We should also note that while every Hostel, Hotel, and Apartment is different, we have been very generic in our answers below. Some accommodation options are much, much worse, while some are much better.

Most of the time, you get what you pay for, but sometimes it just comes down to pure luck.

Hostels

When we first started traveling, we always stayed in Hostels. However, the longer we have traveled, the less time we have spent in Hostels.

In particular, we rarely stay in Hostel dorm rooms unless we are traveling with a group of friends. This is because we like our space and privacy. It is to keep the romance alive while on the road.

We have learned that if you don’t sleep well, romance will die while traveling.

Hostel Pros:

For a single traveler, Hostels always provide reasonably good value for money. Where else can you find a place to rest your tired jandal-wearing feet and have a complimentary breakfast for around $10 – $20 per night?

You also have the chance to meet a lot of other international travelers because Hostels are generally well-known for being social.

The staff is often friendly, and other travelers will be looking to share travel stories with you.

Hostels will put on events such as pub crawls, fancy dress parties, and free walking tours to help you explore the destination.

Most Hostels will come with some kitchen facilities so that you can cook for yourself, helping you stretch your budget even further.

Learn to cook cheaply but well in Hostels.

Hostel Cons:

Due to Hostels being very social, they can also be very noisy.

Unless you opt for a private room, don’t expect any privacy. We have stayed in dorms with over 20 bunk beds. If you want to sleep, don’t stay in a 20-bed dorm.

While you may get a complimentary breakfast, expect it to consist of white bread with only a few spreads and basic cereal options like cornflakes. If it is a buffet option, check out our all-you-can-eat buffet eating tips!

The kitchens are usually messy. We don’t understand how travelers cannot clean up after themselves. Do your dishes!

The cost of a private room in a Hostel is comparable to some 2/3 star Hotels.

Dorm room in Barnacles Hostel.

Hotels

If we book a Hotel room when we travel, we are very particular about our choices. They have to have complimentary breakfast and be centrally located to make them worth the extra cost.

Hotel Pros:

Private rooms. What else do we have to say? After three years of traveling, it is nice to escape for a few hours in privacy.

Hotel rooms are often nicer than Hostel rooms, with more space and more extensive beds.

As members of the Hotels.com reward scheme, we can earn free accommodation the more we book online. You should check it out if you stay in Hotels.

Hotels often have fitness facilities such as a pool or small gym. This is important to us while traveling.

Hotel chains such as the Radisson Blu or the Starwood group will have the same high quality worldwide.

Hotel Cons:

Hotels can be pretty sterile. We don’t mean clean, because that is nice, but they can be very business-like.

While front desk staff are friendly, they won’t go out of their way to help you find adventures and things to do.

There is little to no social scene or a chance to meet with other travelers. And if they have a bar on-site, it is likely to be expensive and dull.

There won’t be any kitchen facilities so that you can cook for yourself. Restaurants are often your only option.

Apartments

We have recently discovered short-term apartment rentals while we are traveling. They work because someone either has a couple of spare rooms in their apartment that they rent to you while they are still there, or they have a whole apartment you can rent out for your stay.

Some are wonderful, while some can be misleading in their descriptions.

Apartment Pros:

Apartments can feel like a home away from home when stepping outside your comfort zone. Having a homely base to come back to each day makes a huge difference to travel happiness. Here are some worldwide vacation apartments from WorldEscape.

Kitchen facilities allow you to cook with ingredients picked up from local markets and help you travel for longer on your budget.

Affordable apartments are not usually located centrally, which means they will be quieter, allowing privacy and lots of relaxation after being on the go all day.

With a group of travelers, you get the benefit of all beings in the same apartment, which makes the traveling experience better—most of the time.

Apartment Cons:

If you rent out a room in someone’s shared apartment, it can be extremely awkward, and you feel as if you are intruding in their private lives.

Some affordable apartments will not be located centrally. So factor in additional costs for transportation and getting around.

You won’t get the chance to meet other travelers.

Hostels vs. Hotels vs. Apartments Verdict

For the first-time traveler or budget traveler, Hostels are your best friend. You get the chance to meet new people worldwide and find out travel tips from travelers that have been there and done that. If you stay in Hostels, you can save your money for travel adventures like kayaking in Naples.

Hotels are generally more friendly and comparable in price to private dorms if you are traveling as a couple. And if you have found one with a good buffet breakfast, you can usually skip lunch.

While staying with a local in a shared apartment can be great if you want to find some local travel tips, it will feel like you are intruding in their lives. Therefore we recommend booking an entire apartment for your privacy, kitchen facilities, and a home away from home.

Overall, if we can find a suitable apartment, we always choose an Apartment over a Hostel or Hotel.

READER QUESTION: Which one do you choose in the Hostels vs. Hotels vs. Apartment debate? And why?