I call myself a Smart Tourist. When I choose where to stay, I think about the experience, the landscape, the location and the practicalities of getting around. Price matters, but it is one part of that decision.
In Samoa, transport options helped shape my choice of a resort. I enjoyed the coast, while the hotel itself felt more ordinary than its price might suggest. Later, two nights in a simple guesthouse in Tonga helped balance the spending on that wider journey.
I have also had resort experiences on Egypt’s Red Sea that felt worth paying for. Those different memories are why I find a single rule about accommodation unhelpful. I want to understand what a particular stay contributes to a particular trip.
Travel Well. Spend Wisely. Experience Deeply.
A good location can give me more time for walking. A well-designed shared space can make a modest place enjoyable. A beautiful resort can be the experience I went for. I look at these things together.
The same approach applies to food. I can enjoy a formal dinner for its setting and service, then remember a local meal just as clearly. I want to be able to recognise what each place does well.
My writing starts from that judgment. The question is always what is worth choosing here, for this journey, and what makes the experience meaningful.
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