Opening an email from the owner of our Indaruwa hotel in Sri Lanka, on the Ocean Breezes itinerary, I was delighted to read news of their latest win, as she wrote:
‘Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award 2025: We are among the top 10% of hotels worldwide!!’
Shangri Lanka is one of our favourite places to stay, but all Vistas hotels are chosen with the utmost care, checked regularly and substituted for better, if it becomes necessary. The criteria I use when choosing a hotel are the following, and in this order:
Location:
Especially on the ‘journey’ itineraries, we need to be able to stop in appropriate places. In some cases, an itinerary has had to be adjusted due to there not being a decent place to stay in the vicinity. It’s important, where we sleep!
Attractiveness:
This is a painting/sketching holiday, first and foremost. We don’t stay in ugly hotels. There will be something lovely in even the most humble of establishments, whether it’s the fossil bathroom in your Moroccan auberge; the bougainvillea outside your window in the Canaries; the colourful, geranium-filled window-boxes in the Dolomites or the tasteful décor and original paintings in Sri Lanka. A garden and a swimming pool goes a long way, too, especially if it’s surrounded by foliage and birdsong.
Reliability:
A change in management or ownership can make or break a hotel, as can the chef, and this needs to be monitored. Most, if not all, of the hotels we use are family-run, and many have been in business for many years. That doesn’t mean we can become complacent. If two consecutive visits are disappointing, it’s time to find somewhere new. It’s exhausting!
Friendliness:
Our destinations, especially Sri Lanka and Morocco, are known for their warm welcome. We choose small hotels and guest houses which live up to the hype; no faceless, featureless concrete monstrosities on a Vistas holiday.
Comfort:
A comfy bed, adjustable room temperature (heating and blankets in winter; a ceiling fan (preferably) or a/c in hot weather) and a clean bathroom with warm water are the minimum you should expect. Attractive décor and a view are a bonus we strive for, and often achieve.
Food:
I love my food, and lots of my guests do, too. On many itineraries we eat where we’re staying, so the cooking needs to be up to standard! While it may not be the number 1 criterion when choosing a place to stay, if the food isn’t great, we don’t return, and that’s a promise.
Value:
Choosing unique, good standard, family-run places doesn’t always have to cost a fortune. I take price into consideration, too, when arranging accommodation because if my costs increase then yours do, too. I try to keep these holidays as affordable as possible, without compromising on quality.
Most of the hotels we use, with one notable exception (La Gomera) have very limited rooms available, so late bookings sometimes mean we must find an alternative at the last minute. I love all our regular hotels, so I do really appreciate guests booking their trip as early as possible so that we are guaranteed our chosen place. I don’t ask people to share a room with a stranger, and most people travel singly. Booking as a couple of friends happy to share makes things easier, of course, though it is absolutely not compulsory. Early booking is especially appreciated Painted Desert (our favourite desert auberge has only 5 rooms and is very popular), Enrosadira in the Italian Dolomites and also in Sri Lanka, where tourism is on the increase generally, and some places are booked up months in advance.
I’m happy to send details of the places we stay if you are at all concerned. But in order to assure we find rooms in the most beautiful, most comfortable and welcoming of all, the best advice is to book your trip as soon as you can!
