How to Find an Accommodation as a Digital Nomad

As a full-time digital nomad for the past two years, I’ve learned a lot about how to book an accommodation while traveling the world. I’ve stayed in extended-stay apartments in Croatia and the United States, and co-living spaces around Spain and Malta all while maintaining a budget.

After much trial and error, I’ve come up with the best formula for having a comfortable and fun stay in any city whether you’re a solo traveler or traveling with a companion.

• Look For a Digital Nomad Community

  There’s something special about the digital nomad community — regardless of where you find one, you’ll always meet like minded, smart, and interesting people. And if you’re traveling solo like me, it’s the perfect way to never feel alone and make connections around the U.S. and the world.

  Before even looking for an accommodation, I’ll research a city to learn more about their digital nomad community through Facebook groups, Reddit, and Meetup. Within these groups I’ll learn more about how viable it is to meet other digital nomads, the best neighborhoods to stay in, and any other tips about the safety, cost, and internet speed in a given city.

• Book Longer Accommodations

  Although I travel full-time, I stay at least one month in each location to learn more about the culture and people. Plus, as someone who works full time, it’s the only way I won’t feel stressed about constant planning while on the road.

  I always book extended-stay hotels, co-living spaces, or fully-furnished apartments through Anyplace, which has options in 33 countries and 100+ cities around the world. They make it easy to book without the need to sign a year-long lease. And, utilities and WiFi are included at all properties.

  Another big reason that I choose Anyplace is to avoid any hidden costs that occur with other platforms and shorter-term stays, which can include cleaning fees, buying staples every time I relocate, and paying for transportation between properties multiple times per month.

• Always Have Access to a Kitchen

  It’s so important to have access to a kitchen when traveling full-time. Not only is cooking on your own good for your budget, but it gives you a sense of routine even if your future plans are unknown.

  For me, eating yogurt and drinking coffee in the morning, and cooking my favorite meals gives me a sense of comfort and structure during the work week. And when I want to splurge or connect with fellow digital nomads, I’ll eat out and experience the local cuisine.

• Consider the Location

  Although your accommodation might have the greatest aesthetics, your location is a huge part of your experience. Imagine that you landed the perfect apartment, but it’s a 45 minute train ride from a coworking space?

  Pick a neighborhood that has all of the amenities that matter to you like access to public transportation, a grocery store, a gym, and a coworking space. Make sure that you also look into the safety of the area and the possible noise pollution such as construction, public transportation, or a nightclub (trust me, you don’t want to be wall-to-wall with one of these).

• Prioritize the Comforts of Home

  Let’s face it: it’s easy to get homesick if you’re a constant traveler. But there are ways to combat that by pulling in comforts of home into your accommodation. For example, I always choose a place with a nice shower and a coffee maker, so I can stick to the same routine. And, I prefer a property with a closet, so I can unpack my luggage, put it under the bed, and hang up all of my clothes as if I live there.

  In order to get settled in my accommodation even faster, I always skip the airline baggage fees and long wait times at the baggage claim. Instead, I ship my luggage so it’s waiting at my accommodation when I get there. That means, I have no more surprises when weighing my baggage at the airport or carrying my heavy suitcase up the stairs of the metro.

About our guest blogger, Sarah Archer:

Sarah is a Content Marketing Manager at Anyplace, a marketplace providing people with easy, turn-key housing options all over the world. When she’s not working, she’s likely hiking a new trail, eating pho, or mapping out the next destination.