Our accommodation

The majority of accommodation used in our small group tours is in the comfortable category. These properties are often locally-owned hotels, lodges and guesthouses. You can expect a good level of service, and sometimes other amenities like a restaurant, bar, garden or swimming pool.

Rooms are comfortable, with en suite facilities and usually have heating, air conditioning or a room fan. We might use larger, resort-style properties in locations where that's typical (usually by the beach), while rooms in city locations tend to be a little smaller.

Star ratings vary widely from one country to the next, but our comfortable accommodation grade is usually equivalent to three star.

Our premium accommodation has been chosen for its excellent facilities and a higher level of comfort, but in some cases also for its character or local importance. character, location or local importance. Our hotels and lodges in this category are usually equivalent to four or five star standard.

You don’t have to sacrifice authenticity when you choose a tour with premium category accommodation. After your busy and active day you can unwind and relax in elegant riads in Morocco, cosmopolitan city hotels in Vietnam or in game lodges set in the heart of Chobe National Parks.

Our Explore Upgraded collection of tours uses predominantly premium accommodation. You may come across these special properties in other small group tours, too - simply check the accommodation grades on the trip pages.

Our simple properties might be a guesthouse, lodge, boat, overnight train or camp with limited amenities, but you'll usually receive a warm welcome. Sleeping arrangements will be simple; sometimes with en suite facilities but sometimes with shared bathroom facilities. Single rooms aren't always available in simple properties but where this is the case it'll be clearly outlined in the trip notes.
 

Our simple category of accommodation includes characterful places where you'll be in touch with the local way of life. We often select simple properties due to limited options, and to enable us to travel into less-visited parts of a destination. You may experience traditional guesthouses in China, mountain lodges in Nepal, simple but homely ‘pousadas’ in Brazil, traditional dhonis in the Maldives or welcoming village houses in Turkey. On some of our small boat journeys you’ll sleep in simple, compact cabins.