Is a Florida Beach Motel Right for Your Florida Vacation?

I have stayed in some pretty shady places. Going the really cheap route with a Florida beach motel can be a viable option to max out other aspects of your trip.

Florida is such a big place that trying to list all the motels here would be ludicrous. So, we wanted to provide some quick tips and places to get you started. Plus, we’re always here to help.

Everyone knows a motel isn't the same thing as a hotel but you get the same basics right? A motel offers you a roof over your head for the night just like a hotel would. There is a comfortable bed to sleep on, a television to watch with cable, and a bathroom to do your business and take a shower in.

So don’t pay top dollar when the beaches and attractions are what you’re there for. Unless you’re on your honeymoon of course.

There will be the national chains that I’m sure you’ve heard of from time to time. The Econo Lodges, Motel 6’s, La Quinta Inn, etc…

Then there are the local motels that can be excellent stays if found appropriately. As we say all the time, utilizing the web, reviews, referrals, and more will ensure your Florida beach motel has everything you need, is clean, and makes you feel comfortable to stay there.

I have stayed in an Econo Lodge in Panama City, a small family-owned beach spot in Clearwater (they didn’t have a pool, but we had plenty of room and were right on the beach), and a number of various motels that young folks need to keep their vacations inexpensive.

With each one we felt safe, clean, and had everything we needed. We weren’t expecting luxury so we knew what we were getting into.

This page came about because a visitor of ours who will be heading to the US from Australia wanted to find beach motels to stay at for a night or two in order to have a place to rest his head and that was it.

Here are our top tips for finding a Florida beach motel and some great places to begin your search…

• Determine your needs before deciding on the many types of places to stay in Florida. Is a motel right for you versus a condo, resort, or other?

• Determine your budget. The amount of money you have for your Florida vacation will have a big impact on where you stay. We typically go with our needs for a place to stay and have plenty of money for other fun stuff.

• Pick wisely. Now although these motels are businesses, you want to ensure you’re in a safe area, on the beach perhaps, not next to a bunch of party animals (unless you are one), not in a clean place, and so forth. You will want to spend plenty of time doing your research.

• Read reviews, ask for referrals, and be specific. Places like Yahoo answers, travel forums, and many of the travel websites like TripAdvisor. These are great for getting honest feedback from others who don’t make a dime by helping you out. Also, friends and family will point you in the right direction or know someone who can help. People love to talk about their vacations.

• Motels can also be good places if you take pets. Sometimes if you look in the right places, you can get a mini-apartment. One place we’ve stayed at had two bedrooms, a tv area, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Plus it was clean and cost less than any one room motel up the beach. It was quiet and perfect for our needs.

The key is to keep it simple and do your homework. There is nothing like finding a Florida beach motel that didn’t portray their accommodations or location correctly thereby causing you to re-consider your decision.

TripAdvisor

Yahoo Answers & Yahoo Travel

Florida Motel Reviews - This site we found very helpful.

Hotels.com - they also offer a great site to research motel/hotel stays. If you have any questions on using this site, let us know.

You can also try to search under such keywords as beach motel reviews, Florida beach motels, and other variations.

Another great option is to phone or email the local chamber of commerce and research under the local Better Business Bureau if you really want to be sure about a Florida beach motel.

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