Where I Stay: Free Cancellation and a Few Stops Out of the Tourist Zone

There are plenty of apps for finding somewhere to stay. I use the Trip app and Booking.com, among others. Whichever you choose, book through a legitimate, well-known app.

Always free cancellation

I almost always book with free cancellation. Often you can cancel up to two or three days before arrival without losing a penny. If my plans change, or I spot a bargain somewhere else, I can cancel and rebook. It keeps me flexible, which matters when a flight search can send me to Bangladesh on a whim.

Tip: I almost always book accommodation with free cancellation.

Use the apps for research too

You can see the location on a map, read other travellers’ reviews, and check whether a place is in the area you want to be in.

Stay away from the tourist areas

Hotels in tourist hotspots cost much more. I like to see the places that aren’t on the postcard, so I book outside them, especially where there are good transport links such as a metro or train. A metro ride might cost 50p or £1, while accommodation in the tourist area costs far more.

In Hanoi, for example, I had an apartment for about £18 a night. Here’s how I found it.