No one functions well on little or poor-quality sleep — and your nursing job requires you to be alert and sharp for the well-being of your patients.
Getting good sleep means having a comfortable, relaxing place to come back to after a long day’s work.
Staying with family or friends or renting an apartment may not be an option for every assignment, and it can become an added weight trying to find a suitable place to live on top of other arrangements.
Renting a hotel room might be the answer — but which? Read on to learn about your options, along with booking tips, to help you narrow in on the best hotels for travel nurses.
Table of Contents
- Travel Nurse Housing: Are Hotels a Good Option for Travel Nurses?
- Comparing the Different Types of Hotels for Travel Nurses To Help You Figure Out the Best Fit
- 5 Considerations When Choosing the Best Hotel as a Travel Nurse
- 4 Tips for Booking Hotels for Travel Nurses
- Trusted Nurse Staffing: Find Your Dream Job on Your Terms
Travel Nurse Housing: Are Hotels a Good Option for Travel Nurses?
The housing option you choose will entirely depend on your preferences and what you consider to be ideal.
Factors like:
- What you’re willing to pay
- How much space you like to have
- How often you expect to be in your room
- The length of your contract; and
- What’s available in the area around your assignment
Hotels offer a great option (and often great rates and/or upgrades) for travel nurses on assignment. The room and hotel amenities provide nurses with many of the basic necessities and nice-to-haves that they’re used to in and around their own homes.
It’s important to take where you stay on assignment seriously. After all, choosing where you stay on assignment can be just as big a factor in your happiness as the assignment location itself.
Using the Pronto app can help you find your dream travel nurse assignment location and Trusted Nursing Staff can help with any issues related to your career.
Search jobs today on Pronto.
Comparing the Different Types of Hotels for Travel Nurses To Help You Figure Out the Best Fit
When deciding between hotels, it’s essential to think about the type of place you want to come home to, and what amenities will help you feel most comfortable as you settle into a new city.
Read on to learn about the different types of hotels you can choose from and narrow in on which might be the best fit for you.
Traditional Hotels
Often aimed at accommodating short-term customers (like overnight business travelers, families on vacation, or guests in town for a wedding), popular traditional hotel chains include:
- Crowne Plaza (IHG)
- Wyndham Hotels (Wyndham)
- DoubleTree (Hilton)
- Courtyard (Marriott)
- Hilton Garden Inn (Hilton)
- Hyatt Place (Hyatt); or
- Delta Hotels (Marriott)
When it comes to amenities, traditional hotel rooms will typically cover, albeit generously, the basics.
In the kitchen, this could mean a microwave and small refrigerator. For travel nurses, this could either work well, if take-out and shift schedules align, otherwise this could be a potential issue.
Benefits of Staying at a Traditional Hotel
It’s important to remember that amenities can vary greatly between hotel brains and even locations within a brand.
Traditional hotels are typically located near city attractions and nightlife, and often by local airports (hello, visitors).
The regularity of daily housekeeping coupled with amenities like…
- 24-hour reception desk
- Cafe
- Concierge
- Daily housekeeping
- Fitness center
- On-site restaurants
- Room service
- Dry cleaning services
…make traditional hotels a great option for travel nurses who value convenience.
Extended-Stay Hotels
An extended-stay hotel can be a cost-effective and convenient alternative to renting a traditional apartment but still includes many of the amenities an apartment might offer.
Some offer apartment or studio-style living, while luxury options may feature:
- Multiple bedrooms
- More square footage
- Special add-ons like private patios or a designated parking space
Benefits of Staying at an Extended-Stay Hotel
Often offering more options than traditional hotels, extended-stay hotels offer amenities to help you feel rested and prepare you to be the best nurse possible, and may include:
- Free Wifi
- Utilities, like cable, including premium channels, electricity, heater
- Full kitchens
- On-site laundry
- Transportation
- Pet-friendly rooms
- Recreational programming
- Free breakfast
- A business center
Likely most enticing of all, an extended-stay hotel often offers great value; many offer a reduced rate for their long-term guests.
Airbnb
If you’ve been on a family trip, to a friend’s wedding, or on a weekend getaway in the last few years, chances are you’ve stayed at an Airbnb before.
Though not technically a hotel, Airbnbs generally provide more of a living space for travel nurses and may be ideal for someone who wants to feel like they’re coming “home” after every shift.
Benefits of Staying at an Airbnb
Airbnbs are often equipped with amenities and features that you likely have at your own home and can aid in giving you that familiar comfort feeling.
Guests’ top 10 amenities include:
- A pool
- Wifi
- A kitchen
- Free parking
- A jacuzzi
- A washer or dryer
- Air conditioning or heating
- Self check-in
- Laptop-friendly workspace
- Pets allowed
According to Airbnb, many of their guests (like travel nurses) also appreciate:
- Extra toilet paper, linens, and towels
- Basic toiletries like shampoo and conditioner
- Dish soap and cleaning supplies
- Dining basics like a coffee maker, cooking utensils, dishes, and silverware
- Wine glasses
- Basic cooking supplies like salt, pepper, and oil
- Coffee, tea
- Light breakfast or snacks
- Hangers
- Adapters and chargers
All of these small details and touches add up when you’re trying to find the best fit for your next assignment.
5 Considerations When Choosing the Best Hotel as a Travel Nurse
#1: How Far Do You Want To Travel to Work?
If you want to be close to your work, you may have to look into the types of hotels offered in the area.
Do they have the amenities you’re hoping to find? Or would you be better off looking for a short-term rental in the area?
A commute to work can act as a reset, giving you time to unwind after a long shift or get in the right mindset before work. If you don’t mind a bit of a longer commute, your search for hotels can expand a bit and may help you check other, more important, factors off your list.
#2: What Do You Like To Do During Your Time Off?
Some nurses may find that they want the convenience of being close to the activities they enjoy.
If…
- Walking to your workout
- Being close to local shopping and dining
- Easy access to outdoor activities
… is important to you, you’ll need to narrow in on the areas that give you quick and convenient access to them.
Hotels Near Outdoor Activities
According to Wyndham, you’re rarely more than 10 minutes from one of their hotels. Wyndham properties include:
- Wyndham Garden
- Ramada
- Super 8
- Days Inn
- Howard Johnson
- Travelodge
Their notable amenities include:
- 24-hour reception desk
- Cafe
- Concierge
- Daily housekeeping
- Early check-in available
- Fitness center
- Near public transportation
- Non-smoking
- Pet-friendly
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Same-day dry cleaning services
Hotels Close to the Nightlife Scene
You know them, you love them — Marriott Hotels are often situated in the heart of downtown. Those looking for walkability have a good shot of finding a “home” at a Marriott hotel on their next travel nurse assignment.
Plus, Marriott continuously rolls out new loyalty sign-up bonuses and ways to earn points for current members.
You could:
- Earn twice on each eligible night.
- Get 1,000 bonus points.
- Plus, get one bonus Elite Night Credit.
- Redeem for free nights and more.
Hotels Close to Town
Graduate Hotels are located around colleges and universities — the majority of which also have medical centers close by, which puts them in the running as one of the best hotels for travel nurses.
The chain is well known for its quirky decor and top-notch service, and has locations in coveted travel nursing locations, like:
- Ann Arbor
- Annapolis
- Chapel Hill
- Nashville
- New York
- Seattle; and
- Tucson
#3: Do You Like Having Amenities Close By?
Do you want to stay in a hotel that has a…
- Restaurant
- Gym; or
- Pool
… attached?
Or would you rather get out of the hotel to do these types of activities?
Some people enjoy the convenience and familiarity of having these items within easy access, while some see it as an excuse to get outside and explore their new “home” and all it has to offer.
#4: Will You Have Transportation?
Consider what kind of transportation you’ll have access to on your next assignment.
Ask yourself:
- How far will you have to travel to work?
- Will you rent a vehicle?
- Is there public transportation available?
Your answers to these questions could make a big difference in finding the best hotel and what areas to look at.
It’s also important to know (or consider) what types of shifts you’ll be working. If you’ll be on the night shift, will you feel comfortable taking public transportation? If not, you’ll need to factor the price of a rental car into your budget for a hotel.
#5: Is Personal Space Important to You?
Coming home to a made bed can be a welcome and wonderful feeling after a long shift. But for those who don’t love people in their private space, a daily cleaning crew coming and tidying can be bothersome.
At a hotel, there will likely be guests coming and going regularly, which can be loud and, if you’re on the night shift, might not be ideal during the hours you’re trying to rest up.
4 Tips for Booking Hotels for Travel Nurses
After considering the above, you’ve narrowed it down to staying at a hotel and are ready to book.
You pull up Google Maps for your next assignment’s location and start to search for what hotels you have to choose from.
You’ll want to:
- Have your contract up and ready to reference for reimbursement and length details
- Know what loyalty programs you may already be a member of
- A pen and paper out to take notes about what rates and amenities you see and like
#1: Determine Your Needs Based on Your Contract Location and Length
Take a look at what makes the most sense for your commute and how long you see yourself in the area.
Even an extended-stay hotel can get costly if you’re on a long-term contract (or plan to extend your contract).
Paying for transportation or gas may also be a factor to consider if you’re staying at a hotel that is far away from your hospital or is in a major metropolitan area that sees a lot of traffic.
#2: Get the Most Out of Your Stay by Joining Loyalty Programs
Free nights and complimentary upgrades? Sign us up. And that’s exactly what we encourage travel nurses to do to maximize their future hotel stay.
Join all free loyalty programs for hotels that you stay at while you’re on assignment. Learn what they offer, and weigh whether you’d benefit from staying at a hotel and using your points or if you can rack up the points to use at a later time for leisure.
If you take two to three assignments a year, you can reach elite loyalty status pretty easily, which is where a lot of the coveted perks can be redeemed, including:
- Discounts
- Upgrades
- Free nights
- And more
It’s a good idea to inquire about trading in any loyalty points for other “bonuses” like discounts on other types of travel, shopping, entertainment, rental cars, or dining, too.
#3: Understand Your Reimbursement Options
Know how much you’ll be reimbursed for — will your agency reimburse you for hotel stays? If so, do they have any maximum requirements?
The last thing you would want to do is book a hotel with a rate thinking you’ll only pay out of pocket for a certain amount, only to learn your reimbursement amount is less than you budgeted for.
#4: Call the Hotel Directly Before Booking
When you think of booking directly, chances are you think of booking online, right? It makes sense — it’s easy, it’s quick, and you get your confirmation within minutes.
The real trick? If you’re set on a certain hotel, but not the price, give them a call. Hotels sometimes offer rates specifically for healthcare workers that you might not find online.
While it may be more convenient to book a booking site, you always want to make sure you’re getting the best deal, and a quick call to the hotel could save you hundreds.
What you save on a daily rate could be spent exploring your new city and all it has to offer.
Trusted Nurse Staffing: Find Your Dream Job on Your Terms
You know your job often demands you to give 110% daily. Between shift and schedule changes, getting quality sleep when you can is of the utmost importance for you and your patients.
Seasoned or starting, we understand your need to find a place that feels like home.
No matter what type of lodging you choose, or if you need help narrowing in on the best hotels for travel nurses at your next assignment, Trusted Nurse Staffing can help you…
- Connect with other nurses
- Receive stipends to cover housing, meals, and travel
- Select from a variety of flexible contracts
- And more
Join our team of travel nurses and contact us today.