Guesthouse or resort? Start with your kind of day

Before comparing room photographs, imagine an ordinary day of your holiday. Do you want to walk out into an island neighbourhood, choose different places to eat and arrange activities as you go? Or would you prefer accommodation, meals and activities organised around one property? These questions help you create a useful shortlist before price becomes the only deciding factor.

Picture your morning and evening

For a guesthouse, ask about its location, nearby dining, beach access and the activities your host can arrange. For a resort, ask what is included in your room and meal plan, which restaurants are available and which activities cost extra. Neither label tells you everything: compare individual properties and the exact room category you would book.

Price the journey as well as the bed

Request the return transfer arrangements for your actual flight times. Ask who books each leg, where you meet, how luggage is handled and what happens if a connection is missed. Add the quoted transfers, meals, taxes and mandatory charges to the accommodation cost. A low nightly rate is only one part of the budget.

Look closely at the room description

Check the bed configuration, occupancy, child arrangements and whether the view or outdoor space shown belongs to your chosen category. Ask about stairs if accessibility matters. Save the written room description with your booking details so you can refer to the same information later.

Be realistic about changing islands

A split stay can offer variety, but moving has a cost in money and holiday time. Before booking two properties, ask each one to confirm the connection between them. Do not assume neighbouring pins on a map mean a convenient visitor transfer. For a short trip, one well-chosen base may give you more time to enjoy the stay.

Use a shortlist of three

Choose one stay that best matches your preferred day, one that offers the clearest overall cost, and one alternative. Compare them using the same dates, travellers and inclusions. Then read cancellation and payment conditions before committing. The right choice is the stay you understand well enough to book confidently, rather than the one with the most impressive headline.